In June 1948, François de Menthon, Chairman of the Legal Affairs Committee of the European Parliamentary Union (EPU), which has the task of drawing up a ‘Constitution for the United States of Europe’, submits the final text of a Draft European Constitution to Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi, Secretary-General of the EPU.
On 14 February 1984, by a very large majority (237 votes to 31, with 43 abstentions), the European Parliament adopts the draft Treaty establishing the European Union, also known as the ‘Spinelli draft’, named after the Italian MP and Chairman of the Committee on Institutional Affairs which was responsible for the drawing up of the draft Treaty.
By this Resolution of 11 July 1990, the European Parliament decides to draw up a draft constitution for the European Union on the basis of the main points of the Spinelli draft treaty of 14 February 1984 and in accordance with guidelines laid down by Parliament to take account of the experience of the Single European Act.
On 9 February 1994, the Belgian MEP Fernand Herman, on behalf of the Committee on Institutional Affairs for which he is rapporteur, submits a draft Constitution of the European Union to the European Parliament.
In its resolution of 10 February 1994, the European Parliament ‘notes with satisfaction’ the work of the Committee on Institutional Affairs which has resulted in a draft Constitution for the European Union, as submitted by its rapporteur, Fernand Herman, and annexes the draft to the resolution so that it may be as widely disseminated as possible.
Die Diskussionen um eine Europäische Verfassung (2000-2001)
On 4 November 1999, Johannes Rau, President of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), publishes an article in the French daily newspaper Le Monde in which he declares himself in favour of a federal Europe which seeks better distribution of powers and authority.
On 19 January 2000, in a interview for the French daily newspaper Le Monde, Jacques Delors, President of the European Commission from 1985 to 1995, calls for a Federation of Nation States in order to allow a core of nations to make more rapid progress in an enlarged Europe.
On 10 April 2000, in an article published in the French daily newspaper Le Figaro, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, former President of the French Republic, and Helmut Schmidt, former Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), give their views on the institutional reforms that need to be implemented in order to prepare the European Union for its forthcoming enlargement.
Mit einer Rede am 12. Mai 2000 an der Humboldt-Universität nimmt Bundesaußenminister Joschka Fischer in seinem persönlichen Namen an der Debatte über die Zukunft der Europäischen Union teil, indem er den Abschluss eines Verfassungsvertrag zur Gründung einer europäischen Föderation auf Grundlage des Subsidiaritätsprinzips vorschlägt.
Am 13. Mai 2000 kommentiert die französische Tageszeitung Le Figaro die Rede des Bundesaußenministers Joschka Fischer, in der er in seinem persönlichem Namen den Abschluss eines Verfassungsvertrags zur Gründung einer europäischen Föderation auf Grundlage des Subsidiaritätsprinzips vorschlägt.
Am 11. Juni 2000 antwortet der französische Außenminister Hubert Védrine auf die Vorschläge seines deutschen Amtskollegen Joschka Fischer zur Finalität der Europäischen Union und stellt eigene Überlegungen über die Konzepte der Föderation und der Föderation von Nationalstaaten an.
In einem Kommentar zur Rede des Bundesaußenministers Joschka Fischer über die Finalität der europäischen Integration erläutert der Historiker Rudolf von Thadden, Koordinator der Bundesregierung für die deutsch-französische Zusammenarbeit, in der französischen Tageszeitung Le Monde die unterschiedliche Einstellung der Franzosen und der Deutschen zum Föderalismus.
On 16 June 2000, in the French daily newspaper Le Figaro, Alain Juppé, former French Prime Minister, and Jacques Toubon, former Justice Minister, present and outline their Gaullist-inspired draft Constitution for Europe.
In seiner Rede am 27. Juni 2000 vor dem Deutschen Bundestag in Berlin kündigt der französische Staatspräsident Jacques Chirac den Beginn einer Übergangszeit in Richtung einer institutionellen Neugründung der Europäischen Union an. Vorbereitende Überlegungen zur Neuorganisierung der Verträge, die transparent angestellt werden sollen, könnten zur Verabschiedung der ersten europäischen Verfassung führen. Jacques Chirac schlägt unter anderem die Schaffung einer „Pioniergruppe“ von Ländern vor, die gemeinsam mit Frankreich und Deutschland an allen Formen der verstärkten Zusammenarbeit teilnehmen.
Der französische Staatspräsident Jacques Chirac hält anlässlich seines Staatsbesuchs in Berlin am 26. und 27. Juni 2000 eine Rede im Bundestag, in der er sich vor Beginn der französischen EU-Ratspräsidentschaft zu Fragen im Zusammenhang mit dem europäischen Einigungswerk äußert.
