EUROPEAN CONVENTION: PRAESIDIUM MEPS FACE FIERCE CRITICISM FROM THEIR PEERS.

• Position: Members of the European Parliament engage in contentious debate

The traditional meeting of the delegation in conjunction with the European Parliament plenary session was a stormy affair. Noting that amendments to the draft articles for Titles I, II and III of the future Treaty had to be tabled by February 14, Inigo Mendez de Vigo rejected straight away all group amendments by fellow Members, "to keep from frightening" the other parties to the Convention, representatives of governments and national Parliaments. "I am very disappointed that our representatives in the Praesidium are refusing joint amendments," declared Anne van Lancker (PES, Belgium). "We cannot be afraid of our own shadow. Let's defend what we have to defend," added Pervenche Beres (PES, France), expressing concern over the lack of a clause between Title III on competences, contained in the first part of the Treaty, and the definition of policies that will be covered by the second part. "That is the heart of the matter," she maintained, with the backing of Andrew Duff (ELDR, United Kingdom), who was said to want "more detail" in the presentation of competences through a more explicit reference to common policies. Reinhard Rack (EPP, Germany) mentioned Article 14 on the Common Foreign and Security Policy, which "does not list the competences already shared in this area". Neil MacCormick (Greens, United Kingdom) said it was disproportionate to include as an exclusive competence the conservation of marine biological resources when others that seem far more important - like the Internal Market - are relegated to the level of shared competences.

Mrs Beres also criticised Title II on citizenship and fundamental rights, arguing that its articles pick and choose among the fundamental rights contained in the Charter, which is not a promise of clear integration as a part of the Constitution but possibly as a mere Protocol. This criticism was taken up and extended to Title I by Elena Paciotti (PES, Italy), who argues that articles 2 (values) and 3 (objectives) echo certain Charter provision but ignore others. Carlos Carnero (PES, Spain) described this as "a step backwards". Hanja...