John Attard-Montalto (PSE), in writing. – The last two years relating to the Treaty reform process have not been wasted. The following five steps have been identified and implementation initiated:

1. Following the mandate in June 2006, the German Presidency drew up a report.

2. The European Council agreed to convene an Intergovernmental Conference.

3. As the baton of the Council Presidency is passed to the Portuguese it has now become their priority to draw up a draft Treaty.

4. The IGC is expected to complete its work before the end of this year.

5. Ratification is expected to take place before the European elections in 2009.

In reality, what is happening is a more cautious approach: the constitutional aspect of the treaty has been restructured so as to appease the anti-constitutionality. On the other hand, substantial innovations originally proposed in the Constitutional Treaty have survived; the fact that the EU will have a legal personality being the most important of all.