Draft EU Constitution for 'United Europe' Unveiled

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, October 29, 2002

Draft EU Constitution for 'United Europe' Unveiled

Former French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing put forward proposals for a European constitution on Monday, unveiling a political blueprint for the future of the European Union (EU).

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Former French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing put forward proposals for a European constitution on Monday, unveiling a political blueprint for the future of the European Union (EU).

As president of the EU's Convention on the Future of Europe, Giscard d'Estaing presented the draft constitution after months ofdiscussions by the 105-member convention, charged with charting a political course for an enlarged EU of up to 30 members from the current 15-nation bloc.

"You have now received the preliminary draft constitutional treaty and we look forward to your initial reactions tomorrow morning," Giscard told the convention in Brussels.

The text is a guideline, suggesting only chapter headings for anew constitution. But the debate has already split those who want a more federal Europe and those who guard the national powers of member states.

The very first article of the draft constitution said the unioncould either be called the European Community, the European Union,"United Europe" or "the United States of Europe."

The key points of other proposals were that the constitution should include a charter of fundamental rights and that everyone living in the bloc should have dual citizenship of the bloc and their own country.

It also suggests a way for countries to leave the EU, and the idea of a congress that would include European Parliament members and national members of parliament. The so-called Congress of the Peoples of Europe would not pass laws, but would oversee strategicdirection, Giscard has said.

The text also includes the idea of a fixed president for the European Council of heads of state and government, a proposal backed by Britain, France and Spain, but opposed by many smaller states which fear a loss of influence to the bigger EU members.

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