Tuesday

19th Mar 2024

Brussels to defend 'core' of EU constitution in treaty talks

The European Commission is starting to take a position in the expected re-negotiations of the EU constitution, with communication commissioner Margot Wallstrom saying the "core" of the current text should be the "departure point."

Commissioner Wallstrom said on Wednesday (18 October) that "the commission would not like to depart too much from the constitutional treaty" amid a slowly re-emerging debate on the fate of the charter, after French and Dutch voters rejected it in 2005.

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"The departure point should be keeping the core of the constitution," she said speaking at the presentation of a constitution revival plan by UK liberal MEP Andrew Duff.

The commissioner argued that "carefully negotiated deals" in the current text should not be opened up for discussion, mentioning majority voting rules, the EU's foreign affairs minister, increased powers for the European Parliament, the possibility for citizens to demand action from the commission, as well as the charter of fundamental rights.

"There are a number of things which were achieved through very difficult negotiations by member states…and which if you start to open up, you open everything," she told EUobserver after the meeting.

Challenge to Kaczynski, Sarkozy

The remarks of Ms Wallstrom, who is also a member of the EU 'wise' group on the constitution led by Italian interior minister Guliano Amato, come after a long period of silence on the part of the commission over the content of a future EU treaty.

Brussels has been careful not to offend any EU capital on the sensitive issue - but it has now made clear it will stand firm on the key parts of the current text of the constitution.

Ms Wallstrom's remarks challenge the stance of Polish prime minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski who has indicated he wants to re-negotiate member states' voting rights - one of the "carefully negotiated deals" referred to by the commissioner.

By mentioning the charter of fundamental rights as a part of the "core" of the charter, Ms Wallstrom is also at odds with French presidential hopeful Nicolas Sarkozy who is ready to ditch this part in his proposed "mini-treaty."

Ms Wallstrom indicated however that outside what she sees as the core of the constitutional text, changes are inevitable. "The union cannot afford a second failure," she stated.

Duff's Plan B

The commissioner said it is "too early to go into any detail" on ideas on how to win more popular support for the treaty in France, the Netherlands and elsewhere.

But she did speak out on some of the ideas presented by the liberal MEP Andrew Duff, who in his 'Plan B' suggests a new-look version of the constitution should include clauses on issues which are of direct concern to EU citizens.

Ms Wallstrom expressed sympathy for Mr Duff's proposal to include the fight against climate change as a policy goal into the constitution, but she rejected the idea of a voluntary "Protocol on a Social Union" – only for those member states wishing to further harmonise their social policies.

"I'm afraid this will be seen as division [between member states] rather than inclusion," she said.

The commissioner also expressed skepticism for Mr Duff's idea to enshrine a reformed budget system into a new EU treaty.

She said that talks on a new budgetary structure for the EU "will require intense and very difficult negotiations," adding that a "realistic timeframe" should be kept in mind with member states wanting to finalise a new treaty by 2009.

But Mr Duff called upon European politicians not to underestimate their own negotiating skills. "We've been too timid to actually take the plunge," he said.

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