(Greece's Contribution to the 1996 Intergovernmental)
D.The Development and Reform of the Institutions
28. There is an imminent need to develop and reform the institutional system of the European Union in order to make it more democratic, efficient and transparent, while also capable of facing the challenges of the future enlargements. In light of the Political Union's prospective development, our goal must be to provide the EU with institutions which are transparent, democratically structured and capable of taking decisions and efficiently solving problems.
The Basic Principles:
29. The development and adjustment of the institutional system must be based on certain basic principles, including:
(i) institutional unity, and equality of all member states/reinforcement of the single institutional framework.
(ii) the preservation of the basic institutional balance, as has been shaped by the Treaties and historical experience.
(iii) the preservation of the institutional, legal and political «acquis» of the Union.
30. The respect of institutional unity and equality dictates, among others, that we avoid institutionalising forms of «differentiated» or «flexible» integration which under any guise or form would introduce permanent discriminations among member-states and upset basic principles of institutional equality. Greece is opposed to the institution of provisions which would lead to the fragmentation of the unification process. The notions of «differentiated» or «flexible» integration, of a «multi-speed» Europe, or of a «hard core» Europe can not be accepted by Greece. These notions are dangerous to the extent that they may lead to new divisions and antagonisms in Europe.
31. Greece believes that the method of "temporary transitional provisions" which is provided for in the Treaty and has been successfully tested is the answer to the problems posed by the need for a deepening of the unification and enlargement processes. This is the method which ensures the unity of goals as well as institutional unity and contributes to the cohesion of the European Union without hindering the acceleration of unification.
European Parliament
32. Greece believes that the European Parliament, as the elected, representative body of the Union, must gradually take up the legislative functions associated with its role. The strengthening of the E.P.'s functions must be considered on this basis.
33. More specifically, and with a view to promoting efficiency, transparency and democracy in the Union, we propose the following:
(i) the reduction of legislative procedures to three: assent, co-decision, consultation. «Assent» must be used in those cases where the Council decides unaminously on the modification of Treaties, the accession and association of third countries to the EU, own resources and article 235 of the Treaty. The co-decision precedure should apply in all the legislative acts where the Council decides by qualified majority. At the same time, the co-decision process must be simplified by abolishing the "third reading''.
(ii) the simplification of the process concerning the adoption of the EU's general budget.
(iii) The election of the European Commission's President by the Parliament on the basis of a list submitted by the European Council.
(iv) The strengthening of the Parliament's authority to supervise the executive bodies of the EU.
(v) The EP should have the possibility of attending, as an observer, intergovernmental conferences for the revision of the Treaties.
34. Greece is willing to examine proposals for the adoption of a unified electoral system concerning the election of the European Parliament's members.
35. With respect to the number of E.P. members, Greece believes that the maximum number must be fixed in such a way as to allow all political forces to be satisfactorily represented on the body.
National Parliaments
36. Greece favours the strengthening of the role of national parliaments in the unification process. This will contribute to the widening of the legitimising bases of the Union and will bring it closer to the European citizen. This can be achieved through greater contacts between the national parliaments and European institutions, including the European Parliament and the Commission. The latter must establish a procedure for the timely prior submission of legislative proposals and information to national parliaments. Another possibility is co-operation between national parliaments' committees and the corresponding committees of the European Parliament. Further, members of the Commission should be requested to appear before the national parliaments in order to present the Commission's views and exchange opinions. Greece, however, does not consider necessary the creation of new institutions, at EU level, in order to facilitate the abovementioned closer co-operation between national parliaments and the European Union.
European Commission
37. The European Commission is a central element of the EU's institutional framework. Hence, the Commission's powers (monopoly of legislative initiative, guardian of the Treaties, executive powers) must be preserved, while its role in the areas of common foreign policy and co-operation in the fields of justice and home affairs will have to be strengthened.
38. As already noted above, Greece supports the election of the Commission's President by the European Parliament on the basis of a list submitted to it by the European Council. The President thus elected must have broader powers both in the selection of the Commission's members from a list submitted to him by the member-states, and in organising the Commission's work.
