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Question: Mr Fischer, congratulations on the European Constitution. Isn’t it a pity that it Probably won’t ever enter into force?
Answer: I don’t understand these gloomy forecasts. I am sure it will enter into force. This Constitution is a great achievement for all the 28 states involved, especially when you consider that the EU of 15 didn’t succeed in Nice. Now the Constitution must be ratified, That will cause some agitation, but eventually it will enter into force.
Question: How can you be so sure in view of the Euroscepticism revealed in the elections?
Answer: EU enlargement and its Constitution go hand in hand. And you cannot arrest the course of history. Now it is down to everyone to promote this view in their own country. The Constitution has solved problems that had remained unsolved for a decade. The Parliament has been strengthened considerably. And decision-making within the EU will become simple and transparent.
Question: Critics see things differently.
Answer: Admittedly, the voting procedures in the European Council have become a little more elaborate. But in practice this is irrelevant. The point is that decisions can be taken more easily. The EU’s relationship to the member states is clearly regulated; the national parliaments play a major role. We have a European Foreign Minister and a permanent Council President. And the role of the Commission President has been defined.
Question: Why has the Constitution not been made readable, as promised?
Answer: Have you ever mad the Tax Articles in the Basic Law? The main thing is that the responsibilities and procedures are clear. And it doesn’t just concern institutions. The Constitution defines fundamental rights. That is extremely significant-consider its relevance for the threat of terrorism, for example. Any increase in European influence on issues of internal security must be anchored in the definition of fundamental rights. That has been achieved.
Question: And that is enough to dispel the distant attitude many citizens have towards Europe?
Answer: The idea that people are hostile towards Europe is wrong. People are well aware of the extent to which their wealth, jobs and security depend on Europe. Admittedly, Europe is still a largely anonymous entity. In the European elections the mainstream parties made a mistake by not fielding well-known, influential candidates with whom people can identify. The Greens did just that. And the results speak for themselves.
Question: If the EU Parliament elected the Commission President from its own ranks, the elections would be more attractive.
Answer: I oppose that idea. The EU is the Europe of the citizens and of the member states. This dual nature will be preserved for a long time. You cannot ignore the naturally evolved national identifies and their expression in the individual nation states.
Question: Will it be possible to win citizens for Europe by holding referenda on the Constitution, as planned in Britain and Poland?
Answer: I can only cite Pat Cox, the President of the European Parliament. He says that the Irish referenda on the Nice Treaty focused on all kinds of issues across the whole spectrum of Irish domestic policy, but neglected the Treaty. To avoid a similar problem in a referendum on the Constitution the question would have to be entirety clear. "Yes" means continuing and keeping this Constitution. "No" means leaving the EU.
Question: What would happen if the Constitution were to be defeated by referenda?
Answer: I won’t speculate on that As Foreign Minister I have high expectations. And beware of overdramatizing. Some things need time to mature.
Question: Even if the Constitution comes into force, it doesn’t mean that everyone in the EU will move forward with the same enthusiasm.
Awwer: The Constitution allows for different speeds within the EU. The important thing is that all those who are willing and able to act in a particular policy field are permitted to do so. There is no obligation for those who me not interested- but they must not stand in the way of the others.
Question: Are we witnessing the emergence of a patchwork Europe?
Answer: No. The vast majority will always be involved. That is why the term "core Europe" no longer applies. You cannot describe large majorities as a core.