Paris and Berlin raise the stakes over failure to ratify constitution

The French and German Governments released on 13 May 2004 a joint declaration resurrecting the idea that the proposed European Union constitution could be adopted if 20 out of the 25 Member States agree. Britain disagrees with the proposal and it was felt by the EU's Irish Presidency to be unhelpful. The latter published updated texts on the draft constitution on 13 May 2004, outlining the outstanding issues to be resolved before the European Council on 17-18 June 2004.