Prominenten tegen koehandel rond Europese grondwet (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Top MEPs are taking EU governments to task over their handling of the draft Constitution, claiming Europe's capitals risk undermining the whole project.

MEPs from the Parliament's three biggest political groups condemn the fact that a compromise contained within the draft Constitution is being traded away by member states.

A statement by Elmar Brok, Klaus Hänsch and Andrew Duff - from the European People's Party, the Socialists and the Liberals respectively - deplores the "fact that several key elements of the convention package deal are being called into question".

Lamberto Dini, a former Prime Minister of Italy, has also signed.

"We believe that the credibility of the intergovernmental conference [to discuss the draft text] is in serious danger".

The four signatories, all members of the Convention which over 16 months drew up the Constitution, believe that the process saw "the optimum advance that can be achieved at the present phase of integration".

A barrage of attacks

Their joint effort comes just three weeks before the Constitution is set to be agreed by EU leaders at a mid-December Summit.

Since the opening of the talks at the beginning of October, governments have been horse-trading several of the important changes of the Constitution.

Poland and Spain have been opposing the introduction of a new voting system. The legislative council was rejected by EU leaders within a few minutes of the beginning of the first meeting. Similarly, instead of a reduced Commission with 15 members, the executive could end up with 25 or even 31 members.

Governments are also questioning the key innovation of the Convention that drew up the Constitution - the EU foreign minister - while some EU finance ministers made a move to limit the power of the European Parliament over the budget.

In their statement, the MEPs also accuse leaders of using seats in the European Parliament as "casino chips" - following speculation that extra seats may be given to cajole recalcitrant states.

Silvio Berlusconi, Italian Prime Minister and current head of the EU Presidency, has been doing the rounds with governments to try and find a deal suitable to all.

A compromise package on some of the sticking points is expected to be unveiled by the Presidency later this week.

It will be discussed by foreign ministers on 28-29 November before being thrashed out by leaders on 12-13 December in Brussels.