Thursday

28th Mar 2024

Member states agree declaration on Constitution talks

Leaders from current and future EU member states today (4 October) agreed a common declaration on where talks should go on the draft EU Constitution. On the details however, they remained as far apart as ever.

The two-page document confirms that the draft Constitution drawn up Valéry Giscard's Convention is a "good basis".

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

The statement makes reference to European integration being the "Continent's essential calling as the instrument for a more efficacious international role for the Union".

It also says that the Treaty "represents a vital step in the process aimed at making Europe more cohesive, more transparent and democratic [and] more efficient and closer to its citizens.

But, the lofty ideals did little to hide the great differences between the states. During a gruelling tour de table where the leaders of each of the 27 countries spoke for four minutes, the same well-known positions were laid out again.

The calls ranged from Ireland wanting no change on the national veto on tax, to the Hungarians asking for minority rights to be included in the discussion, to the Spanish and the Poles asking for no changes to be made to the Nice Treaty (which gives them relatively good voting weights).

"The Nice Treaty accepted by all the states and peoples of the enlarged European Union is the binding law" said Polish Prime Minister Leszek Miller.

The six founding members of the EU, Italy, Germany, France and the Benelux, remain largely happy with the Draft as it stands.

"The Italian goverment is firmly convinced that the more we distance ourselves from the agreement reached by the Convention, the harder it will be to find a new agreement", said Italian Deputy Premier Gianfranco Fini.

No added value at all

The Luxembourg Prime Minister, Jean-Claude Juncker, was the most forthright about the discussions, "they brought no added value at all", he said.

He deplored the points-gaining between governments and said that the IGC is "not a football game".

Insiders remarked afterwards that the atmosphere had been cordial but there was no move to compromise by any of the governments.

"But the gloves will come off this afternoon", remarked one diplomat referring to the fact that foreign ministers will discuss sensitive institutional issues such as the permanent president of the Council and the new foreign minister post.

Gerhard Schroeder, the German Chancellor, was practical about the talks and the timetable needed to get them done.

"Enlargement and the Constitution are two sides of the same coin" he said referring to the fact that leaders had agreed to finish talks in advance of the European elections in June 2004.

Silvio Berlusconi also conceded that the talks may run into the Irish Presidency of the EU - Ireland takes over from Italy at the beginning of 2004 - but said that this would not be a "failure".

The atmosphere of the talks between foreign ministers this afternoon is likely to give an indication of whether Mr Berlusconi will able to achieve his aim of wrapping up the talks by mid-December.

Berlusconi urges member states to co-operate

Silvio Berlusconi, Italy's flamboyant Prime Minister, opened crucial talks on the draft Constitution with a plea to member states to "seize this exceptional opportunity fully" and allow "that which unites us to prevail over that which distinguishes us".

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