アムステルダム条約とEUの機構改革

抄録

One of the most important missions of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) of 1996 was to find some solutions concerning institutional reform of the European Union to prepare for the future enlargement towards Eastern Europe. But due to serious antagonism among the member states, specially between large and small states, it could not succeed to attain any agreement on this issue.
As a result, the Amsterdam Treaty does not contain any substantial institutional reform. Two main issues, voting procedure in the Council and composition of the Commission, were postoponed to the next IGC which will be convened before next enlargement according to the protocole no. 11 annexed to the Treaty.
Nonetherless, we can see some progress in the Amsterdam Treaty concerning institutional questions: the European Parliament have gained much more decision-making power particulary by simplified co-decision procedure; the President of the Commision have more authority than before; decision-making process in the Council will be more transparent; and many small reforms on other instituions.
But many other issues such as responsibility of Commission, re-classification of community acts, rotation of presidency, etc, which have to also resolved before next enlargement, were not seriously discussed during the 1996 IGC. In that sense, we have to say that the Amsterdam Treaty have failed to prepare for next enlargement.
The “enlarged” European Union are now faced with a difficulty to reach a consensus about the objectives of its integration process and this lack of perspectives for the next century was the main reason that 1996 IGC have failed to reform Union's institutions. But as the future development of EU institutions may signify a change of nation-state system in Europe, it seems difficult that all member states agree in a short term about this crucial issue.