BRUSSELS (AFX) - Austrian chancellor Wolfang Schuessel, whose country holds the six-month EU presidency, said the bloc's leaders will tomorrow back a proposal to delay a decision on the sidelined constitution for another two years.
'I have a text here. It will be formally approved tomorrow,' Schuessel said at the end of the first working session of the two-day EU summit here.
According to the draft summit conclusions, leaders want to stave off an agreement on the future of the constitution until the second half of 2008.
'After last year's period of reflection, work should now focus on delivery of concrete results and implementation of projects,' the draft text said.
Leaders are seeking to adopt by March 25 next year -- under the EU's German presidency -- a political declaration pledging to enforce Europe's values and ambitions
The draft text said leaders will in June 2007 examine a report on the way forward following last year's rejection of the constitution by French and Dutch voters.
'The outcome of this examination will serve as the basis for further decisions on how to continue the reform process, it being understood that the necessary steps to that effect will have been taken during the second semester of 2008 at the latest,' it said.
European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso welcomed the outcome of this evening's debate, saying leaders agreed that 'we should now move from a period of reflection to a period of delivery'. afxbrussels@afxnews.com vm COPYRIGHT Copyright AFX News Limited 2005. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of AFX News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of AFX News. AFX News and AFX Financial News Logo are registered trademarks of AFX News Limited