Brussels, 10/11/2006 (Agence Europe) - On the occasion of the official visit to Italy by the President of the European Parliament, Josep Borrell, (see EUROPE 9302), Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema restated the Italian government's commitment to reactivate the constitutional process in the EU on the basis of the text signed in Rome on 29 October 2004 and ratified by a majority of Member States. Italy is not in favour of simply making a few changes to the Nice Treaty, and considers it necessary for the EU to have a fundamental text, a “core treaty”, in good time for the European elections and renewal of the European Commission in 2009. In the meantime, Italy stresses the importance of the Berlin Declaration on Europe's values and ambitions, due to be adopted by the Berlin Summit on 27 March 2007.
In an interview with Corriere della Sera of 3 November during his visit to Italy, Josep Borrell said: “Chancellor Merkel has shown proof of great realism in saying that, by waiting for the French elections, she would not have time to reactivate the Constitution. I believe we should focus on reforming the institutions. If we want political results, we must have new rules. Good policies do not grow on trees”. He added: “If we cannot have a constitutional treaty, we can still have an institutional treaty. (…) Otherwise, we shall short-circuit”. (mg)