14. Draws attention to the political connection between the proposed new distribution of seats in accordance with the principle of degressive proportionality and the overall reform package for the institutions of the Union, particularly the 'double majority' principle for the definition of a majority in the Council (Article [9c](4) of the Treaty on European Union as incorporated in the draft amending treaty) and the composition of the Commission (Article [9d](5) of the aforementioned treaty), and stresses the need for that package to ...[+++]be coherent while at the same time recognising the specific legal nature of each institution; agrees that, while the reform of majority voting in the Council and of the composition of the Commission should not enter into force until 2014, the new distribution of seats in the European Parliament should take effect in 2009; reserves the right, however, to assess its consent to the European Council decision pursuant to the aforementioned Article [9a] of the Treaty on European Union on the new distribution of seats in the European Parliament in the light of the reforms of the EU institutions as laid down in the amending treaty;

14. Draws attention to the political connection between the proposed new distribution of seats in accordance with the principle of degressive proportionality and the overall reform package for the institutions of the Union, particularly the 'double majority' principle for the definition of a majority in the Council (Article [9c](4) of the Treaty on European Union as incorporated in the draft amending treaty) and the composition of the Commission (Article [9d](5) of the aforementioned treaty) and stresses the need for that package to b ...[+++]e coherent while at the same time recognising the specific legal nature of each institution; agrees that, while the reform of majority voting in the Council and of the composition of the Commission should not enter into force until 2014, the new distribution of seats in the European Parliament should take effect in 2009; reserves the right, however, to assess its consent to the European Council decision pursuant to the aforementioned Article [9a] of the Treaty on European Union on the new distribution of seats in the European Parliament in the light of the reforms of the EU institutions as laid down in the amending treaty;

It is therefore essential to acknowledge the political link between this new proposal on distribution of seats in line with the principle of degressive proportionality and the reform package for the Union’s institutions, in particular the double majority principle for the definition of a majority in the Council.

4. Notes with satisfaction that following the internal conflict of 2001, in close cooperation with the EU, solutions have been found through the Ohrid Framework agreement to enable all citizens, regardless of their ethnic background, to live together in equality and peace, by strengthening the use of minority languages in public administration and education, through municipal reorganisation and by means of the application of the double majority principle (the Badinter principle) that protects the position of non-majority communities in parliamentary decision-making; notes that in 2007 agreement has been reached on the national holidays ...[+++]of the different ethnic and religious groups;

(b) if, by a majority of 55 % of the members of the Council or a majority of the votes cast in the European Parliament, the legislator is of the opinion that the proposal is not compatible with the principle of subsidiarity, the legislative proposal shall not be given further consideration.

These major principles will be discussed at length in this Report.