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Europe's Constitution Takes Shape

December 12, 2003
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For 16 months, the European Convention, led by former French President and master draftsman Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, set about its work of drafting the European Union's first ever full-fledged constitution. With the convention's work completed, the draft must now be finalized by an Intergovernmental Conference of European leaders that is expected to complete deliberations by the end of the year.

However, quick ratification of the constitution is anything but certain – smaller EU members fear the it will centralize too much power with Brussels and larger members like Germany and France, and some medium sized countries, like Poland and Spain, have reservations about the constitution’s qualified majority voting method, which they say is "awkward."

Read DW-WORLD's full coverage of this historic document, the debate that has accompanied it and what the constitution will mean for the future of Europe. We have also provided copies of the draft for download as well as interviews and reports from DW-RADIO and DW-TV.

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Reports & Analysis

Germany Calls for Changes in EU Constitution Draft

At a follow-up round of negotiations in Brussels, Germany's foreign minister called on the convention drafting the European Union's first constitution to preserve national veto powers on immigration issues.
July 5, 2003

Chancellor Calls for Unity on European Constitution

Hard bargaining is expected to mark negotiations on the shape of a new European constitution, starting next month. But in announcing the final draft, Schröder pleaded for acceptance.
September 10, 2003

EU Presidency Proposal Highlights Power Struggle

Six months or five years? Controversy over the length of the EU presidency is expected to dominate talks today as the Convention on the Future of Europe continues its debate.
April 25, 2003

France, Germany Defend Joint EU Constitution Proposal

Germany and France's foreign ministers sought to build support for their EU Constitution proposal on Tuesday, but faced stiff resistance from members of the constitutional convention.
January 21, 2003

Reactions Mixed To Draft EU Constitution

Former French president Valery Giscard d'Estaing unveiled the first draft of a new European constitution on Monday that could lead to a "United Europe" with an elected president and increased federalism.
October 29, 2002

EU Constitution Faces Uncertain Future

Germany's chancellor and France's president said they will not budge on majority voting rights in a new EU constitution as national leaders hasten to find a compromise before a decisive meeting on Friday.
December 10, 2003

EU Convention Reaches Compromise

The debate over how to reform the European Union’s institutions heated up this week, as officials came up with a compromise to avoid scuttling a draft constitution only two weeks ahead of a key summit.
June 6, 2003

Fischer Says Hands Off EU Constitution

German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer warns other European countries not to re-negotiate the EU draft constitution. Should they attempt to do so, Germany would follow suit, bringing their own grievances to the table.
July 24, 2003

Small EU Countries Aim to Revamp Constitution

Hoping to avert a European Union dominated by larger nations, representatives from 15 mostly smaller current and future EU members have met in Prague to discuss changes to a draft European constitution.
September 2, 2003

A Little Bit of the U.S. in the Future EU?

A "United States of Europe"? Hardly. Though the drafters of the new European Constitution may borrow inspiration from America's founding fathers, their work is an entirely different animal.
June 6, 2003

EU Constitution Negotiations Draw to a Close

Germany wins a key concession on immigration but fails to have veto powers abolished for foreign, defense and taxation policies. The shadow of the recent German-Italian spat looms over the negotiations.
July 9, 2003

"Wake-Up Call For Europe"

An historic Convention on the Future of Europe opens to draft the possible blueprint of a constitution that would work for an enlarged European Union.
February 28, 2002
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