When I last appeared before this House at the beginning of June, the negotiations at the convention were approaching their final stages. On that occasion, I spoke in very positive terms of what had been achieved. Now that the convention has concluded, I am pleased I can repeat a great deal of that praise. The convention method itself helps to explain much of its success. Drawing together governments and national parliaments from both current and future member states, the European Parliament and Commission, as well as observers from employers and trades unions, youth and civil society, it could fairly claim to be representative of the views of all European citizens.