A week to achieve a new Treaty

(B2) After the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the 27, in Luxembourg, the new Treaty could be approved at the end of the week by the Heads of State and Government, Thursday and Friday. In a few meetings, in August and September – some particularly arduous, others more relaxed – the legal experts dissected the text and cleared the ground well. By all accounts, the case is well put together. As a result, the heads of state and government in Lisbon could easily agree. In 30 minutes ironically a French diplomat, 45 minutes replies his English colleague, more realistic...

With its twists and complexities, the text is indeed suitable for everyone. The partisans of the Constitution find all its substance there. Eurosceptics are happy not to see the symbols of a superstate set in stone. Of course, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Polish President Lech Kaczynski should say they are not quite satisfied yet. A passion, intended more for a national public than to block a document which perfects all their claims. Italy, unhappy to be mistreated in the future distribution of MEPs, could also step up to the plate, just to counterbalance. And Bulgaria should also make its little music heard, denouncing, rightly moreover, the bad translation of the word “Euro” in Cyrillic.

But, barring a last-minute surprise, Europe will have, at the end of this week, a text that will propel it into a real global political actor and put an end to 15 years of controversy.

(NGV)