EU leaders line up for Treaty talks[fr][de] 

On an official visit to Brussels on 23 May 2007, French President Nicolas Sarkozy underlined his European ambitions and made clear that, for him, institutional reform is a top priority. 

Departing from the notion of a 'Mini-Treaty', which he proposed last year, he said: "I am very pleased that we seem to be making headway around the idea of a simplified Treaty." The Treaty, he added, should comprise the main elements of institutional reform contained in the stalled EU Constitution, such as the creation of a permanent EU presidency, a European foreign minister and removing unanimity voting in certain policy areas, especially immigration.

Commission President José Manuel Barroso confirmed that a consensus was forming around the idea of a simplified Treaty, but stressed that its content was still up for debate.

Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, however, is more critical of taking on the institutional changes of the EU Constitution, rejected by France as well as his country. Speaking at the Parliament in Strasbourg on 23 May 2007, he opposed certain elements, such as the creation of the post of European foreign minister.

On the issue of extending qualified majority voting he said: "We must recognise that countries are afraid to relinquish their vetoes, afraid that the EU will extend its competences by stealth."

Meanwhile, his Italian counterpart and former Commission president, Romano Prodi, argued for a more ambitious approach on 22 May 2007. Talking to MEPs, he said that he wanted to "preserve as much as possible" from the current text. Proposing a multi-speed approach he said: "We do not all need to go forward at the same speed, this is not always possible."

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said: "A simplified treaty is the only possible way forward." He added: "I am convinced that Europe cannot remain at a standstill. We cannot remain in this relative paralysis."

Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende argued: "We have to continue to take a step-by-step approach and take one small step at a time, then we will make headway." He added: "Europe will not be made all at once or with a single plan."

Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi said that some EU members' difficulties in moving ahead should not stop others "making progress towards a united Europe". He added: "Nobody should be able to block other countries' aspirations for too long."

A report adopted by the Constitutional Committee stated that the Parliament  would "reject any outcome of the negotiations which, if compared to the Constitutional Treaty, would lead to a diminution of the protection of the rights of citizens, as well as to less democracy, transparency and efficiency in the functioning of the Union".