EU constitution gets sent into space

Europe’s proposed new constitution is about to be launched - into space.

A copy of the controversial document is being despatched to the International Space Station.

Eurosceptics opposing its contents are likely to demand that every other copy gets the same treatment, and the prospect of jokes at the constitution’s expense has not been lost on Commission Vice-President Gunter Verheugen.

He reassured supporters that the intention was to bring the constitution back, once it has circled the world.

Today the Commissioner handed over a copy to the European Astronaut Corps at a ceremony in Brussels marking the opening of “Earth and Space Week”.

Italian astronaut Roberto Vittori will travel with the Constitution aboard the “Soyuz” launcher taking off from Kazakhstan on April 15.

Mr Verheugen said sending the document into the stratosphere symbolised the aspiration of almost 500 million Europeans in 25 EU countries to work peacefully together.

Earth and Space Week is a joint Commission and European Space Agency initiative designed to emphasise how space can be used as a “strategic asset” to improve the quality of life on earth.