THE DAY IN POLITICS / (eu) eu/convention/institutions

A majority of Convention members against German proposal on full-time President of European Council - Giscard sees future emergence of "additional federal powers" and draws attention to timing problems (according to him, in 2004 Commission will be that "of Nice Treaty")

Brussels, 20/01/2003 (Agence Europe) - The plenary of the European Convention of 20 January was marked, at least in the first addresses, by a general rejection of the Franco-German suggestion of in future providing the EU with a full-time President of the European Council (idea that only received the approval of Hubert Haenel and Peter Hain, whereas Giscard d'Etaing did not speak either way). In his address Valery Giscard d'Estaing (who opened the session requesting a minute's silence in...