Brussels, 13/01/2003 (Agence Europe) - During its meeting of 16 January, the Prasedium of the European Convention will continue reviewing draft articles under Title III of the Treaty (powers) and is likely to begin examining texts under Titles I (aims) and II (European citizenship, fundamental rights).
In an article on "the European Convention mid-term" published in Le Monde, on Tuesday, Chairman Valéry Giscard d'Estaing affirms that "the work of drafting articles is fascinating (…) - enchanting even. I devoted myself to this during the end of year break, seeking to draft articles on competences, from Article 7 to Article 13. Prejudices disappear and the need for precision and conciseness appears". In his view, the style of the Convention must not be that of a legal act, or even of an international treaty, but rather a rigorous, rousing text, a creative text in which there is not only the desire to meet strong expectations but also to set in place a structure that will resist the test of time, protecting the weakest and fostering healthy progress. He said the "lyricism of a Constitution is in some ways the calligraphy of history!".
The plenary Convention session on 20 and 21 January will, as we pointed out earlier, be fully devoted to scrutiny of the way the institutions work. This will be the first plenary discussion on the subject (see EUROPE of 11 January, p.5). In his "Point de vue" for Le Monde, VGE notes that it is a question of tackling reflection, as "nothing would be more harmful than jumping to the conclusion all in one go, without having engaged and conducted indepth research into two key questions: - What are the changes imposed upon the institutions due to the increased number of EU Member States, that is, when the number of members goes from 6 to 25? Should one or should one not bring into question the initial structure chosen by the founding fathers, which is based on three separate institutions, the Parliament, the Council and the Commission, in order to face up to the new tasks that the Union hopes to accomplish?" VGE notes that the analysis of problems posed by the increased number of members has not as yet been taken very far. During the European Council of Nice, he said, the European Parliament had adopted a resolution that opened up interesting avenues, adding that the Convention may take this reflection into account. Without wishing to speculate, VGE repeated that the half-yearly rotation of the Council Presidency "cannot be maintained".
At the same time, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing recognises the fact that the current system has "stood up to the test of time very well" and "has held out for nearly fifty years" even though it has "aged slightly". He warns: "By seeking to change this balance and focus power within a single EU institution, one could run the risk of conflict with regards legitimacy and equality thus placing the unity of the Union in danger. If power is concentrated around the Council, the European common interest would no longer be taken into account, and citizen equality would be sacrificed to equality between States. If this same concentration of power were to take place within the strictly Community institutions - excluding the Council - then it would be the States' own interests that could no longer be expressed". VGE therefore insists on "respect of double legitimacy" and on the "judicious breakdown of powers" between the three institutions.
As far as foreign policy is concerned, VGE takes a stance in favour of "promotion of the High Representative (CFSP) to the rank of EU Foreign Minister" (but without hoping that he would at the same time be vice-president of the Commission). If, at the same time, the High Representative were entrusted with the task of "permanent presidency of the Council of Foreign Ministers", this, he said, would be "a way not to impose but to engage the necessary convergence of diplomatic actions by European States".
Furthermore, VGE considers that, after the end of the work of the European Convention, there will be a continued need for a forum such as the Convention, in which not only the European institutions but also political officials of Member States are represented, as "there must be a place where the main leaders of national and European political life can come together at regular intervals".
Before the plenary session, on Friday 17 January, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing will be in Lisbon, where he is to meet President Sampaio, the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister and the Portuguese Convention Members.
The Convention has not yet received formal notification of the decision announced in Athens whereby Foreign Minister Georges Papandreou is to replace Girogios Katiforis, MEP, as representative of the Greek government at the Convention. We recall that the working group on social Europe chaired by Mr Katiforis is to report to the plenary on 6-7 February.