December 16, 2001	Sunday	Ramazan 30, 1422

BRUSSELS, Dec 15: European Union leaders meeting in Brussels approved a landmark declaration on the future of Europe on Saturday, ushering in a period of intensive debate on institutional reform of the 15-nation bloc, diplomats said.

The final text of the Laeken Declaration, named after the royal palace in Brussels where the leaders met, fell short of the federalist ambitions of EU president Belgium, but retained a reference to the long-term prospect of an EU constitution.

The declaration poses a series of questions about how the EU can become more open, democratic and efficient, but does not try to anticipate the answers. Earlier drafts with more “leading questions” had upset states such as Britain and Sweden.

A Convention bringing together representatives of national governments and parliaments and of the EU’s supranational institutions — the Commission and the Parliament — will seek answers to the questions posed in the declaration.

The Convention starts its work on March 1, 2002. It will make proposals to an intergovernmental conference where member states have the final say on the future shape of the EU.

GISCARD NOMINATED: European Union leaders named ex-French President Valery Giscard D’Estaing to head a political Convention that will lead the debate and propose treaty changes.

The 75-year-old conservative will have two deputies, former Italian prime minister Giuliano Amato and Belgium’s ex-premier Jean-Luc Dehaene. All three men support deeper EU integration.

Many commentators had argued against the famously aloof and patrician Giscard d’Estaing, whose political career peaked in the 1970s, saying he was not an appropriate candidate to help bring the EU closer to its citizens in the 21st century.

Verhofstadt had to water down the declaration after eurosceptic countries such as Britain and Sweden complained that it posed questions in a “leading” way designed to elicit the kind of federalist solution favoured by Belgium and Germany.

CONSTITUTION: But the final text retained a reference to the long-term prospect of an EU constitution.

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said he hoped the Convention, whose work begins in March 2002 and is expected to run for about a year, would eventually back such an option.

“A draft constitution worthy of that name would be the ideal outcome (of the Convention’s work),” he told reporters.

The declaration speaks tentatively of the possibility of simplifying the existing EU treaties into a constitution.

A survey conducted by the executive European Commission and published on Friday showed two thirds of EU citizens supported a constitution, with a majority in favour even in Britain.

Elsewhere in the declaration, Belgium — which holds the EU’s rotating presidency — gave ground to the eurosceptics.

For example, the final text asked whether the president of the Commission should be directly elected by the people or by the European Parliament or, instead, be appointed by the national governments through the Council of Ministers.

Its earlier draft had suggested only electing the president, a move which would greatly enhance the Commission’s authority but could be seen as a step towards an all-European government.

“What counts is more results, better responses to practical issues and not a European superstate or European institutions inveigling their way into every nook and cranny of life,” the declaration said in language sure to please the British.

DEFENDING GISCARD: European Commission President Romano Prodi defended the appointment of Giscard d’Estaing and his deputies, seen by admirers as elder statesmen and by detractors as has-beens.

“It is a very strong team which has followed the work of the European institutions from the inside,” Prodi told reporters.

“They have been chosen for their vision of Europe rather than because of their past,” Verhofstadt added.

The big EU states — Germany, France, Britain and Italy — backed Giscard d’Estaing despite misgivings among smaller countries such as Portugal, which would have preferred outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Wim Kok to take the post. Kok did not make himself available.

A senior source said French President Jacques Chirac had made clear privately to his EU partners that he would veto any candidate other than Giscard d’Estaing.—Reuters