Opinion of the European Commission delivered on 17 September 2003 following adoption by the European Convention on 13 June and 10 July 2003 of the draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe. The Commission considers that the draft should provide the basis for the work of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC), taking the view that the IGC's task should consist of improving, clarifying and finalising the draft Constitution.

On 19 September 2003, the European Central Bank (ECB) delivers its opinion on the draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe with regard to the institutional amendments to monetary policy which it will entail.

At their meeting in Rome on 4 October 2004, on the occasion of the opening of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) to revise the Treaties, the Heads of State and of Government of Member Countries, of acceding countries and candidates to the European Union, the President of the European Parliament, the President of the European Commission, confirm the importance of the commitment to endow the European Union with a constitutional text and take up the Convention's Draft Treaty as a good basis for starting in the IGC.

On 4 October 2003, in Rome, the Heads of State or Government of the Fifteen and the ten EU applicant countries open the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) which is to lead to the adoption of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe in June 2004.

On 4 October 2003, at the extraordinary Summit for the opening of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) in Rome, Pat Cox, President of the European Parliament, calls for the work of the Convention on the Future of Europe to be respected.

Le 4 octobre 2003, dans un entretien accordé au quotidien La Libre Belgique, Guy Verhofstadt, Premier ministre et chef de la délégation belge, évoque son point de vue sur l'importance des travaux de la Conférence intergouvernementale (CIG), dont l'objectif est de mettre au point le texte final de la future Constitution européenne, destinée à modifier et à remplacer le contenu des traités existants.

On 4 October 2003, as the Intergovernmental Conference opens in Rome, the French daily newspaper Le Monde describes the climate of division and uncertainty with regard to the draft European Constitution among the 15 Member States of the European Union and the 10 countries which will officially accede to the European Union on 1 May 2004.

On 6 October 2003, commenting on the opening of the proceedings of the Intergovernmental Conference in Rome, the French daily newspaper Le Figaro reports on the atmosphere of heightened tension among the 25 European Heads of State or Government during consideration of the draft Constitutional Treaty.

On 19 November 2003, Elmar Brok, Lamberto Dini, Andrew Duff, Klaus Hänsch and Alain Lamassoure, members of the Convention on the Future of Europe, call on the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) to respect the draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe drawn up by the Convention.

In November 2003, Andrew Duff, European Parliament representative at the European Convention, outlines what is at stake for Member States and for the European Union institutions at the 2003–2004 Intergovernmental Conference (IGC).

On 25 November 2003, on the eve of the Conclave of Foreign Ministers held in Naples as part of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC), the Presidency of the Council of the European Union sends a note to each of the Delegations in which it reviews the work of the IGC.

On 9 December 2003, with a view to the Brussels European Council due to be held on 12 and 13 December 2003 and in the light of the difficulties experienced by the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) in securing a compromise on the European Constitution, the Belgian daily newspaper Le Soir outlines the three crisis scenarios for Europe.

The Brussels European Council, held under Italian Presidency on 12 and 13 December 2003, notes that it has not yet been possible for the Intergovernmental Conference (CIG) to reach an overall agreement on a draft constitutional treaty and requests the Irish Presidency on the basis of consultations to make an assessment on the prospects for progress.

Am Ende einer Tagung des Europäischen Rates wird eine Pressemitteilung verfasst, und der Vorsitzende des Europäischen Rates beruft gemeinsam mit dem Kommissionspräsidenten eine Pressekonferenz ein. Hier eine Aufnahme von der Abschlusspressekonferenz des Europäischen Rates von Brüssel am 13. Dezember 2003. Von links nach rechts: Pat Cox, Präsident des Europäischen Parlaments, Romano Prodi, Präsident der Europäischen Kommission, Silvio Berlusconi, italienischer Ministerpräsident und Vorsitzender des Europäischen Rates, Franco Frattini, italienischer Außenminister, Gianfranco Fini, italienischer Vizepremierminister.

On 13 December 2003, Tony Blair, British Prime Minister, holds a press conference during which he explains to British journalists the reasons why the Brussels European Council has been unable to reach an agreement on a future Constitution for Europe.

