EU Constitution: ALDE calls on European Council to assume its responsibility

3.22.20pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 8th Jun 2005

Speaking today in the European Parliament in a debate on preparations for the forthcoming EU summit following the crisis provoked by the 'no' votes in France and Netherlands on the Constitution, Graham Watson, president of the European Liberal Democrat group declared "Whatever the fate of Europe's Constitution, the summit on the 16th/17th should already start to look ahead to Europe's future and initiate a period of serious reflection on how to improve our accountability rather than continuing to cry over spilled milk". The necessary precursor to the ratification process said Watson is that "Jacques Chirac and Jan Peter Balkenende must indicate whether or not their countries will be able one day to ratify the Constitution. European governments now find themselves victims of their own duplicity for having boasted so long of their European successes whilst blaming the EU itself for all their ills," he added.

Andrew Duff (UK, Lib Dem) and ALDE spokesperson on constitutional affairs remarked that "the European Council should decide to suspend the ratification process in order to have a broad and genuine debate on the future of Europe. This debate should be held within the framework of a new Convention which would focus especially on the economic and social policies of the Union. These policies need to be adjusted in response to the concerns and aspirations of our fellow citizens," he stated.

"Whatever the follow-up of the ratification process, it is essential that the next European Council marks out the guidelines and finds solutions to the expectations of our citizens, not least in terms of democracy and transparency or of a more clearly defined Europe and one in which there is a genuine governmental overview of economic and social needs which are necessary to relaunch growth, employment and cohesion," pointed out ALDE vice-president Marielle de Sarnez (UDF, France).

"Europe has a problem which cannot be resolved solely by pedagogical means, even if it is important to correct the image of a rhinoceros charging around as perceived by many of our citizens," declared Jules Maaten (VVD, Netherlands) "but we should not be afraid to go forward taking more account of what citizens tell us, for instance by holding EU wide referenda on major subjects from time to time". Similar observations were made by Sophie In't Veld (D66, Netherlands): "I listen with a degree of astonishment to the reactions following the French and Dutch rejection. Europe is moving too fast, we are told. But it is not Europe that moves fast but the world in which we live and in that context it is not less but more Europe that we need."