Citizens' charter to be drafted

A millennium declaration on the fundamental rights of EU citizens is to be drafted by a new 62-member body representing member-states, the Commission, MEPs and national parliaments, the leaders agreed.

The declaration, mooted first in Vienna, is seen as an important means of rebuilding the confidence of citizens in the EU, although the precise legal status it will have is still not clear. If the charter proposes to enumerate new rights, currently not available through the treaty, it will require treaty amendments, although most member-states have indicated that they do not really want to have to ratify new treaty changes.

Some warn, however, that if the charter merely expresses existing rights, it will be seen as a PR exercise. It is also not clear whether the charter will include social rights, and how rights will be legally enforceable.

Asked about the scope of the charter and its standing, the Finnish Prime Minister and President of the Council, Mr Paavo Lipponen, said that "it will be a political declaration but could lead to treaty changes eventually. Mainly it will be more like codification, but the working group will set its own goals. We should leave it to the working group to come up with its own ideas." The drafting body will include 15 representatives of member-states, one of the Commission, 16 MEPs, and 30 members of national parliaments.