Launch of the Intergovernmental Conference 2000, February 2000

The formal launch of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) took place during the General Affairs Council in Brussels on 14 February 2000. The aim of the IGC is to adapt the policy making processes of the EU Institutions to accommodate the substantial number of new countries that are likely to join the Union in the next few years.

Following up the conclusions of the European Council, Cologne, 3-4 June 1999 and in the light of the Finnish EU Presidency's report setting out the reforms to be considered, the European Council, Helsinki, 10-11 December 1999 confirmed the IGC's terms of reference. It is to examine:

• the size and composition of the European Commission
• the weighting of the Member States' votes
• and the possible extension of qualified-majority voting within the Council.
• Further amendments to the Treaty may be considered where they relate to the way the Community institutions function and arise from the implementation of the Treaty of Amsterdam.

The Conference was officially convened on 14 February 2000. The first session of the IGC was devoted mainly to organisational questions and, in particular, the work programme at both ministerial and deputy level up to the European Council, Lisbon, 23-24 March 2000 for which the Presidency intends to provide initial information on the state of work on all issues. The IGC should complete its work by December 2000.

At the inaugural session the President of the European Parliament, Nicole Fontaine, [Speech, No.18, 2000] and the President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi[RAPID: SPEECH/00/40] were asked to outline the approach of their respective Institutions to the issues to be discussed at the IGC.

Background

In the European Union context an Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) comprises meetings of the governments of the Member States with the aim of amending the Treaties establishing the Union. It is a formal process or mechanism to bring about change rather than a specific event. The process consists of:

• a formal launch of the IGC by EU Foreign Ministers
• a series of meeting over a (varying) period of time consisting sometimes of Ministers but often of their "special representatives", plus a Commission representative
• a concluding meeting, which recently has coincided with a European Council Summit meeting, at which Heads of Governments take final decisions
• a signing of a Treaty
• a ratification process in each Member States, before the Treaty can enter into force

Changes to the Treaties can only be effected by the unanimous agreement of all current Member States.

There have been six Intergovernmental Conferences so far, which ended in the following years with the following results:

• 1965 Merger Treaty
• 1970 budgetary powers of the European Parliament
• 1975 budgetary powers of the European Parliament
• 1986 Single Europe Act
• 1992 Treaty on European Union (the "Maastricht" Treaty)
• 1997 Treaty of Amsterdam

The IGC launched on 14 February 2000 is thus the seventh. The role and profile of IGCs has developed considerably over the years. While the formal negotiations are between the Member States (with a Commission representative also attending meetings), other EU Institutions and many external interests also informally play a role by submitting proposals, recommendation and ideas as to how the Treaties should be reformed. This feature is apparent by a look at the very large amount of information contained within the European Commission "Retrospective database" containing papers associated with the Intergovernmental Conference in 1996.

Further information on the development and procedures of Intergovernmental Conferences in the EU can be found in:

• SCADPLUS: Intergovernmental Conference (IGC)

The current Intergovernmental Conference (IGC2000)

The European Commission launched a website which aimed to bring together the key documents associated with the IGC negotiations. This site has now been archived.

The key documents of the IGC are:

• The institutional implications of enlargement: Report to the European Commission (Dehaene/von Weizsäcker/Simon Report) [October 1999]
• Adapting the institutions to make a success of enlargement - Contribution by the European Commission to preparations for the Inter-Governmental Conference on institutional issues [November 1999]
• Adapting the institutions to make a success of enlargement - Commission Opinion in accordance with Article 48 of the Treaty on European Union on the calling of a Conference of Representatives of the Governments of the Member States to amend the Treaties [January 2000]

The website also contains a number of speeches made by European Commission President, Romano Prodi and the European Commissioner with special responsibility for the Intergovernmental Conference, Michel Barnier.

Further important documents (not currently on the Commission's IGC website) are:

• Efficient Institutions after enlargement. Options for the Intergovernmental Conference Finnish Presidency Report [December 1999]
• IGC: Reform for enlargement. The British approach to the European Union Intergovernmental Conference 2000, [February 2000]

The European Parliament adopted a Resolution on the convening of the Intergovernmental Conference on 3 February 2000. A summary of the related debate is also available. Further documents from the European Parliament relating to the current (and past) IGCs can be traced by inserting "Intergovernmental Conference" in the Search field of the the European Parliament's Legislative Observatory.

The Committee of the Regions adopted an Opinion on the IGC on 17. Earlier viewpoints of the Committee of the Regions can be seen in a press release from December 1999 and another one in January 2000.

At the time of compilation the Economic and Social Committee had not formally given an Opinion on the IGC.

The President of the Court of Justice submitted to the Council of Ministers of Justice and Home Affairs, on 28 May 1999, proposals concerning the future of the judicial system of the European Union. On the 7 February 2000 the Commission received a report from a Reflection Group it set up (The Due Group) on the future of the judicial system in Europe. The Commission may submit proposals for reforming the European Court of Justice to the IGC.

Dialogue on Europe

On the 15 February 2000 the European Commission adopted a document called "Dialogue on Europe: The challenges of institutional reform". This aims to open a public debate with the citizens of Europe on the challenges of institutional reform for Europe. The objective is to accompany the formal negotiating processes of the IGC with contacts and exchanges with public opinion and its multipliers, combining explanation, attention and debate on the issues. Further information on the initiative can be seen at the Dialogue on Europe website. The formal opening of the dialogue is planned for 8 March 2000 when President Prodi will debate the issues with young Europeans at the Palais des Congrés in Brussels.

Further information within European Sources Online:

European Sources Online: In Focus
	Intergovernmental Conference 2000 - Preparations: Report of the Group of Wise Men on the institutional implications of enlargement and Commission follow-up
European Sources Online: European Voice
	11.11.99:	Commission sets out case for ambitious IGC agenda
	11.11.99:	Applicants shut out of EU treaty talks
	18.11.99:	MEPs back Commission bid for bold IGC
	25.11.99:	Finland to push for wider agenda for talks on EU treaty reform
	20.01.00:	Portugal and Commission join forces to broaden IGC agenda
	10.02.00:	Battle lines drawn ahead of IGC talks

Further information can be seen in:
(long-term access to these links cannot be guaranteed)

The Independent Commission for the Reform of the Institutions and Procedures of the Union (ICRI)
	Homepage
	Advancing the Union [November 1999]
Eurogoal
	Homepage
	The need for a focused and far-reaching IGC [October 1999]
BBC News Online
	27.01.00:	Prodi unveils EU reforms
	18.02.00:	Should the national veto be scrapped in European affairs?

Ian Thomson
Executive Editor, European Sources Online
Compiled: 20 February 2000

The formal launch of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) took place during the General Affairs Council in Brussels on 14 February 2000. The aim of the IGC is to adapt the policy making processes of the EU Institutions to accommodate the substantial number of new countries that are likely to join the Union in the next few years.