Prodi throws weight behind EU constitution

Italian prime minister Romano Prodi has underscored his commitment to reviving the EU constitution.

Italy has a close identification with the constitution, which was set to be the 2004 Treaty of Rome until French voters rejected the text on May 29 2005.

Speaking after a meeting with European commission president José Manuel Barroso on Monday, “il professore” was optimistic the EU will succeed in reviving the text.

“The EU needs a constitution… and it is achievable,” he said. “We cannot risk a second no, we have to reflect, discuss and prepare a new text.”

The former commission president said choosing Brussels as his first overseas trip since taking office showed how seriously Rome takes its EU role. 

“Today is the day of the rebirth of Italy’s pro-Europe policy,” he declared. “I came here to underline the importance of the EU to Italy.”

Barroso was hopeful his predecessor in the top EU job would prove to be a steadfast ally through the difficult times ahead.

“Prodi once drove the commission thorough enlargement and the creation of the euro,” Barosso said.

“I am confident he will be reliable and helpful on enlargement and the re-launch of the constitution.”

Questions over Italy’s burgeoning public debt were strictly off limits on Monday - despite increasing calls for Rome to prove it is returning public finances to a sound footing.

Rome has been told by EU finance ministers to get its deficit below the stability and growth pact limit of three per cent of GDP by 2007.

“We did not talk about public debt today,” Prodi insisted.

Barosso said the first formal meeting with Italy’s newly elected premier was used to focus solely on wider European issues.

“It was important to set a concrete vision for Europe,” he explained. “It is not that economic questions are not important but we concentrated on advancing Europe today.”

Prodi also met Italian EU justice commissioner Franco Frattini and EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

He was also scheduled to hold talks with Luxembourg premier Jean Claude Junker and Belgian prime minister, Guy Verhofstad.

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