Thursday

28th Mar 2024

EU moves towards deal on 2009 deadline for new treaty

Foreign ministers are set to agree on a 2009 deadline for changes to the EU treaty, while extending the so-called "reflection period" on the future of the union by one year, according to Dutch foreign minister Bernard Bot.

"People think that before 2009 there should be clarity as to whether there should be a new treaty or a new instrument on the table," Mr Bot told reporters after talks with his EU counterparts in Klosterneuburg near Vienna.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Get the EU news that really matters

Instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

"It would be sensible to know before 2009 what kind of instruments we should need, in other words: are we going to continue with the constitution or do we need a new treaty?" he said.

"The reflection period will be extended for one year in any case," he stated, referring to the breathing pause EU leaders agreed last year after France and the Netherlands rejected the EU constitution in referendums.

But the consensus among member states is that in 2007, the reflection should stop, followed by concrete institutional reform plans, he indicated.

"What people want is to say that in June [2007] we have now reflected enough."

The Dutch minister indicated that the Germany could at the end of its 2007 presidency present a "road map" how to proceed with institutional reform until 2009.

Divisions on substance

But the institutional 2007-2009 timeframe conceals deep differences on the substance of treaty reforms.

"I assume that the German presidency will be mandated during the first half of 2007 to make at the end of the German presidency a solid proposal on how to continue the ratification [of the constitution] process," said German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier before the meeting.

Mr Steinmeier was backed by Luxembourg's foreign minister Jean Asselborn, who called for a decision at the next EU leaders summit on 15-16 June on "what we are going to do in June 2007 to have a constitution in 2009."

Mr Bot reiterated, however, that "the Netherlands will not put the constitutional treaty for ratification again."

Asked whether a new treaty could be named "constitution," Mr Bot said "I don't believe it makes sense to talk about constitutions."

Signalling a tough battle between two camps of member states he stated "you will see that states which have already ratified the constitution will put pressure on France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Poland, which have no intention to ratify the treaty."

He indicated institutional reforms could also be extremely minimal, only adapting the size of the commission and member states' voting weights - which is necessary before any EU enlargement after the accession of Romania and Bulgaria.

"We can proceed with the [EU's current] Nice treaty whether we are 28 or 30, that doesn't matter," he said.

Commission justice plan to fail

Meanwhile, a flagship European Commission plan to shift more competences on justice and criminal matters to the EU level under the current treaty has "no chance," senior diplomats said.

Brussels has proposed using the so-called passerelle clause in the present Nice treaty which provides for a reduction of national justice vetoes, if all member states agree unanimously.

But Germany and Ireland are strongly against the plan with sources saying that both countries only agreed to stronger EU powers in the constitution in this area because they got "other things in return".

"We can only take the decision on the passerelle with unanimity. I have the impression that for the time being this not yet fully there," said Mr Bot.

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.

Latest News

  1. Kenyan traders react angrily to proposed EU clothes ban
  2. Lawyer suing Frontex takes aim at 'antagonistic' judges
  3. Orban's Fidesz faces low-polling jitters ahead of EU election
  4. German bank freezes account of Jewish peace group
  5. EU Modernisation Fund: an open door for fossil gas in Romania
  6. 'Swiftly dial back' interest rates, ECB told
  7. Moscow's terror attack, security and Gaza
  8. Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersJoin the Nordic Food Systems Takeover at COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersHow women and men are affected differently by climate policy
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  5. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  6. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsThis autumn Europalia arts festival is all about GEORGIA!
  2. UNOPSFostering health system resilience in fragile and conflict-affected countries
  3. European Citizen's InitiativeThe European Commission launches the ‘ImagineEU’ competition for secondary school students in the EU.
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersThe Nordic Region is stepping up its efforts to reduce food waste
  5. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  6. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA

Join EUobserver

EU news that matters

Join us