Brussels, 10/01/2006 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday, President Jacques Chirac urged for the current treaties to be adjusted in order to make the institutions of the enlarged EU “more democratic, more effective and more transparent”. Given the constitutional deadlock created by the French and Dutch no-votes, the EU cannot allow itself to remain at a standstill as “institutional status quo” would in time condemn it to “inertia and paralysis”, Mr Chirac said on 10 January at the traditional diplomatic exchange of greetings at l'Elysée. The European Council to be held this June should therefore take the necessary decisions for improving the way institutions work “based on the framework of treaties that already exists”. Mr Chirac above all spoke of: - internal security and justice; - external action and defence; - and more active involvement by national parliaments in the European decision-making process. “In line with the French (no) vote” on the Constitution, France will present proposals with a view to the European Council in June, he announced. These proposals will be formulated after “dialogue” with the 24 other members of the EU, and especially with the Austrian Presidency and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The June summit is a “very important date” and “France will do everything in its power to ensure that this meeting brings concrete progress for Europe”, Mr Chirac assured. It is a known fact that France is in favour of immediate application of the provisions of the Constitution that can be implemented on the basis of the current treaties, but also that France hopes to have the support of Germany before making concrete proposals along these lines. The German government, which continues to believe the whole of the Constitution may be saved, does not for now want to hear any mention of partial implementation, fearing this could entail the definitive abandonment of other provisions of the constitutional Treaty on which Germany is particularly keen, and especially the new voting mechanisms at the Council of Ministers (which strengthen Germany's weight) and the sharing of powers between the EU, the Federal State and the Länder. Franco-German consultation on this subject will be stepped up over coming days: on 12 January, French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy will be in Berlin; - on 18 January, Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin will be in Berlin for talks with Angela Merkel (he is to give a long awaited speech at Humboldt University); - and, on 23 January, President Chirac will receive Ms Merkel in Versailles.
In his speech on Tuesday, Jacques Chirac also refloated the idea of creating “pioneer groups” to promote European integration, suggesting above all enhanced cooperation between the euro zone countries. “The countries belonging to the euro zone have a natural vocation to consolidate their political, economic, fiscal and social integration. France, with interested partners, hopes to examine every means possible to strengthen the visibility and the weight of euro zone”, he said. On Monday in Vienna, Wolfgang Schüssel and José Manuel Barroso had warned against “further institutional division” within the EU (EUROPE 9105).