The Constitutional Agreement -- A Model for the European Union?

The goal of the EU Reform Convention since Feb 2002 was to prepare the next governmental conference, whose central questions revolved around the jurisdiction of the EU & the member states, & the simplification of the basic agreement of the EU, which could then lead to a constitutional text. These goals encompass many basic legal issues that require resolution, including the constitutional capabilities of the EU, the governmental quality, & the sovereignty of the member states. The current basis of the EU is an agreement, not a constitution. As no one is prepared to speak of a European super-state, these issues are discussed & evaluated with respect to the possibilities for establishing a constitutional agreement, which can lead to the development of a European identity. The greatest advantage of such an agreement for the EU may be to offer an opportunity to establish a union in which neither the union nor the members are subordinate, thereby leaving the question of sovereignty open. L. Kehl