EP - Outcome of the European Council in Thessaloniki

European Council report and Commission statement on the European Council (Thessaloniki, 20/21 June 2003) & Statement by the President-in-Office of the Council on the review of the Greek Presidency

Debate: 01.07.2003


The Council and the Commission will make statements on the outcome of European Council held in Thessaloniki. These are some of the main results of the Thessaloniki European Council of 19-20 June 2003:

• The draft EU constitution, proposed by the European Convention after 16 months of debates, received backing as a "good basis" for negotiations.
  
  
• The forthcoming Italian Presidency of the EU was instructed to launch an Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) in October 2003 to negotiate a new constitutional treaty. The IGC should finish in time for the new treaty to be agreed before the June 2004 elections for the European Parliament. The 10 future Member States were invited to participate fully and on equal footing in the negotiations.
  
  
• Agreement was reached on the candidature of Bank of France Governor Jean-Claude TRICHET who was officially named as the next President of the European Central Bank (ECB). The final decision requires endorsement from the European Parliament. Mr. Trichet is expected to take over from current ECB President Wim DUISENBERG in October 2003.
  
  
• The leaders called for the United Nations to play a key role in the reconstruction of Iraq.
  
  
• The European Council affirmed that transatlantic relations remain "of fundamental importance in every domain not only for the two sides but also for the international community."

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