Brussels, 26 June 1997 (RFE/RL) - Dutch Prime Minister Wim Kok said today that the EU treaty concluded earlier this month to reform the European Union's institutions for expansion eastward falls short of what is needed.
Speaking to a European Parliament meeting in Brussels, Kok said the treaty adopted in Amsterdam 10 days ago only "by and large" meets the EU's future goals.
He said failure to resolve in the treaty how power should be shared within a larger EU left the reform process incomplete. He called clear power-sharing arrangements "crucial" for the EU to stay manageable after it admits new members.
Kok is scheduled to host an EU meeting in Amsterdam tomorrow to brief the leaders of 10 Eastern and Central European nations, Turkey and Cyprus on the new treaty. Holland currently holds the rotating EU presidency.
Eastern and Central European countries in line to join the EU are Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Romania and Bulgaria.
Speaking to a European Parliament meeting in Brussels, Kok said the treaty adopted in Amsterdam 10 days ago only "by and large" meets the EU's future goals.
He said failure to resolve in the treaty how power should be shared within a larger EU left the reform process incomplete. He called clear power-sharing arrangements "crucial" for the EU to stay manageable after it admits new members.
Kok is scheduled to host an EU meeting in Amsterdam tomorrow to brief the leaders of 10 Eastern and Central European nations, Turkey and Cyprus on the new treaty. Holland currently holds the rotating EU presidency.
Eastern and Central European countries in line to join the EU are Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Romania and Bulgaria.