|
From another aspect, the scope of decision taken by the Council has been expanded also. Since the beginning of the EEC, the obligation to ensure o-ordination o f the general economic policies of the member states has been laid down the Council. With the build up to economic and monetary union, the entry into force of TEU has brought a further intensification of the co-ordinance effort and significant new power for the Council in the second and third stages.
Under Council decision 90/141,the Council was required to undertake "multilateral surveillance" of all aspects of economic policy with a view to the attainment of progressive convergence during stage one of EMU. In the latter stage of EMU, the Council will become more than simply an influential co-ordinator of economic policies made in the capitals of the member states.
The Council has been given an even more than usually predominant role in the institutional arrangements that apply under the "second and third pillars" of the European union ----the common foreign and security policy and cooperation in the fields of justice and home affairs. The Council is to be the forum in which the enhanced co-operation envisaged by the TEU will be carried forward. Article J.2 places an obligation on the member states by providing that:
"1. Member states shall inform and consult one another within the Council on any matters of foreign and security policy of general interest in order to ensure that their combined influence is exerted as effectively a possible by means of concerted and convergent action.
2. Whenever it deems necessary, the Council shall define a common position, member states shall ensure that their national policies conform to the common positions.
3. Member states shall upholdthe common position in such fora. In international organizations and at international conferences where not all the member states participate, those which do take part shall uphold the common positions."
|