‘The weighting of votes.’ On 13 December 2003, the European Council meeting in Brussels is unable to reach agreement on a future Constitution for Europe. German cartoonist Mohr illustrates the intransigence of Spain and Poland over the reform of the qualified majority voting system and the mechanism by which the weighting of votes is determined. This situation is a source of irritation for France and Germany and for the President of the Convention on the Future of Europe, Valéry Giscard d’Estaing.

On 15 December 2003, the Belgian daily newspaper Le Soir analyses the reasons for the failure of the Brussels European Council and speculates on the future of the Constitutional Treaty.

On 16 December 2003, Bertie Ahern, Irish Prime Minister, expresses his disappointment at the failure of the Brussels European Council, held on 12 and 13 December, while remaining confident at the chances of an agreement on the Constitutional Treaty being reached during the forthcoming Irish Presidency of the European Union.

On 17 December 2003, in an interview granted to the French daily newspaper Le Figaro, Danuta Hubner, Polish Minister for European Affairs, gives her views on the failure of the Brussels European Council and outlines the position adopted by Poland during the negotiations.

On 24 March 2004, the Presidency of the Council of the European Union forwards a report to the Brussels European Council, held on 25 and 26 March, in which it calls for the rapid conclusion of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC).

On 24 March 2004, on the eve of the Brussels European Council held on 25 and 26 March and in the light of the terrorist attacks in Madrid, Romano Prodi, President of the European Commission, forwards to Bertie Ahern, President-in-Office of the Council of the European Union, a letter in which he emphasises the need for the EU to adopt a Constitution in order to strengthen the links between its peoples.

Meeting as the European Council in Brussels on 25 and 26 March 2004, the Heads of State or Government discuss the economic, social and environmental situation of the European Union (EU) and the means to be implemented to achieve the objectives of the Lisbon Strategy.

On 21 July 2004, Romano Prodi, President of the European Commission, outlines to the European Parliament the achievements of the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union and emphasises the importance of the work of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) having been completed and an agreement having finally been reached on the draft European Constitution.

In August 2004, in an interview for the monthly legal journal Revue du Marché Commun et de l'Union Européenne, Pascale Andréani, Adviser on European Affairs to the French Prime Minister, Jean-Pierre Raffarin, outlines France's priorities with regard to the European Constitutional Treaty and the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC).

In diesem Interview schildert Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, von 1974 bis 1981 französischer Staatspräsident und Präsident des Europäischen Konvents von Dezember 2001 bis Juli 2003, inwiefern die Arbeiten des Konvents von der Ankündigung der Regierungskonferenz (RK) beeinflusst wurden, die im Juni 2004 zur Verabschiedung des Vertrags über eine Verfassung für Europa führte.

On 17 and 18 June 2004, the Brussels European Council welcomes the outcome of the work of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on the draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe.

On 17 June 2004, at the Brussels European Council, the President of the French Republic, Jacques Chirac, outlines the progress made in the negotiations on the draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe.

Am 17. und 18. Juni 2004 verabschieden die Staats- und Regierungschefs der Fünfundzwanzig in Brüssel den Vertrag über eine Verfassung für Europa.

On 19 June 2004, the day after the Brussels European Council, Jacques Chirac, French President, emphasises the historic importance of the future Constitution for Europe.

Le 19 juin 2004, le quotidien français Le Figaro retrace les longues négociations en vue de l'adoption de la future Constitution européenne lors du Conseil européen de Bruxelles des 17 et 18 juin.

Am 21. Juni 2004 erklärt der britische Premierminister Tony Blair vor dem Abgeordnetenhaus den Inhalt des Entwurfs des Verfassungsvertrags, der am 17. und 18. Juni auf dem Europäischen Rat in Brüssel angenommen worden war.

On 21 July 2004, Bertie Ahern, Irish Prime Minister and President-in-Office of the Council of the European Union, outlines to the European Parliament the outcome of the Brussels European Council held on 17 and 18 June 2004 and welcomes the achievements of the Irish Presidency.