The European Parliament,

-  having been consulted by the Council, pursuant to Article 48(2) of the Treaty on European Union, on the convening of an intergovernmental conference (IGC) to consider the changes to be made to the treaties establishing the European Union (C5-0341/1999 ),

-  having regard to the Commission communication dated 2 December 1999 entitled 'Adapting the institutions to make a success of enlargement' (COM (1999) 592),

-  having regard to the Commission opinion dated 26 January 2000 entitled 'Adapting the Institutions to make a success of enlargement' (COM (2000) 34),

-  having regard to the conclusions of the European Councils held in Cologne (3 June 1999), Tampere (15 October 1999) and Helsinki (10 December 1999),

-  having regard to its resolutions of 19 November 1997 on the Treaty of Amsterdam(1) , of 6 May 1999 on the method and timetable of the forthcoming institutional reform(2) and of 18 November 1999 on the preparation of the reform of the treaties and the next Intergovernmental Conference(3) ,

-  having regard to the report of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (A5-0018/2000 ),

A.  in view of the impetus given to the process of enlargement by the Heads of State or Government at Helsinki and to the scale of such a process, which now includes 13 applicant countries within a single framework,

B.  whereas the new pace of the enlargement process agreed in Helsinki requires a reform of the treaties capable of ensuring institutional stability, of creating democratic methods for constitutional reform, of safeguarding and increasing the effectiveness of the decision-making process and of strengthening democracy in order to make further progress in European integration,

C.  whereas the prospect of an enlarged Union means that a constitutional process must be initiated,

D.  whereas the quickening pace of economic globalisation and the introduction of the euro likewise require an improvement of the Union's decision-making procedures in the field of economic policy, in order to make them more transparent, effective and democratic, by improving the provisions of the treaties,

E.  having regard to the particular responsibility it bears as regards the taking of the final decision on the accession of new Member States, given that Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union stipulates that Parliament's assent is a prerequisite for accession,

F.  whereas the conclusions of the Helsinki European Council fell short of the proposals set out in its aforementioned resolution of 18 November 1999 and in the Commission communication,

G.  whereas the opinion presented by the Commission on 26 January 2000 clearly argues in favour of the IGC's agenda being expanded,

H.  recalling its decision to assess the IGC's conclusions in view of its outcome as regards enlargement needs,

1.  Considers that the agenda adopted in Helsinki in December 1999 by the Heads of State and of Government for the IGC which is to begin in February 2000 does not comply with Amsterdam Protocol No 7, which calls for a comprehensive review of the provisions of the treaties concerning the institutions in the light of the challenges of enlargement, and that it fails to satisfy the requirements of greater effectiveness and greater democratic legitimacy of the Union;

2.  Welcomes the commitment of the Portuguese Presidency to expand the IGC agenda;

3.  Welcomes the start of work on drawing up the Charter on fundamental rights for the people living in the Union and stresses its demand, that the Charter be included in the Treaties;

4.  Calls on the Portuguese Presidency to honour its undertaking to propose topics for inclusion on the IGC agenda to the Lisbon European Council and, in doing so, to pay the utmost attention to the proposals set out in Parliament's resolution of 18 November 1999 and to those of the Commission and of the Member States in order to pave the way for an ambitious reform of the Treaty;

5.  Will specify its priorities to the IGC in a subsequent report based on its abovementioned resolution of 18 November 1999, and will put forward specific proposals which will be presented by the President and her representatives, who should participate fully in the Conference at all levels;

6.  Believes that the final decision of the Member States should be submitted to the European Parliament via the assent procedure;

7.  Stresses the need for transparency in the working methods of the IGC so that the citizens of the Union may be informed about the progress of work and of the major decisions taken by the Conference;

8.  Considers that an IGC is essential; objects to the excessively narrow agenda adopted in Helsinki, which might well jeopardise the process of integration, and calls for an open-minded approach on the part of the Council towards the Portuguese Presidency's proposals to expand the agenda for the Conference;

9.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the Heads of State or Government and the parliaments of the Member States.

(1) OJ C 371, 8.12.1997, p. 99. (2) OJ C 279, 1.10.1999, p. 416. (3) Item 4 of Texts Adopted of that date.