92002E3902

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3902/02

by Mogens Camre (UEN) to the Commission

(14 January 2003)

Subject: Commission funding of production of an unofficial draft treaty

On 4 December 2002 the contribution of three Commissioners to a future draft treaty was published under the title: Feasibility Study Contribution to a preliminary draft Constitution of the European Union. It is clear from the working document that it was drawn up at the request of Commission President Romano Prodi in agreement with Commissioners Barnier and Vitorino. It is also stated that the document does not necessarily represent the Commission's views. Nonetheless, the document is printed on the Commission's official headed paper with the Commission logo the EU flag on the front page.

It would therefore be of great interest to the general public to be informed of the following: what did it cost for Commission President, Romano Prodi, to have a working party set up to draw up an unofficial draft treaty on his own behalf and on behalf of a couple of other Commissioners, who carried out this work and where is it entered in the Commission's accounts?

Joint answerto Written Questions E-3860/02, E-3902/02 and E-0034/03given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(17 March 2003)

At the request of Mr Prodi, President, in agreement with Mr Barnier and Mr Vitorino, a working party of Commission officials prepared a feasibility study entitled Contribution to a preliminary draft of a European Constitution. Mr Prodi informed the other members of the Commission of the existence of this working document but it was not discussed by the full Commission and it does not commit the Commission.

It is for each Member of the Commission who has responsibility for a specific area, and for the President where action by the Union is concerned, to ask Commission departments to draft preparatory documents, study papers, feasibility studies, etc. A Commission decision is not needed to launch such work, which is part of the normal activities of Commission departments, i.e. the preparation of decisions and the position to be adopted subsequently by the Commission. Mr Prodi in agreement with Mr Barnier and Mr Vitorino felt that a feasibility study on the European Constitution would help the Commission to adopt its position with regard to the Convention.

The names of the officials who prepared the feasibility study are listed on the first page of the study, which did not give rise to any costs other than Commission overheads.