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EU has time to revive constitution: commissioner

20 January 2006, 11:42 CET


European Union enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn insisted on Friday that the 25-nation bloc had not given up on constitutional reform and had time to change its rules before another large-scale expansion.

"Europe needs better rules to work and therefore I very much welcome that Austria, then Finland then Germany are pursuing this debate," the Finnish commissioner told BBC radio.

Vienna currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU. After six months Helsinki will take over, followed by Berlin.

Rehn said that the EU debate on constututional and institutional reform was still alive despite the fact that the proposed EU constitution was voted down in referendums in France and the Netherlands last year.

And he added that he looked forward to Russia eventually meeting the criteria to join the EU.

"I think it is important to continue the debate on a constitution reform or a constitutional, institutional reform," he said, adding: "We have to keep the time perspective in mind."

Rehn pointed out that a handful of countries were currently seeking membership of the EU but that this did not constitute another "big bang" expansion, such as that of May 2005, when the bloc went from 15 to 25 members overnight. That meant the EU had time to review its basic rules before another major enlargement, he said.

"We have the western Balkans and Turkey (seeking to join) but apart from Bulgaria and Romania and most likely Croatia, the next (EU membership) candidates will be joining the union later once they fully meet the criteria of access.

"This means that we have time to make the necessary amendments to the treaties and we have time to conduct a constitutional or institutional debate."

The EU constitution, aimed at streamlining decision-making in the enlarged 25-member bloc, was put on ice after being rejected by French and Dutch voters last year. But 13 member states have ratified it.

Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel on Wednesday urged the EU member states to try to overcome the chaos caused by the French and Dutch rejections and promised a "roadmap" to get the debate back on track.

Rehn said: "It is only realism that after the two referendums in France and the Netherlands we are now on a reflection pause.

"It will take some time still -- 2007, perhaps 2008 -- before we can conclude this current renewed, resurrected debate."

He said the EU needed better rules to make it more effective and reinforce its common foreign and security policy.

"We need to see deepening and widening both of political integration and gradually extending the zone of peace, liberty and democracy as parallel processes," he said.

Asked if he could envisage Russia eventually joining the EU, Rehn said Moscow would first have to respect the principle that "might is not the only right".

"I hope I will see the day that in Russia this fundamental European value is really internalised," he said.

"I don't think Russia is even considering application to the European Union. It's better to base our relations on a partnership with Russia."


Highlights of new EU constitutionHighlights of new EU constitution

Web link: Constitution for EuropeConstitution for Europe

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