RESOLUTION B3-1508, 1509 and 1511/92

Resolution on the ratification of the Treaty of Maastricht by Denmark

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its resolution of 10 June 1992 on the consequences of the referendum in Denmark for the Treaty of 7 February 1992,

- having regard to the conclusions of the European Council in Birmingham on 16 October 1992,

- having regard to the Danish proposals on the ratification of the Treaty on European Union by Denmark and, in particular, the 'national compromise',

A. whereas Belgium, France, Greece, Italy, Ireland and Luxembourg have already ratified the Treaty under the procedures provided for in their constitutions; and whereas the procedures under way in Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands and Germany will enable those countries to ratify the Treaty by 31 December 1992,

B. noting with great anxiety the latest developments in the process of ratifying the Maastricht Treaty in Denmark in particular;

1. Draws attention to the obligation - under international and Community law -whereby any government which signs a treaty must do everything in its power to ratify that treaty;

2. Understands and shares some of the concerns of Danish public opinion with regard to the inadequate transparency and democracy of the Community system, pointing out that it has repeatedly put forward, most recently in its resolution of 14 October 1992 on the state of European Union and ratification of the Maastricht Treaty, practical proposals to remedy this situation within the framework of the Maastricht Treaty, which did not receive proper consideration by the European Council in Birmingham;

3. Expresses its profound concern at the letter and spirit of the 'national compromise' agreed by the main Danish parties as a basis for a 'special arrangement' between Denmark and her eleven partners if this were to exempt Denmark definitively from some of the Treaty obligations on:

. the common defence policy;

. the achievement of a single currency;

. Community citizenship; and

. internal affairs and justice;

4. Pursuant to the Declarations made at the European Councils in Lisbon and Birmingham, reiterates its rejection of any renegotiation of the Treaty on European Union; 5. Firmly rejects the principle of an 'à la carte' European Community, which would be the consequence of agreeing to the Danish 'national compromise' as it stands;

6. Recognizes, however, the potential appeal to Danish opinion of adopting a statement interpreting the Treaty, aimed at clarifying and democratizing the Community's decision-making process and not at calling into question the basic provisions of the Treaty;

7. On a more general note, calls on the heads of state or government to give proper consideration to the dangers to European integration resulting from the European Council's continuing inertia in the face of the deteriorating climate surrounding the ratification process and calls on it to regain the political initiative in Edinburgh with a view to relaunching European Union with all those nations which wish to press ahead;

believes that the European Council should, in particular,

- give precise, serious and complete answers to the nine proposals drawn up by the European Parliament to make the Community more democratic and transparent, which should form the substance of an interpretive statement, likely to sway the citizens of Denmark;

- involve the European Parliament in the discussions on the form and substance of the arrangement with Denmark in order to represent the views of the people of Europe who elected it by direct universal suffrage;

- express the joint will of all the Member States that have ratified the Treaty by 30 June 1993 to go forward together, without fear of a fundamental disturbance in the Community's legal system, on the road to European Union in accordance with the letter and spirit of the Maastricht Treaty;

- not begin enlargement negotiations until the Treaty of Maastricht is ratified and the Delors II Package is agreed, in accordance with the Declaration made at the Lisbon summit;

8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the European Council, the governments of the Member States, the Council, the Commission and the Folketing.