EU adopts constitution, faces substantial hurdles

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2004-06-20-eu-constitution_x.htm

BRUSSELS — After two years of drafting and bickering, European leaders have agreed on a new constitution for the European Union's 25 countries and 450 million people. But the historic document is going to be a hard sell for a growing number of Europeans who are disillusioned with the EU.

Before the constitution can be ratified, it faces referendums in at least seven countries — including the United Kingdom, Ireland, France and Denmark. A "no" vote in any one of them will kill it.

A YouGov poll for The Sunday Times showed that British voters would reject the new constitution 49% to 23%.

"The chances are very low" that it will pass all the referendums, says Aurore Wanlin, a research fellow at the Center for European Reform in London. If that happens, "that will be the end of the united Europe," she says, referring to the countries committed to the union — including Germany and France — and those that are less committed, including Britain, which refused to adopt the euro currency. Wanlin suggests that gap could widen.

Created in 1951 as the European Coal and Steel Community, the EU has expanded from a trading bloc of a half-dozen countries into a powerful alliance. The EU, which added 10 new countries on May 1, now stretches from Sweden and Finland in the north to Spain and Greece in the south.

Compared by its authors to the U.S. Constitution, the European document offers rights including freedom of religion, speech, shelter and education. It also promises to make the EU a more formidable U.S. ally — or adversary — on issues ranging from terrorism to trade. The constitution calls for:

• A more powerful council president and a foreign minister as a kind of counterpart to the U.S. Secretary of State.

• A public prosecutor similar to, but less powerful than, the U.S. attorney general.

• The approval of at least 15 member countries — 65% of the population — for passage of laws.

Although Britain won the right for each country to control its own taxes and social policy, Europeans worry the EU is taking too much of their national sovereignty. Turnout for this month's parliamentary elections was 45% of eligible voters, the lowest turnout on record.

That put pressure on the leaders to show they could agree on the constitution at the summit here last week. But they still couldn't decide who would be the new president of the EU commission when Italy's Romano Prodi finishes his five-year term in October.

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It'll be interesting to see what becomes of the upcoming votes. I don't have a lot of faith in the EU sticking together as its envisioned. I see it turning into more of a trading block of an order of NAFTA or more.













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Oops - perhaps I should have put IRAQ or BUSH in the title. :disappoin













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• A more powerful council president and a foreign minister as a kind of counterpart to the U.S. Secretary of State.

• A public prosecutor similar to, but less powerful than, the U.S. attorney general.

• The approval of at least 15 member countries — 65% of the population — for passage of laws.


what did the constitution say about these 3 points before now?

This is the first draft that they've passed to even present to the people. Its going to bomb like Gili.













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:iagree: and I'm going to love every minute of it.

Same here. :iceslolan

I don't think it will pass, the British will probably be responsible. But you can't fault them for wanting it to be like America's constitution.
If Europe ever does adopt one constitution, it will be a major breakthrough for them, since they love to fight eachother. At least they're trying. I don't see why everybody hates it when somebody tries to succeed at something good.

I don't see why everybody hates it when somebody tries to succeed at something good.

because they have succesfully trumped the dollar with the euro, and americans dont like being second best.