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The EU Constitution and Core Values
Here's a funny article from the FT...
This is just too damn funny. Who gives a flying flip whether God is mentioned, or whether a debt to the ancient Greeks and Romans is part of the text? (puleez.) Or whether the word "federal" is used? 
Don't you Euros have better things to argue about? Like the actual provisions of the document? Hmmm?
It should all have been left out.
Giscard attacked over EU 'core values'
By George Parker in Brussels
Published: May 28 2003 20:56 | Last Updated: May 28 2003 20:56
Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, president of the European Convention, on Wednesday presented his preamble to Europe's draft constitution emphasising the continent's "cultural, religious and humanist inheritance" but failing to mention God and Christianity.
The exclusion of God in the preamble will anger many Catholic countries, Christian Democrat politicians and the Vatican. It comes amid increasing criticism of Mr Giscard d'Estaing's draft constitution.
The former French president hoped that the preamble, intended to be an introduction to the EU constitution, would set out Europe's core values and be taught in schools to inspire generations of children.
But the end result, to be presented to EU leaders on June 20, is much longer than comparable texts. Its six paragraphs dwarf the single paragraph preambles to constitutions in countries such as the US, France and Germany.
"The European draft is long-winded, awkwardly phrased, vague on critical points and airily idealistic," said Andrew Moravcsik, professor of government at Harvard University.
The full draft of the constitution, presented in stages this week, has drawn fire from many quarters over its contents.
Romano Prodi, president of the European Commission, criticised the draft for failing to propose greater co-ordination in foreign policy or the economy. And he encouraged the 105 members of the Convention to propose amendments to the text when they debate it today and tomorrow. "I have to honestly admit that the draft text is a disappointment," Mr Prodi said. "It is in some respects a step backwards. Despite all the hard work we have put into this, the text that is now before us simply lacks vision and ambition."
Some members of the convention have criticised the draft text for failing to protect the interests of Europe's smaller countries.
Elmar Brok, a leading German Christian Democrat MEP, said the text was "biased in favour of the large countries" such as Britain and France.
On the faith issue, Mr Giscard d'Estaing accepted arguments that explicit references to Christianity would be insensitive to Europe's other religious groups.
Instead there is a reference to the EU's debt to the "civilisations of Greece and Rome" and later "by the philosophical currents of the Enlightenment".
The EU's common values are defined as "equality of persons, freedom and respect for reason" and that it has a mission to protect "the weakest and most deprived".
Britain's insistence that the word "federal" be removed from the main body of the constitution led Mr Giscard d'Estaing to insert a balancing clause in the preamble: the EU would be "united in an ever closer fashion".
The fact that nobody is entirely satisfied has prompted aides to Mr Giscard d'Estaing to hope that compromises can be found and that the whole convention can unite around a single text.
By George Parker in Brussels
Published: May 28 2003 20:56 | Last Updated: May 28 2003 20:56
Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, president of the European Convention, on Wednesday presented his preamble to Europe's draft constitution emphasising the continent's "cultural, religious and humanist inheritance" but failing to mention God and Christianity.
The exclusion of God in the preamble will anger many Catholic countries, Christian Democrat politicians and the Vatican. It comes amid increasing criticism of Mr Giscard d'Estaing's draft constitution.
The former French president hoped that the preamble, intended to be an introduction to the EU constitution, would set out Europe's core values and be taught in schools to inspire generations of children.
But the end result, to be presented to EU leaders on June 20, is much longer than comparable texts. Its six paragraphs dwarf the single paragraph preambles to constitutions in countries such as the US, France and Germany.
"The European draft is long-winded, awkwardly phrased, vague on critical points and airily idealistic," said Andrew Moravcsik, professor of government at Harvard University.
The full draft of the constitution, presented in stages this week, has drawn fire from many quarters over its contents.
Romano Prodi, president of the European Commission, criticised the draft for failing to propose greater co-ordination in foreign policy or the economy. And he encouraged the 105 members of the Convention to propose amendments to the text when they debate it today and tomorrow. "I have to honestly admit that the draft text is a disappointment," Mr Prodi said. "It is in some respects a step backwards. Despite all the hard work we have put into this, the text that is now before us simply lacks vision and ambition."
Some members of the convention have criticised the draft text for failing to protect the interests of Europe's smaller countries.
Elmar Brok, a leading German Christian Democrat MEP, said the text was "biased in favour of the large countries" such as Britain and France.
On the faith issue, Mr Giscard d'Estaing accepted arguments that explicit references to Christianity would be insensitive to Europe's other religious groups.
Instead there is a reference to the EU's debt to the "civilisations of Greece and Rome" and later "by the philosophical currents of the Enlightenment".
The EU's common values are defined as "equality of persons, freedom and respect for reason" and that it has a mission to protect "the weakest and most deprived".
Britain's insistence that the word "federal" be removed from the main body of the constitution led Mr Giscard d'Estaing to insert a balancing clause in the preamble: the EU would be "united in an ever closer fashion".
The fact that nobody is entirely satisfied has prompted aides to Mr Giscard d'Estaing to hope that compromises can be found and that the whole convention can unite around a single text.
Don't you Euros have better things to argue about? Like the actual provisions of the document? Hmmm?It should all have been left out.
@ DanS and Imran
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