Brussels, 27/08/2003 (Agence Europe) - Today, the European Commission held a "long debate on the results of the Convention and on preparation of its official opinion on the IGC", European Commissioner Michel Barnier (Ed.: who took part at the work of the Convention with his colleague, Antonio Vitorino) told the press on Wednesday. Mr Barnier went on to say that it is hoped the opinion will be made public "around 17 September, and we are preparing it actively". The debate during this first meeting after the summer break did not reach any conclusions but the feeling within the College was that the Convention did reach an "imperfect yet unhoped-for result", Mr Barnier added, using the words chosen by the Chairman of the European Convention, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing: "We hope this result is not brought into question (…) we do not want the work to be unravelled", Mr Barnier repeated. In answer to a question, he confirmed: "the Commission hopes there will be a short and decisive IGC" resulting in a text which would be ready for "major popular debate" with a view to European elections in June 2004. "I am sure it is possible to focus IGC negotiations on a number of key points and to reach a successful conclusion rapidly", he affirmed, while admitting that the Commission expressed "ideas and concerns which remain his own" on the subject of certain aspects of the Convention text, and that these will be taken up in the opinion. For example: "the timidity, that we regret, in the scope of qualified majority", economic governance, and the future evolution of the Constitution. "On some points, we suggest going further in reflection and we shall be making proposals, but without bringing the general economy of this text into question (…) a very good text", the Commissioner for Institutional Affairs said.
In answer to questions on the formula proposed by the Convention for composition of the European Commission, Mr Barnier recalled: "the Commission considers that the right solution would be a fully-fledged Commissioner per Member State: and this is the opinion of most Commissioners". He said this idea would be set out in the opinion.
Regarding his personal idea of having the future Constitution ratified the same day in all Member States, either by vote in Parliament or by referendum according to the traditions of each country, Mr Barnier said the matter had not yet been discussed in College but that he still supported this idea. He went on to explain that "this text is very important" and that he hopes it will be "preserved and improved by the IGC. If the text remains a new 'Rome treaty', a refounding or founding treaty, then it warrants innovation". Personally, Michel Barnier expressed the hope that a "single day" would therefore be chosen in all Member States for ratification of the future Treaty. Also, he admitted with some concern: "I am still afraid" that, if it is the Parliament that takes a stance, "ratification will go unnoticed" whereas, if it is the people, it will be "deflected, becoming a national issue at stake, for or against the government". "This text deserves better, it deserves a real European debate", Mr Barnier exclaimed.