The Convention at Many Crossroads: Report on a Conference at the College of Europe (Bruges), 9-10 May 2003

Extract

After nearly fifty years of its existence, the European Community currently faces two constitutional challenges: In a conscious effort to bring Europe closer to its citizens and to break away from the undemocratic executive and judicial constitution-making, Europe has set up a “Constitutional Convention” in charge of constitutional soul-searching. The second project – and indeed one of no less “constitutional” significance – is, of course, the Union's enlargement that will turn it into an organization of twenty-five plus. The two projects are in many ways intertwined and can be synthesized into the phrase: “A new Constitution for a new Europe”.