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| EU leaders call for rapid reforms | EU leaders call for rapid reforms |
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| EU leaders have adopted a declaration calling for some of the reforms proposed in the bloc's ill-fated constitution to be carried out by 2009. | EU leaders have adopted a declaration calling for some of the reforms proposed in the bloc's ill-fated constitution to be carried out by 2009. |
| The "Berlin Declaration" was issued to mark 50 years of the union, which was founded by the 1957 Treaty of Rome. | The "Berlin Declaration" was issued to mark 50 years of the union, which was founded by the 1957 Treaty of Rome. |
| It says the EU should be placed on a "renewed common basis" before the 2009 elections to the European Parliament. | It says the EU should be placed on a "renewed common basis" before the 2009 elections to the European Parliament. |
| Calls are being made for a conference to be held later this year to agree on a text to replace the constitution. | Calls are being made for a conference to be held later this year to agree on a text to replace the constitution. |
| The ceremonies came after a night of revelry in the German capital, with a gala concert and a lavish dinner. | The ceremonies came after a night of revelry in the German capital, with a gala concert and a lavish dinner. |
| In the city, Sunday is scheduled to see street parties and fireworks, with UK singer Joe Cocker giving a free concert. | In the city, Sunday is scheduled to see street parties and fireworks, with UK singer Joe Cocker giving a free concert. |
| Divisive issues | Divisive issues |
| The Berlin Declaration looks back to a time before the EU, when Europe, it says, was "an idea, holding out hope of peace and understanding". | The Berlin Declaration looks back to a time before the EU, when Europe, it says, was "an idea, holding out hope of peace and understanding". |
| BERLIN DECLARATION The unnatural division of Europe is now consigned to the pastWe, the citizens of the European Union, have united for the betterWe preserve in the European Union the identities and diverse traditions of its member statesWe are united in our aim of placing the EU on a renewed common basis before the European Parliament elections in 2009 Berlin Declaration: Full text Q&A: Constitution's future It contrasts the previous eras of war and division with the peaceful times since the formation of the union. | BERLIN DECLARATION The unnatural division of Europe is now consigned to the pastWe, the citizens of the European Union, have united for the betterWe preserve in the European Union the identities and diverse traditions of its member statesWe are united in our aim of placing the EU on a renewed common basis before the European Parliament elections in 2009 Berlin Declaration: Full text Q&A: Constitution's future It contrasts the previous eras of war and division with the peaceful times since the formation of the union. |
| "We, the citizens of Europe, have united for the better," the declaration reads. | "We, the citizens of Europe, have united for the better," the declaration reads. |
| There is no explicit mention of the most divisive issues - future enlargement to admit Turkey and the Balkan nations, and the EU constitution. | There is no explicit mention of the most divisive issues - future enlargement to admit Turkey and the Balkan nations, and the EU constitution. |
| But correspondents say the call for moves to place the EU "on a renewed common basis" before the June 2009 elections to the European Parliament is a coded reference to institutional reforms. | |
| 'Ideal timetable' | 'Ideal timetable' |
| Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, whose country was one of two which rejected the constitution in referendums in 2005, said it was best to avoid the word "constitution". | Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, whose country was one of two which rejected the constitution in referendums in 2005, said it was best to avoid the word "constitution". |
| "It's a very good declaration and what we need now is a change of treaties," he said. | "It's a very good declaration and what we need now is a change of treaties," he said. |
| EU leaders have been attending a series of celebratory eventsLuxembourg's Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker told German radio on Saturday that the "ideal timetable" would see the draft of a new treaty agreed during Portugal's EU presidency in the second half of 2007. | EU leaders have been attending a series of celebratory eventsLuxembourg's Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker told German radio on Saturday that the "ideal timetable" would see the draft of a new treaty agreed during Portugal's EU presidency in the second half of 2007. |
| German officials preparing a roadmap for further action, to present to the next EU summit in June, have indicated that the text must be agreed in 2007 or early 2008 to be ratified by June 2009. | |
| European leaders are divided about how closely any new treaty should resemble the constitution. | European leaders are divided about how closely any new treaty should resemble the constitution. |
| Germany and Italy are keen to preserve it largely intact, while the UK and the Netherlands want a very different text. | Germany and Italy are keen to preserve it largely intact, while the UK and the Netherlands want a very different text. |
| Some leaders also believe the project will come unstuck again if member states decide to ratify the treaty by referendum. | Some leaders also believe the project will come unstuck again if member states decide to ratify the treaty by referendum. |
| Referendum 'threshold' | Referendum 'threshold' |
| But British EU commissioner Peter Mandelson told the Sunday AM programme on BBC 1 that big changes to the EU had been carried out in the past without a public vote. | But British EU commissioner Peter Mandelson told the Sunday AM programme on BBC 1 that big changes to the EU had been carried out in the past without a public vote. |
| "I suspect that the changes that will be proposed and I hope they will be will be rather fewer with fewer constitutional implications then the single market that was created in the eighties and didn't have a referendum... | "I suspect that the changes that will be proposed and I hope they will be will be rather fewer with fewer constitutional implications then the single market that was created in the eighties and didn't have a referendum... |
| "The Maastricht treaty that didn't have a referendum provided by the then Conservative government... | "The Maastricht treaty that didn't have a referendum provided by the then Conservative government... |
| "So I think it depends on what is being proposed as to whether we think it crosses the threshold for a referendum," he said. | "So I think it depends on what is being proposed as to whether we think it crosses the threshold for a referendum," he said. |
| But a poll by a British Eurosceptic think tank, Open Europe, suggests that three-quarters of Europeans would like a referendum on any new treaty giving more power to the EU. | But a poll by a British Eurosceptic think tank, Open Europe, suggests that three-quarters of Europeans would like a referendum on any new treaty giving more power to the EU. |
| According to the poll, carried out in all 27 EU countries, 41% of people in the EU would Yes in such a referendum and the same proportion, 41%, would vote against. | According to the poll, carried out in all 27 EU countries, 41% of people in the EU would Yes in such a referendum and the same proportion, 41%, would vote against. |
| However, a majority would vote No in 16 EU countries, including Germany. | However, a majority would vote No in 16 EU countries, including Germany. |