The first draft of a proposed European Union constitution published in Brussels does not threaten to create an EU superstate, former taoiseach Mr John Bruton has stated, writes Mark Hennessy, Political Reporter
The text has been drawn up by the 13-strong Praesidium of the Convention on the Future of Europe, including Mr Bruton, following months of work by the 210-member Convention.
Last night, Mr Bruton said the draft dealt only with the EU's value and objectives. "It does not deal with how the Union would do these things. This is a matter that will be dealt with in later articles of the Constitution.
"The articles published so far in no way prejudice the position in regard to whether certain activities would be done inter-governmentally or not, or agreed by qualified majority or unanimity," he said.
Noting the will of the peoples and states of Europe to build a common future, the first Article says that the EU "shall administer certain competences on a federal basis". Mr Bruton said: "The reference to 'federal' only refers to those aspects of the Union's work that are done on a federal basis. There is no suggestion that everything that the Union does is done on a federal basis."
Fianna Fáil's Dublin North West TD, Mr Pat Carey, said the text was not a victory for EU federalists: "If anything, they are the ones who are least happy about it. I think we would be quite satisfied. It is a first draft. It needs a lot of work. Personally, I would have preferred to have seen a reference early on in the Articles to 'sovereign states'."
Rejecting charges that the EU is becoming a superstate, he said: "Just look at the lack of uniformity in foreign policy about Iraq."