Resolution on the extraordinary European Council meeting on the area of freedom, security and justice (Tampere, 15-16 October 1999)
25. 2. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 54/93 Thursday 16 September 1999 10. Area of freedom, security and justice (a) B5-0110/1999 Resolution on the establishment of the Charter of Fundamental Rights The European Parliament, having regard to the conclusions of the Cologne European Council, having regard to its proposals contained in its resolutions on the Constitution of the European Union in particular, and in its other resolutions of a general nature on institutional matters adopted in the course of its 1994-1999 term of office (1), 1. Welcomes the decision taken at the Cologne European Council to proceed with drawing up a draft European Union Charter of Fundamental Rights in good time for the December 2000 European Council; Considers that the commitment to establishing that Charter represents one of its constitutional prio- 2. rities and entails the joint responsibilities of the two Institutions on which the Union’s legitimacy is founded, viz: the Council (as regards the Member States) and the European Parliament (as regards the peoples of Europe); Draws attention to the need for an open and innovative approach to shaping the Charter, the nature 3. of the rights to be featured in it, and the part it will play and the status it will command in the constitu- tional development of the Union; 4. Calls, as regards the membership of the drafting authority and the organisation of its work; for the number of the Members of the European Parliament to be equal to the number of the repre- sentatives of Member-State Heads of State and Government, in order to confer an equally high public profile on each side and to provide for adequate representation of the different political tendencies and sensitivities represented in the European Parliament; for the essential role and contribution of national parliaments to be ensured by the most effective means possible, to be determined in the light of appropriate consultations with speakers of national parliaments; for the powers of the President and the Bureau to be determined by the drafting authority; for the latter to be empowered to decide on the option of convening a drafting committee and work- ing parties; for appropriate steps to be taken to ensure transparency of activities; for contributions from NGOs and the general public also to be ensured, and for public hearings to be held; for the authority’s secretariat to be the responsibility of the participating bodies; Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the other Commun- 5. ity Institutions and the governments and parliaments of the Member States. (1) OJ C 120, 16. 5. 1989, p. 51; OJ C 324, 24. 12. 1990, p. 219 ; OJ C 61, 28. 2. 1994, p. 155. (b) B5-0116/1999 Resolution on the extraordinary European Council meeting on the area of freedom, security and justice (Tampere, 15-16 October 1999) The European Parliament, having regard to the EU and EC Treaties, and in particular the provisions regarding the development of the Union as an area of freedom, security and justice (AFSJ), having regard to its previous resolutions on this subject (1), (1) OJ C 219, 30. 7. 1999, pp. 5 and 6; OJ C 175, 21. 6. 1999, p. 4