EU getting another year on constitution

AP Wire

"EU getting another year on constitution
ROBERT WIELAARD
Associated Press

VIENNA, Austria - The European Union agreed Saturday to give itself another year to sort out the impasse over its troubled constitution and build confidence in the bloc's plans for further expansion.

EU leaders have spent the last 12 months in a self-imposed 'period of reflection' after French and Dutch voters overwhelmingly rejected the constitution in referendums a year ago.

Dutch Foreign Minister Ben Bot said the EU envoys meeting in Vienna agreed that although Europeans remain positive about the grouping, 'we need to extend the reflection period' by another year to settle doubts about the charter and the future of the bloc."