European Convention
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/* The Laeken Declaration */
== The first European Convention ==
The first '''European Convention''', presided by [[Roman Herzog]], worked from December 1999 till October 2000 on the [[Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union|Charter of Fundamental Rights]] of the [[European Union]].
== Convention on the Future of Europe ==
[[Image:European constitution versions.jpg|thumb|right|Versions of the ''Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe'' in the English language, published by the European Union for the general public. From left to right: the draft by the European Convention; the full [[Intergovernmental Conference]] version (text as signed by plenipotentiaries to be ratified) with the protocols and annexes; the abridged version with the European Parliament's resolution of endorsement, but without the protocols and annexes, for visitors to the [[European Parliament]]. Versions in other European languages were also published.]]
The '''European Convention''', sometimes known as the '''Convention on the Future of Europe''', was a body established by the [[European Council]] in December [[2001]] as a result of the [[List of European Councils#Laeken 2001|Laeken Declaration]]. Its purpose was to produce a draft [[constitution]] for the [[European Union]] for the Council to finalise and adopt. The Convention finished its work in July [[2003]] with their [[Draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe]]. See [[History of the European Constitution]] for developments after this point.
===Origins at Nice===
The Convention has its origins in the [[Nice European Council]] held in December [[2000]]. This summit sought agreement on a process of revising the existing treaties on which the European Union was founded, as a prelude to [[Enlargement of the European Union|enlargement]]. A consensus emerged about the need to begin a "broader and deeper debate" on the future of the EU, and consequently the Council adopted a declaration on the future of the union annexed to the [[Treaty of Nice]]. The process was intended to commence with a phase of open debate before the European Council met in [[Laeken]] the following year, when a better idea of what was required would have emerged.
The declaration adopted at Nice set out four main themes to be addressed:
* How to achieve a more precise delimitation of powers between the European Union and its member states, in accordance with the principle of [[subsidiarity]].
* The status of the [[Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union|Charter of Fundamental Rights]] proclaimed at Nice.
* How to simplify the existing [[EU treaties|treaties]] in order to clarify their meaning.
* The role of [[national parliaments in the European Union]].
===The Laeken Declaration===
[[Image:Valéry Giscard d’Estaing 1978.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, President of the [[European Convention]]]]
In December [[2001]], when the European Council met in Laeken, a fresh declaration was adopted committing the EU to greater [[democracy]], [[Transparency (humanities)|transparency]] and efficiency, and setting out the process by which a [[constitution]] could be arrived at. This was to be achieved by a convention, which was intended to comprise the main 'stakeholders', in order to examine questions about the future direction of the EU. It was to produce a "final document", which soon became the draft constitution, to be handed over to the [[Intergovernmental Conference]], scheduled for [[2004]], which would finalise a new treaty.
===Work of the Convention===
The European Convention was established with 105 members, chaired by former [[France|French]] president [[Valéry Giscard d'Estaing]]. Its members were drawn from the national parliaments of member states and candidate countries, the [[European Parliament]], the [[European Commission]], and representatives of [[head of state|heads of state]] and [[head of government|government]]. The Convention met for the first time in February [[2002]], and met thereafter in [[plenary session]] once or twice per month. It deliberated in public in the European Parliament building in Brussels.
==See also==
* [[Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union]]
* [[Constitutional convention (political meeting)]]
* [[Draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe]]
* [[Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe]]
* [[History of the European Constitution]]
* [[List of national parliaments of the member states of the European Union]]
==External links==
==== Convention on the Future of Europe ====
* [http://european-convention.eu.int/bienvenue.asp?lang=EN European Convention] (official website, no longer updated)
* [http://www.european-referendum.org/story.html European Citizens' Initiative – A rollercoaster ride towards democracy]
* [http://democracy-international.org/new-convention.html New Convention on the future of Europe], website, [http://democracy-international.org democracy-international.org], calling for a new Convention following the rejection of the [[Draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe]] in France and the Netherlands.
{{European Constitution}}
[[Category:European Constitution|Convention, European]][[Category:Conventions]]
[[Category:Constitutional conventions]]
[[Category:Diplomatic conferences]]
[[cs:Konvent o budoucnosti Evropy]]
[[de:Europäischer Konvent]]
[[es:Convención Europea]]
[[eo:Eŭropa Konvencio]]
[[fr:Convention sur l'avenir de l'Europe]]
[[ia:Convention Europee]]
[[it:Convenzione europea]]
[[hu:Európai Konvent]]
[[nl:Conventie over de Toekomst van Europa]]
[[pl:Konwent Unii Europejskiej]]
[[sk:Európsky konvent]]
[[sv:Europeiska konventet]]
[[uk:Європейський Конвент]]
[[vec:Convenzsion Eoropea]]