FRANCE:The proposed EU reform treaty will mean the European Union will be more democratic and transparent and will give more powers to its institutions to deliver change, according to the European Commission.
José Manuel Barroso, president of the commission, said the agreement by the Council of Ministers in June gives a clear and strong mandate for their work.
Mr Barroso, who was speaking after the commission announced its formal opinion on the reform treaty yesterday, said the leaders of Europe agreed on a mandate unanimously and it would be "inconceivable" that an agreement conceived in June would be reopened shortly afterwards at a proposed inter-governmental conference.
Mr Barroso was speaking the day after the European Parliament's constitutional affairs committee welcomed that the reform treaty incorporates much of the failed draft constitution and gave its backing for the inter-governmental conference.
However, the committee's report also regrets the number of exemptions given to member states in important areas - particularly in relation to the EU charter of fundamental rights - which it says could weaken EU cohesion.
European Parliament approval is required for the inter-governmental conference to go ahead later this month and the report is expected to be approved by members in a vote later today.
Speaking to The Irish Times yesterday, Mr Barroso said the opt-out for the UK on the charter of fundamental rights was a condition for compromise on the treaty. He said it was better to accept an opt-out for one country than to have unanimity on a "watered-down document".
The European Parliament president Hans-Gert Pöttering said he welcomed with "great pleasure" last week's comments by Bertie Ahern, who said Ireland was "totally committed" to introducing the charter on fundamental rights.
He said it was regrettable that countries would ask to opt out of the charter but that it had been necessary to accept opt-outs to make the reform treaty possible.
The European Parliament's representation at the inter-governmental conference has been increased to three representatives. It is expected that the German MEP Elmer Brock, English Liberal Democrat MEP Andrew Duff and the Spanish MEP Enrique Baron Crespo will be chosen as its representatives in a vote on Thursday.
It is hoped that the new treaty will be ratified before the European Parliament elections in June 2009.