Convention on the Future of Europe

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Versions of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe in the English language, published by the European Union for the general public. From left to right: the draft by the European Convention; the full Intergovernmental Conference version (text as signed by plenipotentiaries to be ratified) with the protocols and annexes; the abridged version with the European Parliament's resolution of endorsement, but without the protocols and annexes, for visitors to the European Parliament. Versions in other European languages were also published.

The European Convention, sometimes known as the Convention on the Future of Europe, was a body established by the European Council in December 2001 as a result of the Laeken Declaration. Its purpose was to produce a draft constitution for the European Union for the Council to finalise and adopt. The Convention finished its work in July 2003 with their Draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe. See History of the European Constitution for developments after this point.

[edit] The Laeken Declaration

Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, President of the European Convention

In December 2001, when the European Council met in Laeken, a fresh declaration was adopted committing the EU to greater democracy, transparency and efficiency, and setting out the process by which a constitution could be arrived at. This was to be achieved by a convention, which was intended to comprise the main 'stakeholders', in order to examine questions about the future direction of the EU. It was to produce a "final document", which soon became the draft constitution, to be handed over to the Intergovernmental Conference, scheduled for 2004, which would finalise a new treaty.

[edit] Work of the Convention

The European Convention was established with 105 members, chaired by former French president Valéry Giscard d'Estaing. Its members were drawn from the national parliaments of member states and candidate countries, the European Parliament, the European Commission, and representatives of heads of state and government. The Convention met for the first time in February 2002, and met thereafter in plenary session once or twice per month. It deliberated in public in the European Parliament building in Brussels.

[edit] External links

[edit] Convention on the Future of Europe

• European Convention (official website, no longer updated)
• European Citizens' Initiative – A rollercoaster ride towards democracy
• New Convention on the future of Europe, website, democracy-international.org, calling for a new Convention following the rejection of the Draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe in France and the Netherlands.

v • d • e Treaty of Lisbon topics New elements Combined High Representative (External Action Service) · European Public Prosecutor · President of the European Council Modifications Qualified Majority Voting · Institutions · Charter of Fundamental Rights · Democratic deficit · National parliaments · Ordinary Legislative Procedure Ratification Irish Referendum I · Irish Referendum II Major actors TCE Valéry Giscard d'Estaing · Romano Prodi · Bertie Ahern · Silvio Berlusconi · Gerhard Schröder · Tony Blair · Jacques Chirac · José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero ToL Angela Merkel · José Sócrates · José Manuel Durão Barroso · Giuliano Amato · Jarosław Kaczyński · Nicolas Sarkozy · José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero Background Laeken declaration · European Convention · Intergovernmental Conference · European Constitution · Berlin Declaration Documents Previous Treaties · Proposed Amendments · Amato Group Text European Union Portal