EU: The European Commission extended its reflection period on the EU constitution yesterday and signalled it may be 2008 before a decision can be taken on its future.
It also proposed initiatives in justice, social affairs and foreign policy to lift what it called "the clouds of pessimism" hanging over Europe. The proposals include the creation of an EU-wide entitlement card - to help citizens be aware of their rights - and the involvement of national parliaments in EU decision-making.
Announcing the proposals, commission president José Manuel Barroso admitted that states could not yet agree on a solution to the institutional questions facing the EU and predicted that 2008 would now be the critical year for dealing with these.
In a new departure, Mr Barroso also deliberately linked the debate over the constitution with an already planned review of the EU budget due in 2008.
A senior commission official said the decision to link the two issues was an attempt to inject fresh thinking into the institutional debate. But supporters of the Common Agricultural Policy (Cap) - which accounts for 40 per cent of the EU budget - warned that linking the two issues could prove counterproductive in future negotiations.
"I think it is extremely dangerous to link the two issues," said Eoin Ryan, Fianna Fáil MEP. "If people see a direct link between the EU constitution and the budget it would be difficult to separate the two issues in the future if negotiations went badly . . . And I don't see France changing its mind on Cap."
Meanwhile, Mr Barroso questioned the commitment of some national leaders to the European project. "Sometimes it happens that we agree about the goals at summits but afterwards they [ national leaders] don't give the EU institutions the means to achieve those goals," said Mr Barroso. "That's why in fact I am challenging national leaders. I am asking them: Are you committed or not to this project of living together in Europe?" The commission, in a policy paper entitled A Citizens' Agenda, is proposing that all EU leaders sign up to a declaration on the values and ambitions of the union. This could be a first institutional step forward and would commit leaders to delivering these goals.
The future of the EU constitution - a treaty that lays out a new framework on how the EU institutions make and implement decisions - has been in doubt since it was rejected in referendums in France and the Netherlands last year. Paris and Amsterdam oppose putting the existing text of the constitution to another referendum for ratification, while the 15 countries that have already ratified it want it implemented.
The paper suggests agreeing a timetable with a step-by-step approach to finding a solution for the institutional questions. Mr Barroso proposed delivering practical benefits to EU citizens, saying implementing these could lift "the clouds of pessimism".
These initiatives include: removing remaining barriers to the single market; further steps to cut red tape; more consultation with national parliaments; a review of the EU's social agenda and the creation of an entitlement card; abolition of the national veto on policies regarding organised crime, terrorism and human trafficking.
On the proposal to remove the veto of member states over certain justice matters, Mr Barroso asked: "Should we wait for another terrorist atrocity before we have effective joint decisions across Europe to fight terrorism?" He said moving ahead with these initiatives did not amount to cherry-picking from the stalled constitution;public opinion showed citizens wanted more action on these issues at a European level.
Commissioner for institutional relations Margot Wallström praised Ireland for engaging in a thorough national dialogue on the EU during the pause for reflection. She said even though Ireland already had a national forum on Europe it had used the period of reflection to improve and further develop that initiative.
She said she would welcome a move by member states to move ahead with the ratification process now if they had not done so. Ireland is one of seven states that still have to ratify the EU constitution.