Madrid, 18/09/2003 (Agence Europe) - After the political discussion days held in Madrid, the EPP-ED Group at the European Parliament decided on Thursday to submit an amendment calling for a reference to the EU's "Judeo-Christian" heritage to be included in the future European Constitution. Before coming to this agreement, the members of the EPP-ED present held a lively debate on the strategic relevance of submitting such an amendment, when they know that they will find it difficult to gather a majority in Parliament that will support their point or the wording of the amendment. During the final press conference, the German president of the EPP-ED Group, Hans-Gert Pöttering welcomed the agreement while aware that the debate on this point in Parliament and at the IGC would be "difficult". "Although we have not yet won the day, as a Christian group we must keep on fighting", he said.
Furthermore, Mr Pöttering officially presented, on Thursday, the two members of the EPP-ED who are candidates to the election as representing the group within the EP delegation at the Intergovernmental Conference: German Elmar brok and Spanish Inigo Mendez de Vigo. The vote will be held on Wednesday on the fringe of the Parliament's plenary session in Strasbourg.