Brussels, 29/06/2000 (Agence Europe) - The Union of European Federalists (UEF), Chaired by the German Social Democrat Jo Leinen, welcomed the speech made by Jacques Chirac in Berlin and his call for a European constitution. She is pleased that two years after having launched a large transitional campaign "For a European Constitution," the proposal to give Europe a Fundamental text such as this one has moved on, notably in France where even the word "constitution" used to be a "real taboo." The UEF calls on the European Union's Heads of State and Government to open, as of the European Council in Nice next December, a democratic process for the drafting a European constitution involving all the citizens through their elected representatives.
"The Treaty of Nice must mark the end of a bygone era of diplomacy were Europe built itself through the will of the States and open a new era, that of European democracy based upon a Federal constitution, which should define the rights and fundamental principals, the powers of the European federation, the Federal States and regions as well as the responsibilities of the European Institutions," announced Bruno Boissiére, UEF Secretary General.