1. The Praesidium has noted that the Laeken declaration, which provides the framework for the Convention's proceedings, does not mention the Euratom Treaty, or raise questions relating specifically to the areas covered by that Treaty. However, some of the written contributions concerning that Treaty also contain suggestions for amendments of substance, and other members of the Convention have said that they are against any initiative to revise the substance of the Treaty.

2. Given the Convention's terms of reference and its timetable, the Praesidium believes that there is no basis for the Convention to become involved in an operation to amend the Euratom Treaty substantially, nor would it be appropriate for it to do so.

3. Nonetheless, as the Laeken declaration underlines, the Union functions with four Treaties; the question of what to do with the Euratom Treaty should therefore be addressed.

4. The substantial amendments which the Convention envisages making to the Union's institutional and financial provisions in the context of the Constitutional Treaty mean that the corresponding provisions in the Euratom Treaty cannot remain unchanged, but should be adapted correspondingly.

5. The Praesidium has examined all the possible options for adjusting the Euratom Treaty to the new provisions of the Constitution. These options are as follows:

(a) the incorporation of the Euratom Treaty into the Constitutional Treaty (in Part Two or in a Protocol);

(b) the amendment of the Euratom Treaty, allowing it to continue to exist independently. Two sub-options might be envisaged:
(i) adjustment by means of a treaty separate to and independent from the
Constitutional Treaty, or
(ii) adjustment by means of a Protocol annexed to the Constitutional Treaty.

The Praesidium believes that the latter route, namely adjusting the Euratom Treaty by means of a Protocol to the Constitution, would be the most appropriate.

To see the full document, click: http://register.consilium.eu.int/pdf/en/03/cv00/cv00621en03.pdf.