Thursday

28th Mar 2024

Merkel plays down hopes of EU constitution revival

  • Ms Merkel will deliver a major EU speech to the German parliament on Thursday (Photo: CDU)

German chancellor Angela Merkel has played down expectations that next year's German EU presidency will bring about a revival of the EU constitution, while pleading for "less Europe" in terms of over-regulation from Brussels.

In a Europe Day speech on Tuesday (9 May) the chancellor said that the union should not "rush" in trying to revive the frozen charter.

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"It is right not to rush now, but to watch developments calmly and explore the possibilities of one day putting in place such a constitutional treaty," Ms Merkel said, according to press reports.

"Waiting does not mean letting it slowly go to sleep, but finding the correct time to act," she added.

The comments of Ms Merkel, a staunch supporter of the constitution, are notably less ambitious than earlier signals from Berlin which had pointed at the constitution being one of the main items at the 2007 German presidency agenda.

Last autumn's coalition treaty of the Merkel government stated "We pledge to continue the ratification of the European constitutional treaty after the first half of 2006 and to give new impulses to [its ratification] under the German presidency in the first half of 2007."

The European Commission hopes that 2007 will be a breakthrough year, urging EU leaders to agree to a declaration on the EU's goals and values as a first concrete step to ending the bloc's constitutional impasse.

On top of this, France and the Netherlands which rejected the constitution in popular referendums last year will hold elections in 2007, with constitution supporters hoping that a change of political leadership will boost the chances for a revival of the charter.

'Less Europe can mean more'

In her speech, which came ahead of a major EU policy address to the German parliament on Thursday, the German chancellor also attacked over-regulation and bureaucracy from the EU institutions.

She indicated that the German presidency will prioritise the scrapping of superfluous legislation and red tape, a process which is also being championed by European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso.

"Less Europe can mean more," she said, explaining that Europe would be able to better concentrate on core tasks when removing unnecessary laws.

Enlargement rift with Helsinki

The German leader also held talks with Finnish prime minister Matti Vanhanen, which revealed a rift between the upcoming Finnish and German presidencies on EU enlargement.

Mr Vanhanen, whose country will take over the helm of the union in July this year, spoke out against setting fixed borders of the bloc.

He told German media that "Every European country that shares our values has the right to membership," adding "20 years ago, nobody could have imagined today's EU."

But Ms Merkel said "We should clearly say where the borders of Europe lie," echoing French and Dutch calls for a break in EU expansion.

Ukraine slams grain trade restrictions at EU summit

Restrictions on Ukrainian agricultural exports to the EU could translate into military losses in their bid to stop Russia's war, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky warned EU leaders during their summit in Brussels on Thursday.

Difficult talks ahead on financing new EU defence spending

With the war in Ukraine showing no signs of ending any time soon, EU leaders will meet in Brussels on Thursday and Friday (21 and 22 March) to discuss how to boost the defence capabilities of Ukraine and of the bloc itself.

Opinion

Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult

Rather than assuming a pro-European Labour government in London will automatically open doors in Brussels, the Labour party needs to consider what it may be able to offer to incentivise EU leaders to factor the UK into their defence thinking.

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