Both advocates and critics of the complete draft of the new EU treaty highlight its similarity with the bloc’s failed constitution. While advocates consider it the argument for a swift ratification through parliaments, critics maintain it should be decided by public referendum.
Diplomats and legal experts from EU member states are gathering on Tuesday (24 July) to kick off the first round of talks over the bloc’s Reform treaty, formally unveiled as a full 277-page version at a meeting of foreign ministers on Monday.
According to EU officials, the launch of the “Intergovernmental conference” on the new treaty should be a smooth process of clearing away minor differences over technical details rather than serious political issues.
The draft is based on a detailed outline agreed by the bloc’s leaders in late June. It stems from the legal text contained in the draft EU constitution, which was given a red light from French and Dutch citizens in 2005.
Valery Giscard d’Estaing, former chairman of the European Convention which drafted the 2004 constitution, has pointed out that the changes transforming it into ‘Reform treaty’ are purely “cosmetic”.
But while the constitution was supposed to be adopted by referendum in several countries, the new document looks likely to be ratified predominantly by national MPs, with only Ireland openly signalling a popular vote.
For some, the similarity in content between the two documents should be followed by the same ratification method previously envisaged for the constitution.
