Brussels, 20/06/2007 (Agence Europe) - On the eve of the European Council, which will open late in the afternoon of Thursday 21 June, the positions of the main protagonists in the talks on the future EU Treaty remain unchanged, suggesting long and difficult negotiations ahead for heads of state and government. The German presidency, while still noting a “great desire for compromise” among member states, refuses to rule out the possibility that the Summit may fail to find agreement, thereby indicating that it is not ready to accept a compromise at any price. Failure “would not be the end of the world. Fresh attempts would have to be made in a few months,” presidency sources said on Friday. Even without a definitive agreement on the intergovernmental conference (IGC) mandate, the Summit “would be a success, if it showed the direction” negotiations should go, these sources felt.
The preparatory work (including at Sherpa level) has meant that possible solutions have been identified to a whole series of problems and demands raised by the various member states, but a dozen “highly political” points will be discussed directly by heads of state and government, we are told. Among these are the weighting of Council of Minister votes and Poland's demand (with the lone support of the Czech Republic) for amendment of the “double majority” provided for in the institutional treaty, to increase the influence of the small and middle-sized countries compared with the large countries, Germany in particular. The German presidency is happy to see this discussed at the Summit, but, with the support of the other delegations, is determined to prevent this issue being put on the IGC agenda. “Today there are 25 member countries not prepared to agree to an intergovernmental conference mandate that would leave the issue of the weighting of votes open,” presidency sources said on Wednesday. If the double majority was put back on the table, this would be like re-opening the institutional package of the Constitutional Treaty, including decisions on the size of the European Commission or the number of seats in the European Parliament. “In that case, other countries, like Spain, have already indicated they would have fresh demands.” The signs of flexibility sent out by Poland on Tuesday (see EUROPE 9449) have not been detected by presidency negotiators. “The Polish position remains unchanged. We have not noticed any moves to come closer to the other positions,” said presidency sources.
At the sherpas meeting in Brussels on Tuesday evening, during which the German presidency distributed the first draft of a mandate for opening an IGC on the new treaty, the United Kingdom once again expressed its reservations over the Charter of Fundamental Rights (which London does not want to be legally binding), the extension of qualified majority voting (particularly in the area of JHA) and the common foreign and security policy (the British are not only against a European Foreign “Minister”, but are concerned that the unification of the EU's pillar structure would extend the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice to the CFSP). The German presidency is aware of the problems the British are facing and is trying to find solutions, diplomats said.
The European Council will begin this Thursday at 5.30 pm with a meeting of heads of state and government on the adoption of the euro by Malta and Cyprus, with the President of the European Central bank on the adoption of the euro by Malta and Cyprus, with the President of the European Central Bank Jean-Claude Trichet. This meeting will be followed by the traditional exchange of views with the President of the European Parliament Hans-Gert Pöttering. Over dinner, beginning at 7.00 pm, the leaders will hold a first discussion on the revision of the treaty.
During a separate dinner, Foreign Ministers will discuss the Western Balkans, EU-Africa relations, EU relations with Brazil and general matters relating to current and future EU missions. The debate will be led by the Portuguese Foreign Minister, since German Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier will be attending the leaders' dinner.
The day of Friday (and no doubt part of the evening, if diplomats are to be believed) will be given over exclusively to negotiations on the treaty. At the end of the European Council, the presidency will inform the applicant countries of the outcome of discussions.
In her letter of invitation to her colleagues, German Chancellor Angela Merkel says that “only together will we succeed in resolving the issues before us in the European Council meeting”. After a two-year pause for reflection, “the European public now expects us to put the necessary reforms of the Union in hand. Following our consultations over the last few months the time has now come to set out the roadmap for the impending reform of the Treaties,” she writes. (hb)