Barroso wants EU leaders’ commitment

EUROPEAN Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso challenged member states to give up their hypocritical stance on the EU.

He favours postponing any attempt to salvage the European Constitution until EU leaders make a fresh commitment to the union.

He said national leaders make agreements at summits and fail to follow through.

“Some are happy to say some policies are their own but when there is a problem it is Europe’s problem.”

The first step to relaunching the constitution debate should be a declaration by Europe’s leaders agreeing to the principles and committing themselves to engage and deliver, he said.

He wants them to make their declaration publicly and sign it.

He also said the European Commission will be taking their case more directly to the citizens and to national parliaments in the future. Up to now they have had to go through governments.

Yesterday the commission adopted what Mr Barroso called a citizens’ agenda focusing on delivering things like reduced mobile phone roaming charges and improved cooperation in fighting cross-Border crime.

This has been inspired by the outcome of debates following last year’s rejection of the constitution’s by France and Holland.

Estonia this week became the 15th country to ratify the treaty, but any further movement on it seems certain to be delayed.

Early indications that the German presidency next year would push it were damped by remarks by the Chancellor Angela Merkel. The June summit is expected to consider the commission’s position and decide on the next steps.