POSITIONS OF 10 CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES ON EU INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS: ANALYTICAL SURVEY in the framework of the CEEC-DEBATE project The debate on the finalité politique of the European Union in the applicant countries from Central and Eastern Europe – measures accompanying other EU activities to prepare the IGC 2004 Funded by the European Commission under the Fifth Framework Programme Edited by Christian Franck and Dorota Pyszna-Nigge Authors: · Mirela Apostol, Synergy, Bucharest, Romania · Vladimir Bilcik, Slovak Foreign Policy Association (SFPA), Slovakia · Irena Brinar, IIR University of Ljubljana, Slovenia · Ainars Dimants, European Movement Latvia · Piret Ehin, EuroCollege, University of Tartu, Estonia · Dovile Jakniunaite, Institute of International Relations and Political Science, Vilnius University, Lithuania · Petr Krotohvil, Institute of International Relations, Prague, The Czech Republic · Krassimir Nikolov, University of Sofia, Bulgaria · Rafal Trzaskowski, European Institute Lodz/European Centre Natolin, Poland · Viljar Veebel, EuroCollege, University of Tartu, Estonia · Krisztina Vida, IWE Budapest, Hungary Louvain-la-Neuve/Brussels June 2003 Table of content: Introduction.......................................................................................................................4 Questionnaire .....................................................................................................................6 National Report Bulgaria..................................................................................................8 1. Results of work of the European Convention ....................................................................8 2. Institutions ...................................................................................................................10 3. Decision-making ..........................................................................................................22 4. Awareness of the European Convention.........................................................................24 National Report Czech Republic....................................................................................27 1. Results of work of the Convention .................................................................................28 2. Institutions ...................................................................................................................29 2.1. Non-paper on the reform of the EU institutions ........................................................30 2.2. The IIR research project “Debate about the Future of Europe and ÈR”......................31 2.3. “Europeum Paper”.................................................................................................32 3. Decision-making ..........................................................................................................33 4. Czech debate and its priorities: role of national parliaments, CFSP and EMU...................35 5. Awareness of the European Convention.........................................................................36 National Report Estonia..................................................................................................39 1. Results of work of the European Convention ..................................................................39 2. Institutions ...................................................................................................................41 3. Decision-making ..........................................................................................................44 4. Priorities of the Estonian debate ....................................................................................45 5. Awareness of the European Convention.........................................................................48 National Report Hungary ...............................................................................................50 1. Results of work of the European Convention ..................................................................50 2. Reform of Institutions ...................................................................................................51 3. Decision-making ..........................................................................................................52 4. Hungarian priorities: CFSP, rights of minorities, EU external borders..............................53 5. Awareness of the European Convention.........................................................................54 National Report Lithuania..............................................................................................56 1. Results of work of the European Convention ..................................................................56 2. Institutions ...................................................................................................................57 3. Decision-making ..........................................................................................................59 4. Lithuanian debate: CFSP, neighbourhood policy and withdrawal from the EU..................59 5. Awareness of the European Convention.........................................................................60 National Report Latvia ...................................................................................................63 1. Results of work of the European Convention............................................................63 2. Institutions .................................................................................................................64 3. Decision-making........................................................................................................67 4. Priorities of the debate in Latvia ...............................................................................69 5. Awareness of the European Convention...................................................................69 National Report Poland ..................................................................................................70 1. Results of work of the European Convention ..................................................................70 2. Reform of EU Institutions .............................................................................................71 2 3. Decision-making ..........................................................................................................75 4. Poland’s specific interests .............................................................................................77 4.1. Strengthening of the Common Foreign and Security Policy/European Security and Defence Polic y.............................................................................................................77 4.2. Relationship between smaller and bigger countries ..................................................79 4.3. Division of competencies .......................................................................................79 4.4. Other particularities - a reference to God in the EU Constitutional Treaty..................80 5. Awareness of the European Convention.........................................................................80 National Report Romania...............................................................................................82 1. Results of work of the European Convention ..................................................................82 2. Institutions ...................................................................................................................85 3. Decision-making ..........................................................................................................89 4. Debate in Romania and its priorities ..............................................................................91 5. Awareness of the European Convention.........................................................................91 National Report Slovakia................................................................................................93 1. Results of work of the Convention on the Future of Europe .............................................93 2. Institutions ...................................................................................................................93 3. Decision-making ..........................................................................................................94 4. Other issues: the mode and contents of domestic debate..................................................95 5. Awareness of the Convention on the Future of Europe ....................................................97 National Report Slovenia................................................................................................98 1. Results of work of the European Convention............................................................98 2. Institutions ...................................................................................................................99 3. Decision-making......................................................................................................102 4. Priorities of the Slovenian debate............................................................................103 5. Awareness of the European Convention.................................................................104 Representatives of the CEECs in the Convention......................................................109 The report can be downloaded from the following