B3-0668 and 0774/93

Resolution on the Copenhagen European Council

The European Parliament,

A.having regard to the sharp decline in the employment market with over 17 million unemployed to date and the downward revision of the forecasts for growth in 1993 which should be around 0% or even less; whereas growth of at least 2.5% would be necessary to halt the deterioration of the employment situation,

B.concerned by the increased scepticism in public opinion about the European Community which is proving as incapable as national governments of finding adequate solutions for the problems of unemployment, law and order, the war in the Balkans and the environment,

C.whereas the uncertainties surrounding the future of the European Union have adversely affected the economic climate, and the credibility of the Community in the eyes of European citizens will depend on its ability to resolve its economic problems,

D.whereas at the G7 summit the Community should put forward a common position enabling it to play a role in the economic revival of the industrialized countries,

1.Congratulates the Danish Government and thanks the Danish people for allowing European integration to continue by ratifying the Treaty of Maastricht by a very clear majority; hopes that, once confidence has returned and fears have subsided, Denmark will not have to make use of the exemptions granted to it by the Edinburgh Summit and will be able to remain a full member of the future European Union;

2.Calls for the ratification procedure to be completed without delay so that the Treaty can come into force in all its aspects as soon as possible, thus making it possible to reinvigorate the work of European construction;

3.Implores the European Council, in view of the serious threats facing all the countries of the Community, to rise above national differences and have the common interest prevail by providing the necessary stimulus for Community action in the areas where it is needed, and more particularly:

I - On economic, social and employment matters

The Edinburgh growth initiative

4.Emphasizes that the Community must improve its industry's competitiveness by means of a more efficient Community market, stable monetary conditions, effective coordination of economic policy and investment in the Member States and a sound budgetary policy;

5.Deplores the fact that since the Edinburgh Summit, the Community and Member States have been unable to take the decisions needed to revive the Community economy and prevent a further decline in investment despite the marked decline in the situation;

6.Regrets the lack of economic and financial cooperation between Member States which would have enabled them to use existing margins for manoeuvre in each country; considers that the criteria for convergence leave sufficient margin for manoeuvre and should not be fulfilled at present but in 1997 or 1999, which will require regular moves towards the reference values in the Maastricht Treaty;

7.Further calls on the Commission and Council to set targets for real economic convergence within the Community which really take account of the social situation and not just of economic indicators;

8.Regrets that as a result of the difference in short-term real interest rates between the EC, USA and Japan, leading to an over-evaluation of EMS currencies, EC industry must compete. Further regrets that European policy-makers are unable to exert the same downward pressure on interest rates as is seen in the US and Japan;

9.Notes that the anti-recessionary impact of public expenditure is strongest when expenditure is concentrated on the least prosperous in society, and therefore calls for a programme to be agreed between the Commission, Council and Member States to strengthen the cohesion of Community policies and redistributive measures within the Member States;

10.Considers it essential, therefore, to set up the Cohesion Fund and to adopt the reform of the Structural Funds which should be given adequate resources;

11.Calls for increased investment in environmentally friendly infrastructure, environmental programmes, urban renewal and education, for the extension of labour-intensive public services to meet human needs and for the promotion of research and development;

12.Reaffirms that Europe's path to economic recovery lies in harnessing and developing the skills and commitment of its peoples, through closer social dialogue and wider provision of training;

13.Instructs its President to organize a conference as soon as possible under the auspices of the European Parliament, at which industrialists, economists, trade unionists, representatives of small businesses and university institutions will be required to consider the problems of growth and employment, with the aim of calling a parliamentary conference on these issues;

II - On institutional matters

14.Calls on the European Council

(a)to consider that the difficulties that have surrounded the ratification procedure in certain Member States illustrate the inadequacies of the Maastricht Treaty, in particular as regards the transparency of EC decision-taking and the lack of democracy in the Community system, and urges it to press the Council of Ministers to conclude the interinstitutional agreements necessary to remedy these failings;

(b)to request the Council of Ministers to anticipate ratification of the Treaty of Maastricht and take immediately all the measures necessary to implement the new decision-making procedures (co-decision), arrangements (the Ombudsman and the right of inquiry) and policies, and to pursue the national ratification procedures for adjustment of the number of Members of the European Parliament;

(c)to consider that the forthcoming enlargement of the Community must take place without affecting its ability to decide and to function, and should be the occasion to undertake further reforms in the Community's institutional structure to render it more efficient, more transparent and more democratic; and to anticipate the Intergovernmental Conference scheduled for 1996;

(d)to confirm and extend the decision to make Council meetings more open, and in this regard insists that the Council should hold its meetings in public when it is acting as legislator; calls for the result of votes in the Council to be published;

(e)and insists that steps be taken to act on Parliament's proposal for a uniform electoral system;

III - On foreign trade relations

15.Calls on the European Council

(a)to create the necessary consensus between Community governments to present a united front in the GATT negotiations and rapidly reach a balanced agreement respecting the multilateral and collective nature of these agreements, warding off social dumping;

(b)to give consideration to the problem of immigration and asylum-seeking which have become so great that urgent and coherent Community action is required;

(c)to encourage international cooperation at world level to help the countries of the former USSR in their peaceful transition towards democracy and the market economy;

(d)to grant the Community the additional legal instruments to enable it to negotiate the trade agreements necessary for the development of its economy on an equal footing with its American and Japanese partners;

IV - On budgetary matters

16.Pledges to concentrate budgetary funds on essential economic measures which will help to reduce unemployment;

17.Expects all the above institutions to pay heed to this in their spending for 1993 and to do so with particular efficiency;

V - On foreign policy

18.Urges the Council to do its utmost to contribute, in the framework of the UN Security Council and in cooperation with the United States, to solving the conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina;

19.Warns of the disastrous consequences which would ensue for the whole of Europe if aggression and the practice of ethnic cleansing were left unpunished, and points out that the authority of the Community and its Member States, the CSCE and the United Nations is being undermined by their inability to end the war and the succession of atrocities in the former Yugoslavia;

20.Urges the Council and Commission to continue their active involvement in the Middle East peace process;

21.Asks the Commission and the Council to prepare for implementation of the CFSP in the Maastricht Treaty;

22.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Heads of State and Government meeting in the European Council in Copenhagen, the Council and Commission.