The next steps ” “

An identity card for the 25-member Europe. The prolonged applause of the heads of state and of government who welcomed the approval of the Constitution on the late evening of Friday 18 June, at the end of the European Council meeting in Brussels, dissolved the tensions that had built up over two days of hectic negotiations. Now the Treaty will have to be signed and then ratified by the member states, before entering into force probably no earlier than 2007. AN EXTRAORDINARY summit PLANNED FOR JULY. During the summit it proved impossible to choose a successor to Romano Prodi as President of the European Commission: the decision has been deferred to an extraordinary meeting in the first half of July. The Council, however, also reached other important decisions. First, the EU officially granted “candidate country” status to Croatia which has applied for EU membership; the negotiations should begin in 2005. Second, the Twenty-Five also expressed a positive judgement about the progress made in adjusting to EU rules both by Bulgaria (promotion will full marks) and Romania (some institutional and economic problems remain). Third, Turkey has received assurances about the start of its membership negotiations by the end of 12004, but no date for entry has yet been finalised. Fourth, an action plan has been adopted against terrorism, based on greater cooperation between the intelligence systems of the EU countries. “FIRM PROGRESS TOWARDS INTEGRATION”. But it was the Constitution that held centre stage before, during and after the summit. Presenting the agreement reached, Irish premier Bertie Ahern, current President of the European Council, declared: “It’s a great step forwards; we have given the go-ahead to a text which will remain valid for several generations, and in which Community values and objectives are enshrined. We have given thought to the man in the street, to the citizens of this Europe”. Moved, the Italian Romano Prodi, attending his last summit in the role of head of the Commission, declared: “In this Constitution there is respect for the cultural identities of the individual countries, though they are trying to fuse together in a higher unity. The Irish Presidency deserves credit for having handled the negotiations with patience and diplomacy. I wish to express my regret about the failure to cite Europe’s Christian roots; on the other hand, we ought not to underestimate the importance of article 51 of the text, which recognises the role of the religious communities and faiths of our peoples and sanctions the need for regular and structured dialogue between the EU and the Churches”. The President of the European Parliament, the Irish PAT COX, presented a more than usually smiling face: “It’s a good compromise. The Parliament, expression of citizens, emerges from it reinforced. What we now need to do is explain the content and relevance of the Constitution to all the citizens of the Union”. UnitY IN DIVERSITY: A motto FOR THE TWENTY-FIVE. The voluminous constitutional treaty, which amalgamates and “summarises” half a century of Community legislation, is in itself a success: after the high percentage of abstentions registered in the elections for the renewal of the European Parliament, it was essential to transmit a positive signal to the 450 million EU citizens: this “common home” already exists; it works, in spite of delays and defects; it has growing powers, and, in particular, it plays an indispensable role in giving greater clout to the member countries in a globalized context. The Europe delineated in the preamble of the Constitution is “a continent that is a bearer of civilization”, founded on the dignity of the person, on the equality of human beings, on liberty, and on respect for reason. It’s a Union whose motto is “unity in diversity”. It is inspired by “the cultural, religious and humanistic legacies” of the continent. So the hoped-for citation of the “Christian roots” is not to be found in the text; no country, in the end, was willing to assume responsibility for blocking the negotiations on this point. CoNstituTION AND “EUROPEAN CITIZENSHIP”. The positive aspects of the Treaty include: the extension of the legislative power of Parliament; the growth of Community policies; and the creation of the office of “stable” President of the European Council (in office for two and a half years) and EU Foreign Minister. On the other hand, several weak points remain: it is, in essence, a markedly “intergovernmental” Constitution, i.e. one that leaves innumerable matters firmly in the hands of the individual government; the decision-making system is complex and cumbersome; the aspects of the identity of the Union were not examined as they ought to have been. The whole ratification process now needs to be completed, and its outcome cannot be taken for granted (the rejection of just one single country could stop the Constitution from coming into force). More especially, the EU needs to ensure that this Constitution becomes a patrimony shared by the citizens themselves of the Union. Without a citizenship aware of what it means, the Union cannot take off.