EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: MEPS GIVE WHITE PAPER ON GOVERNANCE A LUKEWARM WELCOME.

• Position: European political information - Brief Article

Romano Prodi indicated that the White Paper, which focuses on possible improvements in governance with a Treaty content, is but the first phase in a wider strategy of which the following steps will be a Communication on the post-Nice process on the eve of the Laeken Summit in December, and a Communication on more fundamental changes to the Treaty in anticipation of the next Inter-Governmental Conference. The Commission President recalled that by advocating increased decentralisation of the follow-up of legislation, the White Paper aims to offer a response to the poor implementation of EU law. The most controversial part of his speech dealt with the simplification of the legislative process, another high-point of the White Paper. Mr Prodi argued that Parliament "needs to refocus on its core tasks, monitoring the implementation of policy and budgetary responsibilities", adding: "Respectfully but firmly, the White Paper suggests that the European Parliament should depart from the present emphasis on detailed accounting and move towards more policy-oriented control based on political objectives".Johannes Swoboda (PES, Austria), accused Mr...