Discussie over locatie ceremoniële ratificatie EU-Grondwet: Rome of Madrid? (en)

The city where the EU Constitution will eventually be signed is on the agenda of a meeting this morning in Rome between Italy's prime minister Silvio Berlusconi and his Spanish counterpart José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

Mr Zapatero is on his first visit to Italy since his election on 14 March, and will be accompanied by Spanish foreign minister Miguel Angel Moratinos.

Italy is hoping to secure Spain's support for a ceremonial signature of the Constitution to take place in Rome - and so have a Treaty of Rome to replace the earlier one of 1957.

According to Ansa, Spain is not expected to oppose the signature occuring in Rome, even though the European Parliament would like the signature to be held in Madrid to honour the victims of the 11 March terrorist attacks.

For its part, the Irish Presidency is looking at the idea of each country having its own signature ceremony in a bid to bring the Constitution closer to citizens and raise awareness generally.

A compromise solution is not being excluded whereby there would be a signature in Rome and a symbolic ceremony in Madrid, Ansa reports.

Constitution negotiations

The EU Constitution generally will be discussed later on in the afternoon between Mr Berlusconi and the Irish Premier Bertie Ahern, who is currently touring EU capitals before a crucial EU leaders' meeting in June - where negotiations are expected to be finalised.

Mr Ahern will be meeting Mr Zapatero on Friday afternoon.

Under Mr Zapatero's predecessor Jose Maria Aznar, Spain along with Poland scuppered a Constitution deal last December during Italy's Presidency, by rejecting a formula which would have weakened their voting power in the Council.

However, since the change in government, Madrid has adopted a more conciliatory position on the Constitution.