B3-1758 and 1768/93

Resolution on the conclusions of the Brussels European Council of 10 and 11 December 1993

The European Parliament,

-having regard to the conclusions of the European Council of 10 and 11 December 1993,

A.having regard to the economic and social situation in the European Union and to the first meeting of a Council following the entry into force of the Treaty on European Union,

With regard to the Belgian Presidency

1.Congratulates the Belgian Presidency for its actions and dynamism over the last six months, which have restored faith in the process of European integration;

2.Welcomes the fact that, following the period of instability caused by the difficulties resulting from the process of ratifying the Treaty, the Heads of State and Government have regained the necessary cohesion both internally through the adoption of a short and medium-term action plan to combat unemployment and a set of measures concerning home affairs and justice and externally through the adoption of a common position on GATT and of the diplomatic initiative leading to the Conference for a Pact on Stability;

With regard to the 'action plan'

3.Welcomes the fact that an action plan including a general framework for the employment policies to be followed at Member State level has been adopted, together with a procedure for monitoring the implementation thereof;

4.Regrets, however, that the specific initiatives to be undertaken at Community level, particularly in the field of intra-Community network infrastructures, have not yet been allocated sufficient funding;

5.Expects the forthcoming Ecofin Council to reach a positive agreement on the various financial techniques to be implemented to finance such work without imposing on the budgets of the Member States;

6.Reaffirms its attachment to the European social model and takes the view that the fight against unemployment should involve all the social and political partners in as broad a pact as possible, the aim of which would be to create jobs;

7.Takes the view that solidarity must be comprehensive, extending to the solidarity which exists between those who have work and those who do not. A policy of wage moderation must be accompanied by moderation in unearned income and in company managers' remuneration. Productivity gains must be directed as a matter of priority towards productive investment which creates jobs;

8.Deplores the fact that, having recognized the contribution made by scientific research to economic growth and employment, the Council has remained so timorous regarding the total amount of funding, allocating only ECU 12 billion for the research budget, while Parliament is asking for ECU 13.7 billion;

9.Takes the view that investment in human resources is the key to economic growth and hence that one priority is to improve, in qualitative and quantitative terms, education, training and continuing training systems and stresses the importance of investment in the new method of production and organization of work. The modernization of working conditions in Europe is also a factor in improving competitiveness and, in this connection, active measures for equality of opportunity must be incorporated into all policies;

With regard to cooperation in the field of justice and internal affairs

10.Welcomes the willingness to set up Europol immediately and the overall anti-drugs strategy, as well as the strengthening of judicial cooperation, but calls on the Member States to take tangible measures against international organized crime, such as the definition of money-laundering offences, incorporation into the Member States' penal codes of Article 416 B of the Italian penal code on Mafia activities, reversal of the burden of proof with regard to the unlawful acquisition of property, faster and more effective judicial cooperation, agreement between Member States on the mutual recognition of judgments and interim rulings under criminal law and of judicial evidence and testimony;

11.Deplores the fact that the action plan drawn up by the Ministers of Justice and Home Affairs and adopted by the European Council has not been submitted to Parliament and reiterates its call for the strict application of Articles K.1 and K.6 of the Treaty concerning cooperation between the Council and Parliament in this regard;

As regards institutional adjustments

12.Regrets that the European Council, in postponing until 1996 any genuine institutional reform, has not adopted the proposal to the effect that any enlargement must be accompanied by the institutional changes necessary to ensure that the Union functions satisfactorily;

13.Is concerned that the European Council has not proposed, in the institutional field, anything other than a purely mechanical transposition of existing rules;

14.Deplores the fact that no guideline has emerged from the Council's work on the substance of the changes to be introduced in 1996, which will prevent the people of the countries concerned from giving their views on accession in full knowledge of the institutional developments of the Union;

15.Notes the European Council's decision on the increase in the number of official languages when new Member States accede; confirms Regulation No. 1 governing the use of languages whereby nine languages were recognized as the official and the working languages of the Community and opposes any decision concerning bodies and services of the European Union derogating from those rules and leading to discrimination against certain Member States;

16.Reiterates its intention to link its assent to achievement of the conditions necessary to ensure the viability of the Union and its decision-making capacity;

17.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the Governments of the Member States.