Druk op Italië neemt toe om vaart te brengen in Grondwet-onderhandelingen (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The Italian Presidency came under pressure from both MEPs and the European Commission on how it is handling the ongoing negotiations between member states on the draft EU Constitution.

"If a Constitution is to be approved in December, it is vital for the Presidency to come forward by mid-November with clear proposals that can meet with consensus", said Commission President Romano Prodi in Strasbourg on Wednesday.

Hans-Gert Pöttering, leader of the European People's Party, urged the Presidency to wrap up the negotiations by the end of the year.

"If the IGC drags on into 2004 the risk is greater that further chapters are being opened ... so please do everything you can to get a result by the end of your Presidency", he said.

"My group is concerned that what we're hearing is a litany of positions being recycled without anyone addressing the real problems", said Socialist leader, Enrique Baron Crespo.

Mr Baron Crespo also criticised the fact that the new proposal for a legislative council was rejected by EU leaders in their first meeting.

"I am very worried that when we have shared legislative power for the first time that this is the first thing the Council decides to abolish".

One of the Parliament representatives in the IGC also strongly condemned the way the talks have been carried out so far.

"The spirit of the convention for compromise has been lost", said Spanish MEP Inigo Mendez de Vigo.

"We're fed up with questionnaires", said Green MEP Monica Frassoni referring to the system the Italian Presidency is using to find out where Member States stand on certain issues.

High profile solution

In response, the Italian Prime Minister defended the work as being part of particular phases.

"We have agreed with all the other countries a method which is different".

"We thought it appropriate that ... we should get to know the position of the individual governments and allow everyone the opportunity to express their views very clearly and openly - and that was the first phase".

The Italian Prime Minister went on to say that the bargaining was now in the second phase and that the Presidency is working round the clock to produce an initial solution.

The third phase will consist of bilateral meetings to discuss "this high profile solution".

This solution which will have to contain compromises on highly sensitive issues such as vote weighting and the composition of the Commission will then be debated by foreign ministers at the end of November before going on for the final IGC meeting on 12-13 December.

An informal IGC meeting may also be held around mid-November if there is no movement bilaterally.

Mr Berlusconi repeated, however, his Presidency's determination not to approve any "low-level compromise" and warned countries against saying no to the Constitution for "selfish reasons".