28/04/2006 (Agence Europe) - The institutional improvements proposed by the French government on the basis of the current treaties are "a step forward, but will not resolve the crisis in Europe: small changes on the basis of the Treaty of Nice will not be enough to resolve the deficit of democracy and efficiency in the EU", announced Jo Leinen, president of the constitutional committee of the EP in a press release, reacting to the ideas recently presented by France to the European institutions (EUROPE 9180). Mr Leinen particularly appreciates the fact that the French government is proposing greater cooperation between the countries of the euro zone, but warns: "the French proposal should not be used as an excuse to kill off the constitutional process (...). The French government would do better to be brave enough to make concrete proposals on ways of resolving the constitutional crisis in its own country".