EU agrees historic blueprint for future

The back-slapping bonhomie of the EU summit, in the secluded Greek resort of Porto Carras, did little to disguise the looming battle over a document whose authors hope it will be valid for the next 50 years.

That clash will start in earnest in October, when an Intergover-nmental Conference (IGC) will convene in Rome to finally hammer out a Constitutional Treaty for the EU ahead of its expansion from 15 to 25 members next year.

Tap Here to Add The Daily Star As A Trusted Source

EU leaders have been warned not to begin unpicking the draft, ceremonially presented to them in Greece by former French president Valery Giscard d'Estaing.

"A lot of care has to be taken not to reopen it, because no other balance can be found," said Giscard d'Estaing, who only finalized it last week after 16 months of haggling by a 105-member convention in Brussels.

"Our text must be adhered to as closely as possible. Europeans expect a constitution, so let's give it to them," he told AFP.

Giscard d'Estaing's blueprint aims to streamline EU institutions and prevent decision-making gridlock when the 15-member bloc takes in another 10 mostly ex-communist states next May, expanding its population to 450 million.

The draft notably proposes a longer-term EU president to replace the current unwieldy six-month rotating leadership, a new foreign minister, a slimmed-down commission, and reduction of the right of veto.

This weekend's summit hailed the draft as a "historic step in the direction of furthering the objectives of integration" and a "good basis" for the IGC talks.

But many potential stumbling blocks remain in the road to the bloc's first ever constitution, which Giscard d'Estaing has said should serve the 46-year-old EU for the next half a century.