Europa auf dem Weg zu einem 'Vereinfachten Vertrag'?

Im Vorfeld des Europäischen Rates vom 21. und 22. Juni 2007 in Brüssel haben Dozenten des Collège d’Europe in Brügge die Möglichkeiten von Angela Merkel beurteilt, eine Einigung hinsichtlich eines vereinfachten Vertrags zu erreichen. Die Meinungen wurden im Onlinemagazin ‚Regards croisés‘ des französischen Fernsehsenders ARTE veröffentlicht.

Since the beginning of the German EU Presidency, Chancellor Angela Merkel has been trying to revive the stalled EU Treaty. She made a first attempt when the Berlin Declaration was signed by the EU-27, who committed to place „the European Union on a renewed common basis before the European Parliament elections in 2009“. 

Following her efforts through individual consultations with all the EU capitals, the Bruges lecturers wonder now if she will bow out successfully from her six months at the helm of the EU, also questioning if French President Nicolas Sarkozy will „make an equally impressive entrance into the now 27-strong club of the EU“.

The Bruges team reviews the current state of the Treaty debate, covering the 18 member states that have already ratified the Constitution, and the two countries, France and the Netherlands, which rejected the proposed text. 

Poland and the UK, which are both tempted to „go it alone“, the former because it is still in favour of a restricted co-operation and the latter because, according to the Bruges team, it is „obsessed by its political weigh within the EU“. In conclusion, the lecturers focus on Slovenia, due to take over the EU Presidency from Portugal in January 2008.

Considering the still diverging positions, solving the EU Treaty impasse will not be an easy task, but, say the authors, it is time for the EU to move on and tackle other issues such as climate change, energy, immigration and foreign policy.