EU Foreign Ministers met in Brussels on the 8 December, the last opportunity to find solutions for the Constitutional Treaty before the European Council of 12-13 December. The meeting was dedicated to an in-depth examination of two important themes discussed at the Naples Conclave: defence and budget. The Presidency had proposed two documents for the discussion on defence, based on progress made in Naples on the definition of the ESDP in the future Constitutional Treaty. The Italian Presidency hopes to conclude the issue with particular reference to structured cooperation, to the related Protocol and to the mutual assistance clause. In budgetary matters the Presidency will attempt to further examine the still divergent positions in order to prepare a comprehensive proposal.
At the Foreign Minister’s Conclave on 28-29 November 2003, delegates expressed a commitment to meeting the deadline of 12-13 December 2003. However, Prime Minister Berlusconi has since stated that if an acceptable agreement cannot be found, the IGC will be passed on to the Itish Presidency to resolve.
The report by European Parliament delegates at the Naples meeting is now online. It notes that there was broad support for the new ’Social Clause’. On public health, the MEPs stated that there were calls from some countries to improve the Presidency’s proposed text for Article III-179.
Read more about discussions documents for the Conclave meeting on 28-29 November.
Read the MEP’s report of the Conclave (also attached as .rtf)
On 4 December 2003, the European Parliament adopted a Resolution on the progress of the IGC negotiations.
Specifically the MEPs welcomed the Presidency’s proposals on the ’Social Clause’, Art III-2a and the recognition of the responsibilities of Member States for Services of Genreal Interest, Art III-6.
