Brussels, 14/12/2001 (Agence Europe) - At the EPP's pre-Summit, in which Messrs. Aznar, Berlusconi, Juncker and Schuessel took part, the EPP Group's working party's final report on European politics entitled "A Constitution for a Strong Europe" (see EUROPE-Documents, No.2264) was well received, but, as the Group's president, Wilfried Martens told his press conference, this declaration still needs examining by all member parties before being submitted to the Congress of Estoril in October 2002. Mr. Martens also deplored the situation in Romania, where the Farmer's Party, member of the EPP, had lost its status as political party, and announced an approach by the Heads of Government of the EPP to the Romanian authorities. He also noted that the British Conservatives, led by Iain Duncan Smith, who called for greater autonomy, including budgetary, within the EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament, had run up against a clear refusal.
In addition, the EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament states in a press release that, following talks with Pat Cox, he expressed his "full and unanimous support", for the latter's candidacy as Presidency of the Parliament.