Briefing note for the UK Liberal Democrat European Parliamentary Party on "The Constitution and the IGC" written by Andrew Duff MEP and Guillaume McLaughlin

27 April 04

The Draft Constitution enhances the capacity of the European Union to act effectively at home and abroad. It rationalises the legal and policy instruments used by the EU and streamlines decision making. It codifies and entrenches what is valuable in the existing EU treaties, reflecting the latest case law of the European Court of Justice.

The Constitution lays down clearly the political objectives of the Union and the values and principles which inform them. It sets out in fairly simple terms the competences of the Union and the powers of the institutions. It strengthens parliamentary democracy and the rule of law.

Once ratified, the Constitution will bring the Union greater stability and legitimacy than it has ever had before. A stronger and more democratic European Union is in Britain's interest.
The Convention and the IGC

The Draft Treaty establishing the Constitution for Europe was drafted by the Convention, chaired by Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, made up of government ministers, Members of the European Parliament (including Andrew Duff), members of national parliaments (including Lord Maclennan), and the European Commission. The Laeken European Council (under the presidency of Liberal prime minister Guy Verhofstadt) set up the Convention. It worked from February 2002 until July 2003.

The Convention transformed the constitutional development of Europe: transparent and pluralistic, it reached a fresh and large consensus about how the enlarging Union should be run. The Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) accepted the Convention's draft as the basis for negotiations. Since then, the IGC has run into trouble under the Italian presidency of the Council but has recovered its nerve under the current Irish presidency. We hope the IGC will reach a successful conclusion before the European Parliamentary elections or soon afterwards.

More democracy

The Constitution greatly enlarges (by 48 to 84 in total) the number of matters subject to the normal legislative procedure ? that is, co-decision between the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers, acting by qualified majority, on a proposal from the Commission (III-302). QMV is extended to the making of special Council laws in a further four cases. QMV is extended to the passing of Council executive decisions in five more cases. Overall, decisions in the Union will be easier to reach and democratic control strengthened. The possibility of blockage by only one member state, often for spurious reasons, is much reduced if not entirely eliminated.

Full document is available on-line:
http://www.andrewduffmep.org.uk/resources/sites/217.160.173.25-406d96d1812cb6.84417533/Reports/The+Constitution+and+the+IGC.doc