Andrew Duff urges European Council to continue with Constitution process

6.59.51pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 2nd Jun 2005

In a statement to the Constitutional Affairs Committee of the European Parliament today (Thursday) Liberal spokesman Andrew Duff has urged a continuation of the ratification process of the Constitution. He said:

"I regret very much the outcome of the French and Dutch referendums. Much of the debate in these countries seemed to have been on largely domestic issues. Where Europe was the focus of debate, it was the policies of the European Union and not its institutions, procedures or powers that attracted attention. Too few of the Yes campaigners were able to put forward the argument for the Constitution with confidence, and too many of the No campaigners told lies about the Constitution.

"At any rate, the referendum results have given neither Chirac nor Balkenende a clear or comprehensible mandate to renegotiate the text.

"The options before us include ditching the Constitution altogether. But that would be defeatist. The problems that led to the setting up of the Constitution would still exist, unresolved.

"Europe still needs more political integration to sustain the single currency and the single market. Political unity grounded in the Constitution is still required if Europe is to stand on its own feet in world affairs. Fundamental rights still need to be made binding at the EU level. And the host of institutional and procedural reforms prescribed by the Constitution are still necessary if the EU is to become a more efficient and effective post-national democracy.

"We could put the Constitution into cold storage and cherry-pick, on an à la carte basis, certain elements. But that would be dodgy in a legal sense and controversial politically.

"If the European Council on 16-17 June decides unanimously to jettison the Constitution, it will have to start again and issue a fresh mandate to a new Convention, whose task would be to focus on modernising the common policies of the Union (Part III of the Constitution).

"In the meanwhile, no one country should take a unilateral decision about the fate of the Constitution. The leaders have to exercise collective responsibility within the European Council.

"My preferred choice, and that of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats (ALDE), is to continue with the ratification process as planned. That means that all countries will have the opportunity to express themselves. Meanwhile France and the Netherlands can reflect further on the real consequences of their negative votes.

"We also have to learn from the poor quality of these two referendum campaigns. The arguments for the Constitution need to be refurbished, and the context needs to be widened to include a debate about the merits of enlargement and to tackle the reform of the social and economic policies that are currently undermining Europe's prosperity.

"The drafting of the Constitution was a long, innovative and highly legitimate process. A large consensus has been forged around it of governments, national parliaments (including the French and Dutch) and EU institutions (including the European Parliament). It is a complex and sophisticated package-deal which will fall apart if any one element is opened up for renegotiation.

"Those who believe in a strong democratic Europe must now fight back against public apathy and deception."

ENDS/...