December 15, 2001 (Government House winter and beginning of the month), the 15 heads of state of the EU summit unanimously adopted the Laeken Declaration.

2001 the evening of December 15, the two-day EU summit in Laeken Palace, Brussels, Belgium, on the outskirts of the end. The most important results achieved in this summit, held for the "future of Europe", the EU decided to set up a preparatory constitutional committee for future EU reform brewing program. In addition, the conference on European defense, EU enlargement, the situation in the Middle East and Afghanistan, peacekeeping operations and other issues make a decision.
on defense issues in the European Union, Summit announced that the EU rapid reaction force has the ability to take action now. Due to Greek objections, the European Union can not automatically use NATO resources. The meeting also failed to solve this problem.
on EU enlargement (? v history today?? the com) Summit announced Cyprus (history TodayOnHistory.com) Estonia, (on TodayOnHistory.com), Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, (history the TodayOnHistory.com) Malta (history TodayOnHistory.com), Poland, Slovakia, (l $ j��.c��) Czech Republic and Slovenia, the 10 candidate countries has basically reached the standards of the EU accession. They are expected before the end of 2002 to the end of the negotiations with the EU, and is expected to formally join the EU in 2004.
EU summit also decided that the EU will be based on the relevant resolutions of the United Nations to participate in the implementation of peacekeeping operations authorized by the United Nations in Afghanistan, the international peacekeeping force. Since January 1, 2002, Spain will assume the EU's rotating presidency. (L $ dj��.c��m)
the 15 EU heads of state on the 15th unanimously adopted the Laeken Declaration, announced the creation of a fully representative preparatory constitutional committee, thus opening the curtain of the reform of the EU's deep-seated.
Declaration, the European citizens called on EU leaders mechanism more honest, open, efficient and democratic. This mechanism enables the European society and create more job opportunities, higher quality of life, low crime rate, good education and health care system. To achieve this bright future, Europe is facing three major challenges: how to make citizens more recognition to the ideals and institutions in Europe, and how to adapt to the enlargement of the EU, the European political and how to make the European Union to become stable in the new multipolar world Factors and a mode. To do this, you need to reform the system privileges between the EU institutions and member states need to streamline the operational procedures of the EU institutions, the EU to become a more democratic, transparent and efficient overall, need to develop a constitution for Europe's citizens.
Declaration, the EU now has four treaties, the EU's objectives, powers and policies and regulations are all included in these treaties. Europe wants to further development, it is necessary to simplify treaty. But to develop a what the Constitution relates to the future of Europe, and the need to initiate a discussion of a Europe-wide. Therefore, as far as possible so that the next time the EU Intergovernmental Conference to start development of a constitution, the EU leaders decided to set up a preparatory constitutional committee, organized by the Committee on the discussion of the EU's future, the proposed development of a constitution for the EU decision-making rationalization proposals. (L $ dj��.��r��)
EU leaders decided for the Constituent Assembly, Chairman of the Organising Committee of the appointment of former French President d'Estaing, the former Italian Prime Minister Giuliano Amato and former Belgian Prime Minister Dehaene as Vice-Chairman, the three of them In addition, nine representatives of the Bureau, the leading work of the Preparatory Committee. Preparatory Committee composed of representatives of the member governments and parliaments, as well as representatives of the European Commission and the European Parliament. EU candidate countries will also be required to elect their representatives participating in the Preparatory Committee meeting.