Frankrijk en Duitsland denken na over gelijktijdige ratificering van de EU-Grondwet (en)

France and Germany could ratify the EU Constitution next year at the same time, it was said yesterday (27 October) before a Franco-German region summit in Poitiers, France.

The idea, which was brought forward by the French side, did not clarify if France would hold a referendum on the Constitution.

Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, who meets Chancellor Gerhard Schröder in Poitiers today, said that the final decision rests with French President Jacques Chirac.

President Chirac has started a consultation with the French political parties on the intergovernmental conference to finalise the draft EU Constitution - a good occasion to test the water about a referendum as well.

As far as Germany is concerned, a referendum is not permitted at the federal level but, if the Constitution text is finalised by May as is foreseen, the Federal Parliament could ratify it as early as next summer.

Boosting regions

This is the first of a series of annual bilateral meetings at a regional level - an idea launched last June by Jean-Pierre Raffarin and Gerhard Schröder - in order to inspire French regions to use the German model of Länder.

The regions of France need re-organisation as there are big differences between the large and poor areas. Generally, those in the north are less well off than those in the east or central France, which are relatively prosperous.

In June it was said that Germany can only offer limited help because the federalist model of Länder cannot be exported to France.

However, the Poitiers Summit is expected to adopt three objectives for French regions: better knowledge of German for an exchange of teachers, greater mobility of students, specialists and researchers, and the creation of a network of competencies in order to benefit from the German experience.