Tuesday, January 02, 2007

European Enlargement and Deepening

Romania and Bulgaria have now joined the European Union. Slovenia has joined the Euro. These are only few signs that the EU is not sleeping, but it keeps very quiet.
Past problems have not disappeared and it is necessary to deal with them explicitly.
That is why Angela Merkl, the new President of the Council of the EU, has stressed the importance of a new text (Treaty or Constitution?) that can bring forward the all-important institutional adaptations. 2007 will be a crucial year in terms of institutional/constitutional reforms.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Yet, one is well-advised to be careful and not to expect too much from the German EU Presidency. Not only will Germany put energy issues, as well as the potential reform of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) at the core of its agenda. Any initiave related to a revival of the odd Constitution is constrained by the French Presidential elections that take place at the end of April and, as can be expected, the beginning of May. Even if Sègolene, a pro-European, will be elected, this would not leave Ms. Merkel with much time to push forward, and most of all, hammer out support for a revised constitutional treaty.