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EU remains split on constitution ahead of June summit

15 May 2006, 15:43 CET


The European Union remains divided over the fate of the bloc's ailing constitution, due to be discussed at an EU summit next month, officials said Monday.

EU foreign ministers discussed the pact, which was left in limbo by French and Dutch referendum "no" votes last year, at regular talks in Brussels, but clear tensions were in evidence.

In particular, a number of ministers critized draft conclusions drawn up by the EU's Austrian presidency for the mid-June EU summit, saying they were too confused and should be more "sharp and crisp," an EU source said.

During a brief discussion on summit preparations, they also critized the European Commission for being ready to abandon the constitution, which was designed to prevent decision-making gridlock in the expanding bloc.

To come into force, the constitutional treaty, hammered out by EU governments ahead of the bloc's 2004 expansion, must be ratified by all 25 member states.

But EU founder members France and The Netherlands dealt it an almost killer double blow last year when they rejected the pact, sending the EU into one of the worst crises in its half-century history.

Other EU states are continuing the ratification process. Finland, which takes over the EU's presidency from Austria on July 1, is expected to become the 16th EU state to give the green light in a parliamentary vote on that day.

EU commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso said last week that any decision on the future of the constitution should be delayed until 2008, calling for the best to be made of existing treaties in the meantime.

This approach, backed notably by France, is opposed by countries which see the constitution was an overall package to be approved, rejeecting the idea of cherry-picking preferred elements.

EU foreign ministers are due to discuss the constitution in a closed-door meeting outside Vienna on May 27-28, ahead of the June 15-16 summit in Brussels.


General Affairs and External Relations Council (with Defence Ministers)
Highlights of new EU constitutionHighlights of new EU constitution

Web link: Constitution for EuropeConstitution for Europe

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