- EU constitution signed
Ivan Camilleri
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Foreign Minister Michael Frendo sign the EU constitution in the Sala degli Orazi e Curiazi at the Campidoglio, the political and religious centre of ancient Rome, today home of Rome's city hall, yesterday.
European Union leaders yesterday signed the EU's first constitution, a diplomatic triumph they hope will give the bloc a sharper international profile and speed up decision-making in a Union now embracing 25 nations.
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Foreign Minister Michael Frendo signed the constitution on Malta's behalf.
The official signing ceremony was held in the Sala degli Orazi e Curiazi at the Campidoglio in Rome, the same place where the six founding countries of the EU signed their first treaties creating the European Economic Community and the European Atomic and Energy Community in 1957.
EU leaders signed the constitution in alphabetical order by country, led by Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt. Dr Gonzi was the 16th head of government called to sign following Hungary and preceding the Netherlands, which currently holds the EU presidency.
Speaking to The Times, Dr Gonzi expressed the government's satisfaction that Malta had played its part - making a substantial contribution - in discussions on the draft treaty. He said the new constitution would create a stronger and better European Union to the advantage of all its member states.
Following yesterday's signing, the next important phase begins, namely the ratification process. "Malta should have no problem in being one of the first EU countries to ratify the new constitution," the Prime Minister said.
He said the government intended to move a resolution in Parliament "as soon as possible" in order to ratify the constitution. Although this was not legally necessary, Dr Gonzi explained, the government wanted everyone to have the opportunity to discuss this historic step.
Asked why the government did not opt to hold a referendum, the Prime Minister said that the whole EU issue had just been debated thoroughly and decided through a referendum last year. The scenario in Malta today was that the EU was no longer a divisive issue. In this light, the government felt there was no need for another referendum, only a year following the accession vote. He expected all the political parties in Malta to be in favour of the new constitution.
Earlier, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said: "The seeming madness of our founding fathers has become a splendid reality.... Never in history have we seen an example of nations voluntarily deciding to exercise their sovereign powers jointly in the exclusive interests of their peoples, thus overcoming age-old impulses of rivalry and distrust".
Jan Peter Balkenende, the Dutch Prime Minister, said economic and political integration had turned Europe into a realm of peace and cooperation that was the envy of nations worldwide. "We have seen former dictatorships turn into democracies and witnessed the reunification of Europe."
The constitution, which included a hefty charter of fundamental rights, marked a new chapter in European history, giving the continent "greater capacity for making Europe more secure, more prosperous, more just," he said.
Commission President Romano Prodi and President-Designate José Manuel Durao Barroso also participated in the ceremony.
The treaty signed yesterday is the result of 28 months of sometimes acrimonious debate between the 25 EU governments. Since a minimum of nine EU nations plan to put the constitution to a referendum, chances are it may not take effect in 2007 as scheduled.
The constitution foresees simpler voting rules to end decision gridlock in the 25-member club that plans to absorb half a dozen more in the years ahead. It includes new powers for the European Parliament and ends national vetoes in 45 new policy areas including judicial and police cooperation, education and economic policy but not in foreign and defence policy, social security, taxation or cultural matters.
The event was overshadowed by disagreement over the make-up of the next EU executive - the Commission - following last Wednesday's decision by Mr Barroso to postpone the parliamentary vote on his team. Thus, on the margins of the signing, EU leaders sought to resolve the dispute over Rocco Buttiglione, the incoming Italian EU Justice Commissioner who is opposed by a large segment of the 732-member European Parliament. The conservative Catholic and papal confidant raised concerns by saying he believed homosexuality is a sin and that women are better off married and at home.
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