EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, BRUSSELS
About 10 Convention members attended the meeting. There was general agreement that draft article 24, in particular, creates a great deal of confusion and legal uncertainty. P. BALAZS, A. DUFF (EP, ELDR, UK) and A. LAMASSOURE criticised that some legal acts, such as ‘regulations’, carry the same names as in the previous Treaties while they, in fact, are different. As regards the ratification of the future Constitutional Treaty, A. DUFF stated that it should come into force as soon as a certain number of member states, possibly 20-21 states, have ratified it. In this way, member states facing ratification difficulties would not be able to block it.

A. LAMASSOURE promoted the idea of holding national referenda (binding or consultative) on the Constitutional Treaty in all current and future member states on the same day as the European elections in 2004. P.-N. KAUPPI (EP alternate, PPE-DE, SF) was more sceptical, believing that simultaneous referenda and European elections might result in a more EU critical European Parliament and, therefore, in political difficulties. A. LAMASSOURE confirmed that EU-sceptics, such as P. BONDE, favour the idea of holding referenda. Despite other problems that should be kept in mind, most Intergroup members however agreed that the Convention should recommend to the IGC that referenda should be held in all countries.

A.LAMASSOURE encouraged Intergroup members to sign the following statement: “The Convention recommends to the Inter-Governmental Conference that the draft European Constitution be approved not only by National Parliaments and the European Parliament but also by the citizens of Europe in binding referendums. These referendums should take place in accordance with the constitutional provisions of the member states. They should be held simultaneously on the same day, an option being the same day as the European Parliament Elections in June 2004. Those member states whose constitutions do not currently permit referendums are called upon to hold at least consultative referendums. An information campaign must be publicly funded.“

It has already been signed by the following Convention members: Alain Lamassoure, Earl of Stockton, John Gormley, Sylvia-Yvonne Kaufmann, Lone Dybkjaer, Jens Peter Bonde, David Heathcoat-Amory, Jürgen Meyer, William Abitbol, Gerhard Tusek, Johannes Franleitner, Eleni Mavrou, Francesco Speroni, Janus Trzinski, Evelin Lichtenberger, Reinhard Rack, Peter Balasz, Robert Badinter, Hubert Haenel, Alojz Peterle, Johannes Voggenhuber, Roger Briesch and Carlos Carlos Carnero

Report by the Secreteriat of the Intergroup “European Constitution” in the Convention:
Secreteriat of the Union of European Federalists (UEF)

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