Brussels, 30/01/2003 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday the spokesman for Giscard d'Estaing, Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut presented to the press the results of the latest meeting of the presidium that was preparing the plenary session of the European Convention of 6 and 7 February. This session will begin Thursday afternoon with a debate on social Europe and the results of the working group chaired by Giorgios Katiforis. Friday morning, following the presentation of the first draft articles of the future Constitutional Treaty, the Convention will discuss the regional and local dimension of European construction on the basis of an essentially descriptive working paper, that has just received the presidium's backing (EUROPE of 28 January, p.9). The latter also adopted a mandate for the group of legal experts from the three institutions (Parliament, Commission, Council) which has to polish and provide consistency to the second part of the Treaty (definition of policies) in relation to the Constitutional part.
Mr. Meyer-Landrut said that the presidium had ended examination of the draft articles on competencies that could be definitively adopted at its next meeting (they still need polishing) in view of presentation in plenary. These concern articles 7 to 15: (7) fundamental principles (attribution, subsidiarity, proportionality, fair co-operation); (8) implementing rules; (9) categories of competencies; (10) exclusive competencies; (11) shared competencies; (12) economic co-operation; (13) common security and foreign policy; (14) support measures; (15) flexibility clause (currently Article 308). Work on articles 1 to 6, however, notably on the Union's values and objectives, as well as on the Charter of Fundamental Rights, is not over. It may continue on 4 February, said Meyer-Lanndrut, who was unable to guarantee that these articles would be ready for the 7 February plenary.