The Convention on the future of Europe met for its 15th plenary session in Brussels on 27 February. The agenda included a debate on articles 1 to 7 of the draft constitution (concerning the nature and functions of the Union, its values and objectives, national identity of member states, incorporation of the Charter of Rights, citizenship, and non-discrimination) and the various amendments presented by members of the Convention. The presentation by Convention president Valery Giscard d’Estaing of “the draft of articles 24 and following concerning EU instruments” is scheduled for 28 February. Later there will be a discussion of articles 8-16 presented by the Presidium in the course of the last plenary assembly: they deal, in the main, with competences and subsidiarity. The discussion on the amendments is set to be particularly heated, especially on two matters of principle: the question of the reference to God and to religion (27 amendments to art. 2) and the possible ‘federal’ nature of the Union which is inimical to many governments and individual Convention members (some thirty amendments to art.1).
