Seanad debates
Wednesday, 22 October 2003
European Convention/Intergovernmental Conference: Statements.
There is a great deal in the draft constitutional treaty to recommend. It found consensus where consensus had proven impossible in previous treaty negotiations. The convention managed to find agreement on the following: a single legal personality for the Union; a simplified and comprehensible legislative framework; the clear delineation of the roles of the Union and the member states; the incorporation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights into the draft constitutional treaty, without expanding the Union's area of competence; and the consolidation of the existing treaties in a coherent and comprehensible way. The convention also produced a very striking outline of the values on which the Union is based, including human dignity, liberty, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, and objectives including the promotion of peace, freedom, justice, sustainable development and full employment. These values are espoused by all public representatives and, most importantly, by every citizen in the State.
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