| "I can help, miss! I speak European!" |
The 25 European Union leaders on Friday signed the EU's first constitution that aims to boost the union's presence on the world stage but will face a tough ratification test at the hands of European parliaments and voters before it can take effect. The fruit of 28 months of at times acrimonious debate between EU governments, the treaty must be approved by the national parliaments of the 25 EU nations. At least nine EU nations plan to put it to a referendum - the broadest public scrutiny of an EU treaty in the union's 47-year-history - starting with Spain on February 20. A single "no" will stop the constitution in its tracks. French President Jacques Chirac said the EU "needs a strong and independent commission capable of working as soon as possible on the problems that the European Union faces." |