Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 30 May 1996

Vol. 466 No. 3

Written Answers. - European Council Decisions.

James McDaid

Question:

15 Dr. McDaid asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has satisfied himself with the follow-up to recent European Council decisions; and the mechanisms in place to enable members of the European Council to monitor a follow-through. [9177/96]

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Spring)

Article D of the Treaty on European Union states:

The European Council shall provide the Union with the necessary impetus for its development and shall define the general political guidelines thereof.

The European Council is required to meet at least twice each year under the Chair of the Head of State or Government of the State which holds the Presidency of the Council, thus ensuring adequate opportunity to review the Union's agenda. On occasion, additional meetings of the European Council are held such as the Special European Council in Turin last March which launched the Intergovernmental Conference.

The European Council does not take formal legally binding decisions. Instead, it defines the general political guidelines of the Union through the detailed Conclusions reached at each of its meetings. TheseConclusions play a central role in shaping the Union's agenda for the subsequent six months and beyond and are an essential element in guiding the work of the Council of Ministers.

Adequate follow-up to meetings of the European Council is ensured in the first instance through regular meetings of the Council of Ministers. The General Affairs Council considers the outcome of a European Council at its first and subsequent meeting in order to ensure the necessary follow-up. Furthermore the General Affairs Council reviews the preparations for a European Council meeting.

We shall be doing this in Luxembourg next month in advance of the Florence meeting. In addition as Foreign Ministers assist the members of the European Council and as Finance Ministers attend for monetary matters, there is a direct link between work at the Summit level and at the Ministerial Councils. The Presidency of the European Union plays an important role in this respect. Other institutions of the European Union also ensure adequate follow-up — in particular the European Commission whose President is a member of the European Council.

The President of the European Council reports to the European Parliament after each of its meetings and a written report is published by the Council annually on the progress achieved by the Union.

Taking all these arrangements into account, I am satisfied that there is adequate follow-up to meetings of the European Council and that the necessary mechanisms are in place to ensure this follow-up.