...nt a Europe more involved in European external affairs, in defence and security problems, in fighting crime and terrorism. Reducing bureaucracy and creating a prosper economy, preserving the identity of the Unions countries and deepening the integration process are other aims of the citizens of the member and candidate states. At the end of 2004, concluding the future Intergovernmental Conference is foreseen ith the signing of a ne treaty or legal fundament of the European Union in the case in hich a thoroughgoing restructuring of the existing treaties is to take place, hich could come into force during the year 2006. This means that Romanias accession may be realized almost in the same time ith the European Unions change, thus the natural interest of the Romanian society to involve in this debate and to contribute ith ideas and solutions for a future structure to be part in. In Romania, the internal debate on the future of Europe has been launched on May 9, 2001. This debate as materialized in contributions of the political factors, of the civil society, of the academic medium, think-tanks and, not lastly, of the citizens that, together, shape the vision of a candidate country, but hich aspires to the status of the smallest country of a large size in the EU. Under these conditions, the emphasis is on the EU political construction and the sensitive sectors for Romania. This is the initial position that the Government of Romania reports at the Convention and synthesises the majority of the opinions presented during the public internal debate in 2001. This position is not unilaterally developed but takes into account the diversity of the expressed opinions of those involved in this forum. 1.The future of Europe and the good governance The European Union reform involves a series of questions related to the governance and the ay in hich EU uses the poer given by the citizens. A good usage of the poer involves a close relation of the Union ith its citizens and leads to more efficient policies. In order to touch this aim, different political instruments are combined, such as legislation, social dialogue, structural funds and action programs, thus contributing to the strengthening of the Community method. The principles that define the good governance and hich should be applied in the functioning of the future EU institutions are opening the institutions for the public opinion a participation as large as possible at establishing and implementing policies a clearer commitment of the responsibilities by all institutions efficiency, manifested through clear objectives, proportionate implementation of policies and supplying coherence beteen policies and actions. In order to succeed in involving citizens in building the future institutions and policies, the civil society has to be co-opted from NGOs to trade unions and professional associations or religious communities. The civil society regards even greatly Europe as a favorable frameork for changing political orientations and society, granting a real possibility to enlarge the debate on Europes role. Taking into account the fact that a more efficient involvement means a greater responsibility, the civil society has to follo the principles of good governance, hich covers accountability and openness. Under these conditions, re-evaluating the implications of the Economic and Social Committee is necessary and must have an active role in developing a ne relationship of mutual responsibility beteen institutions and civil society. 2. The necessary reforms in the European Union Romania aspires to a European Union established as a federation of nation-states, built on to pillars the first, of the Community, consolidated, and the second, inter-governmental, restructured and as a simultaneous expression of to Unions, as an Economic and Monetary one and as a Political one. This structure has to take into account the fact that the overhelming majority of the European citizens still have strong feelings for their national identity and are deeply attached to the state to hich they belong. National interests still represent a reality in the day-to-day business of the European Union. Under these conditions, the future political Union ill have to develop from donard to upard, from citizens to states and from states to the Community, and the procedures of building to be those already efficient in the domains here ere applied the method of co-ordination and enhanced co-operation among the Member States. 3. Reforming the European Unions institutions Applying these methods supposes keeping a balance of the European institutions that proved to be efficient in decision-making, in order to raise the legitimacy of these institutions in front of the citizens of the European Union. The most adequate ay to defend the European interests is by increasing the role of the European Commission. The President of this institution should be commonly elected by the European Parliament and the European Council in order to ensure its entire legitimacy in front of the Community. As far as the number of Commissioners is concerned, Romania supports the principle one state, one Commissioner. Yet, a limitation of the size of the Commission can be accepted, provided that for the countries that ill not have a Commissioner of the respective nationality during a term, some specialized task-forces should be created, on specific matters, that have an urgency. As for the Commissions role as Guardian of treaties, in the future, this institution might gain responsibilities, in the line of ensuring the necessary coherence beteen the intergovernmental and Community sectors, meaning, inter alia, that the ones responsible for CFSP and JHA in the Commission ill be the partners of the High Representative for ESCP, and not his replacers. The President of the Commission could also receive a role of facilitator for unblocking the procedure situations beteen the Council and the Parliament, hen the conciliation procedure has no result. The European Commission should have the monopoly of the legislative initiative in adopting the Community legislation. The Commission should also have an increased role in defining the relations beteen institutions and their implementation. The European Parliament should have increased poers through the extension of the co-decision procedure ith the Council and to grant the Commissions President the competence to intervene as a facilitator in case of an institutional blockage. The Parliament could also elect the President of the Commission, by majority, at the proposal of the European Council. The Parliament could also have attributes regarding the budget, through eliminating the difference beteen the compulsory and non-compulsory expenditures. As for the National Parliaments, Romania supports the idea of establishing a Committee of the National Parliaments, according to the model of the Economic and Social Committee and of the Committee of the Regio...
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