In view of the European Council meeting at Laeken (14-15 December), the President of the Commission Romano Prodi and Commissioner Michel Barnier outlined, in recent days, the Communication that the Commission will present on the future of Europe. In Barnier’s view, neither the Laeken Declaration nor the Convention can fail to tackle the two questions linked both to the “European project” (what Europe wishes to do together) and to the “instruments and methods” for implementing it (how to increase the Union’s democratic legitimacy and effectiveness). The Communication contains a list of key topics: simplification of the Treaties, new criteria for the attribution of competencies, achievement of objectives enunciated in the Treaties, reinforcement of the legislative role of the European Parliament, clarity in terms of the executive function of the Commission and the legislative function of the Council, extension of the qualified majority vote.