On 28 June 2000, the French daily newspaper Libération comments on the determination shown by Jacques Chirac, President of the French Republic, to revive the deepening of the European Union.
Am 28. Juni 2000 kommentiert die Tageszeitung Süddeutsche Zeitung die Rede des französischen Staatspräsidenten Jacques Chirac vor dem Deutschen Bundestag über die Zukunft der Europäischen Union und verweist auf die Berliner Rede des deutschen Außenministers Joschka Fischer vom 12. Mai.
Am 29. Juni 2000 vergleicht die deutsche Wochenzeitschrift Die Zeit die Rede des französischen Präsidenten Jacques Chirac über die Perspektiven der Europäischen Union mit der Rede, die der Bundesaußenminister Joschka Fischer am 12. Mai in Berlin gehalten hat.
On 29 June 2000, the Luxembourg daily newspaper Tageblatt reviews the French President Jacques Chirac’s address on the future of Europe given to the Bundestag on 27 June 2000 and calls it a turning point in French European policy.
In July 2000, in an article in the journal Affari Esteri, Giuliano Amato, Italian Prime Minister, comments on the address delivered by Joschka Fischer on the ultimate aim of European integration. On 12 May 2000, the German Foreign Minister had suggested the conclusion of a constitutional treaty establishing a European Federation.
Die Diskussionen um eine Europäische Verfassung (2000-2001)
On 6 July 2000, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, President of the Italian Republic, gives a speech at the University of Leipzig in which he declares himself in favour of a European Constitution which, in his view, will demonstrate in particular the dynamics of the Community process and will strengthen the democratic legitimacy of the European Union.
On 21 September 2000, in Brussels, Guy Verhofstadt, Prime Minister of Belgium, presents his vision of Europe and suggests, amongst other things, that a declaration signed by the Fifteen be drawn up to indicate where the ultimate goal of the European Union lies.
In a speech delivered in Warsaw on 6 October 2000, the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, upholds the vision of a European Union which, while retaining its unique intergovernmental and supranational structure, will become a superpower comprising equal partner Nation States but not a superstate. In his opinion, in place of a European Constitution, it would be preferable to draw up a statement of principles, serving as a charter of competences, which would be a political, not a legal document.
On 7 October 2000, the British daily newspaper The Guardian compares the vision of Europe that the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, outlined the previous day in Warsaw with the former French President Charles de Gaulle's Europe des patries (Europe of the Nations).
On 7 October 2000, commenting on a speech given by the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, in Warsaw, the French daily newspaper Le Figaro analyses the British view on the future of the European Union and compares it with that of its European partners.
On 1 February 2001, Vaclav Havel, President of the Czech and Slovak Federative Republic from 1990 to 1992, then of the Czech Republic from 1993 to 2003, and Jacques Delors, President of the European Commission from 1985 to 1995, discuss the ‘coexistence model’ for Member States of the European Union.
In einer Rede am 28. Mai 2001 in Paris befürwortet der französische Premierminister Lionel Jospin die Idee einer Europäischen Union als „Föderation von Nationalstaaten“ sowie die Perspektive einer Europäischen Verfassung, die nach dem Vorbild der Europäischen Grundrechtecharta von einem Konvent erarbeitet werden soll.
On 29 May 2001, the Brussels daily newspaper Le Soir compares the contradictory plans for the future of the European Union put forward by Lionel Jospin, French Prime Minister; Jacques Chirac, President of the French Republic; Joschka Fischer, German Foreign Minister; Tony Blair, British Prime Minister; and Guy Verhofstadt, Belgian Prime Minister.
On 29 May 2001, in the Belgian daily newspaper Le Soir, Denis MacShane, Labour MP and Tony Blair’s adviser on European affairs, comments on the position of the British Prime Minister on the French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin’s proposals on the institutional and economic future of an enlarged Europe.
On 29 May 2001, the French daily newspaper Le Monde comments on a speech given by the French Prime Minister, Lionel Jospin, the previous day in Paris in favour of a European Union founded on a ‘Federation of Nation States’ to ensure the smooth running of an enlarged Europe.
On 23 November 2001, British daily newspaper The Guardian publishes Tony Blair's speech at the European Research Institute during a national debate on the future of Europe. The British Prime Minister reflects on the history of European integration and calls on the United Kingdom to take an active part in the ongoing democratic reform.