39. Greece is in favour of reducing the number of Commissioners, making it equal to the number of member-states, i.e. all member states should have the right to appoint a member to the Commission. It is strongly opposed to the idea of having fewer Commissioners than the number of member-states. Under present circumstances, such a development would seriously damage the authority, the legitimisation as well as the public's acceptance of the Commission. After all, experience with the size of national governments suggests that a future Commission with 27 members would not face serious problems in its functioning on account of its size. It goes without saying that the distribution of portfolios among the members of the Commission cannot be subject to any discrimination among larger and smaller member states.
40. With the aim of strengthening efficiency and transparency in the functioning of the Commission, Greece supports the simplification of the "comitology procedure'', through a reduction in the number of relevant procedures and committees.
European Council
41. The central political role of the European Council has proved especially useful and must therefore be preserved. Greece does not believe that the European Council should assume any additional new powers or functions.
The Council of Ministers
42. The Council of Ministers is the main policy- and decision-making institution of the Union. The new enlargement necessitates certain adjustments which will enable this body to fulfil its role effectively. These adjustments must respect the basic principles of institutional equality among member-states.
43. Greece believes that the organisation and functioning of the Council can be significantly improved through the strengthening of the role of the Council's Secretariat and the Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper).
44. Broadening the application of qualified majority voting must be accompanied by the wider use of the co-decision procedure with the European Parliament. However, unanimity will need to be maintained in respect of the whole range of issues relating to matters of vital national importance, to the law of the Treaties, constitutional issues which relate to the composition of the bodies, etc. (language matters, appointment of the Commission's members, revision of the Treaties, etc.), the articles concerning the accession and association of third countries and article 235 of the Treaty.
45. Greece believes that the present system of weighting of votes in the Council and the rules of qualified majority can be applied - if technically adjusted - without considerable problems in an enlarged EU. The present system of weighting of votes secures a delicate balance between the more and less populated countries and must be maintanined.
46. As far as the present system of the Presidency of the Council is concerned, Greece believes that it must be preserved, with the following improvements:
(I) the strengthening of the Secretariat's role as a body assisting the Presidency;
(ii) the essential strengthening of the Troika's role so that the latter may contribute more effectively to dealing with the problems which will arise following the Union's enlargement. Greece believes that proposals for a ''team presidency'' of the Council are neither realistic nor practically operational.
47. The proceedings of the Council can be improved by the streamlining of its working methods. The public character of the Council's proceedings must also be strengthened.
Committee of Regions
48. The Committee of Regions has proved, despite its short life, that it provides a useful channel of communication between the EU, the regions and, ultimately, the European citizen. For this reason, a strengthening of the Committee's role may contribute positively to the broadening of the democratic bases of the EU and its proximity to the European citizen. Therefore, Greece supports the idea that the Committee should be composed of elected members of the regional and local authorities. Their appointments should be revoked immediately in case of non re-election. Moreover, the Treaty should take into account the need of cross-border cooperation.
European Court of Justice
49. The ECJ must retain its role to authoritatively interpret EU law, which ensures uniformity in the application of Community provisions within the E.U.
50. At present, the basic powers of the ECJ must not be altered and whatever issues need to be resolved can be addressed at a later stage in the context of the possible revision of its Internal Regulation. Its authority should be extended to cover certain matters in the Justice and Home Affairs area.
51. Greece believes that the citizens' access to the Court to seek and obtain preliminary rulings as well as the possibility of submitting questions by the national courts to ECJ must be retained.
52. The principle «one country - one judge» must be retained.
53. Greece agrees to the idea of a nine-year, non-renewable term for the members of the ECJ.
Court of Auditors
54. The role of the Court of Auditors has proved to be particularly important. For this reason, Greece favours strengthening the body's efficiency. It also agrees that the Court of Auditors should be given the power to appeal to the Court of Justice in order to protect its prerogatives.
Economic and Social Committee
55. Greece supports the strengthening of the Committee's role in the context of social dialogue.
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