About: Treaties

New president, new ‘Constitution’?

Juncker's election might mark a new phase of European construction. But the Union's institutional, political and constitutional foundations need renovation, writes Yves Bertoncini.

A call for the renewal of European democracy

Anti-democratic forces are gaining ground at many levels of European society. Now is the time for Europe to renew democracy and introduce participation, Niccolo Milanese and Peter Oomsels write.

French ex-president: EU needs to regain credibility among citizens

Former French President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing has called on EU leaders to put forward a vision for Europe to inspire citizens, boost confidence and develop a shared sense of belonging.

9 May 1950: A new era of European history

"Without Monnet, there would probably not have been 'Schuman Plan', but without Schuman, Monnet's draft would have probably remained in the 'dead archives' of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs," writes Jacques-René Rabier, Jean Monnet's former head of cabinet, in a paper marking the 60th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration.

Constitutional Treaty – key elements [Archived]

EU leaders signed the Constitutional Treaty in autumn 2004, but the ratification was stalled following the two negative votes on the text in France and the Netherlands in 2005. EU leaders are now seeking to agree to a new treaty on the basis of the constitutional provisions. This dossier outlines the key changes proposed by the Constitutional Treaty text to the current system based on the provisions of the Nice Treaty.

Analysis: What can we learn from collapse of constitutional project?

Andrew Moravcsik, in an article published in Politische Vierteljahresschrift, argues that the failure of the constitution is paradoxically evidence of the success of the existing Treaties.

Intergovernmental Conference 2003-2004

EU governments began an Intergovernmental conference (IGC) on 4 October 2003 to revise the draft Constitutional Treaty, adopted by the European Convention on 10 July. Heads of State and Government of the EU-25 failed to agree on the Council voting system during the IGC session of 12-13 December 2003. The European Council on 17-18 June 2004, however, brought the IGC to a conclusion.

European Constitution

The 105-member European Convention signed the draft EU Constitution on 10 July 2003, concluding 16 months of work.

German Länder against eu centralism

German Länder are threatening to block the ratification of any new treaties, if their demands on their sovereignty and jurisdiction are not enshrined in the new treaty

Reorganising the treaties

The Commission yesterday presented a report from the European University Institute in Florence on the reorganisation of the European Treaties.