Origins and Development

December 2000

Treaty of Nice, "Declaration on the Future of the Union" and call for a broad public debate

December 2001

European Council in Laeken, convening of the "Convention on the Future of Europe"

February 2002

The Convention begins its work

June/July 2003

The Convention presents the "Draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe"

October 2003

The intergovernmental conference to amend the treaties and adopt the draft treaty begins

December 2003

The Heads of State or Government meeting in Brussels are initially unable to reach agreement on a Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe

March 2004

The European Council decides to resume negotiations in the intergovernmental conference

June 2004

The Heads of State or Government agree the text of the " Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe"

October 2004

The Constitutional Treaty is signed at a ceremony in Rome

2005

The procedures to ratify the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe begin in the EU Member States

Current position

• Thirteen Member States have already concluded their ratification procedure:

Lithuania, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Greece, Spain, Austria, Latvia, Cyprus, Malta, Luxembourg, Belgium and Estonia

• Two Member States have concluded their ratification procedure. However, supreme court decisions on the legality of the procedure are still pending:

Slovakia and Germany

• Four Member States have already held a referendum on the Constitutional Treaty:

Spain (for), France (against), Netherlands (against) and Luxembourg (for)

• Eight Member States have not yet commenced their ratification procedure. A referendum is planned in six of them:

Ireland, United Kingdom, Portugal, Denmark, Poland, Czech Republic (all have planned to hold a referendum); Finland and Sweden (ratification in parliament)

The Constitutional Treaty stipulates 1 November 2006 as the date of its entry into force. This date is unrealistic in view of the current state of the ratification procedure.