Barroso eases German constitution burden

European Commission President José Manuel Barroso warned against expecting Germany’s presidency of the Council of Ministers on 2007 to make substantial progress on renegotiating the EU constitution.

Speaking in Berlin yesterday (11 October) after attending a cabinet meeting of the German government, Barroso said: "It wouldn’t be fair to put all the burden on Germany’s shoulders." German Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged to draw up a timetable for resurrecting the constitution by the end of the presidency and said that a new set of treaty reforms should be agreed by 2009. Merkel said that Germany’s priorities would include relations with Russia and Turkey, energy and agreeing on a declaration to mark the 50th anniversary of the EU.

European Commission President José Manuel Barroso warned against expecting Germany’s presidency of the Council of Ministers on 2007 to make substantial progress on renegotiating the EU constitution.

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