ENLARGEMENT OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

The Federal Committee of the UEF, meeting in Montreux, Switzerland on 20 and 21 September 1997 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Montreux Congress of 1947, is aware that the enlargement of the European Union to a community of 26 or more members constitutes challenges among others in the following areas :

1. Efficiency of the institutions
2. Weighted representation of Members States in the EU institutions
3. Democracy and citizens' participation
4. The financing of common policies
5. Balanced economic exchanges
6. Social objectives and employment
7. External political and economical relations

and consequently suggests the following measures :
1. the institutions of the Union should be reformed such that decisions in all areas are taken by majority vote within the Council of Ministers and by co-decision with the European Parliament;
2. the representation of the Members States in the EU institutions should reflect in an increased manner the population ratio;
3. the institutional reforms referred to above as necessary to maintain the European Union's capacity for action after enlargement should be achieved in a constitutional process in which the European citizens an their elected representatives would be involved directly; this can include a referendum in the countries where this is constitutionally possible;
4. the European Union should pursue its current structural policy of support to disadvantaged regions as an act of solidarity with the new Member States even if this entails, as a corollary to enlargement, an increase in the Community budget;
5. during a transitional period after accession, asymmetrical trade relations should be maintained in order to allow the economies of the New Members States to be gradually prepared to the full trade competition of the internal market. The Commission should elaborate proposals concerning stimulation of foreign investments in the new Member States;
6. the European Union should help the new Member States to comply with the minimum standards of the EU;
7. The European Union should continue its efforts to develop ever closer economic, political and cultural relations with third countries, in particular neighbouring countries.

The Federal Committee of the UEF takes note of the Agenda 2000 and of the European Commission proposal to start membership negotiations with just six candidates. It maintains that the Union should not exclude any candidate country from the next round of accession negotiations, leaving the task of defining accession procedures for each country to negotiations conducted according to clear and consistent principles. Should this not be the case, an appropriate participation of the excluded countries should be sought.