9-13 June European Parliament plenary session

THE traditional pre-summit debate formed the centre-piece of the session, with European Commission President Jacques Santer and Dutch Foreign Minister Hans van Mierlo outlining their hopes for Amsterdam. Socialist Group leader Pauline Green said clarity and openness were the criteria by which she and her political colleagues would judge the treaty. Wilfred Martens, head of the European People's Party, said he felt the draft text of the treaty released before the summit was a “valid minimum” and should not be weakened.