Mr Romano Prodi has predicted the EU will change the way it is perceived by citizens in time for a second referendum in Ireland on the Nice Treaty.
Presenting a long-awaited White Paper on Governance in Brussels yesterday, the Commission President said Irish concerns about European institutions were shared elsewhere.
"I am convinced that if we act in a straightforward, open way, the relationship will be improved. Because we need a strong Europe," he said.
The White Paper, planned since early last year, promises to simplify EU laws and implement them more flexibly. The Commission will use its right to initiate legislation more selectively and try to involve national, regional and local representatives more closely in formulating policies. Policy objectives will be defined more clearly and made more effective by combining new EU laws with non-legislative and self-regulatory measures.
Drawing a lesson from the BSE crisis, the Commission will set out guidelines for the use of expert advice and try to ensure the public has confidence in the quality of that advice.
The White Paper was the subject of a lengthy debate among the 20 Commissioners yesterday. Among the most controversial issues was a proposal to consult non-governmental organisations while policies are being formulated.
Some Commissioners expressed concern that the EU should not appear to grant the same status to NGOs as to elected representatives. Others feared that, by establishing direct relationships with local and regional authorities, the Commission could upset the delicate, federal balance in member-states such as Spain.
Mr Prodi described the White Paper as an attempt to re-establish contact between the EU and the people.
"We have heeded the message from the Irish referendum, the poor turnout at elections and the peaceful demonstrations - not the violent demonstrations - at Genoa," he said.
The Commission can implement some of the proposed reforms without delay but other measures, such as the creation of a three-way dialogue among the Commission, the member-states and the regions, require the approval of governments.
The Commission will also need the co-operation of member-states to improve the implementation of EU law, another aim of the White Paper. The document observes that European rules are often perceived as "foreign laws", even though EU law is part of the national legal order in each member-state.
Other proposals, such as the reform of the Council of Ministers, are entirely outside the Commission's control.
Mr Prodi stressed the White Paper does not represent the Commission's contribution to the debate on Europe's future that will begin in earnest at a summit in Laeken in December. "We need to put our own house in order first."
