EU constitution date set

The European Union’s first constitution will be signed by EU leaders on October 29 in Rome, officials said in Brussels today.

Dutch Foreign Minister Ben Bot, whose country holds the EU presidency, said an EU foreign ministers’ meeting decided the charter will be signed in the Italian capital, where the original treaty establishing the Union’s forerunner, the European Economic Community, was signed in 1957.

Leaders agreed on the draft text at a summit last month. Following the signing, a difficult two-year ratification process begins.

Before it comes into effect, all 25 EU countries must ratify the document, either by parliamentary vote or referendum.

The constitution aims to make decision-making in the recently expanded EU easier. It also foresees the creation of an EU president and an EU foreign minister.