Preamble
HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF THE BELGIANS, THE PRESIDENT OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC,
HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF DENMARK, THE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF
GERMANY, THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ESTONIA, THE PRESIDENT OF THE HELLENIC
REPUBLIC, HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF SPAIN, THE PRESIDENT OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC,
THE PRESIDENT OF IRELAND, THE PRESIDENT OF THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC, THE PRESIDENT
OF THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS, THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF LATVIA, THE PRESIDENT
OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA, HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE GRAND DUKE OF LUXEMBOURG,
THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF HUNGARY, THE PRESIDENT OF MALTA, HER MAJESTY
THE QUEEN OF THE NETHERLANDS, THE FEDERAL PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF AUSTRIA,
THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF POLAND, THE PRESIDENT OF THE PORTUGUESE REPUBLIC,
THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA, THE PRESIDENT OF THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC,
THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF FINLAND, THE GOVERNMENT OF THE KINGDOM OF
SWEDEN, HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN
IRELAND,
DRAWING INSPIRATION from the cultural, religious and humanist inheritance
of Europe, from which have developed the universal values of the inviolable
and inalienable rights of the human person, freedom, democracy, equality and
the rule of law,
BELIEVING that Europe, reunited after bitter experiences, intends to continue
along the path of civilisation, progress and prosperity, for the good of all
its inhabitants, including the weakest and most deprived; that it wishes to
remain a continent open to culture, learning and social progress; and that
it wishes to deepen the democratic and transparent nature of its public life,
and to strive for peace, justice and solidarity throughout the world,
CONVINCED that, while remaining proud of their own national identities and
history, the peoples of Europe are determined to transcend their former divisions
and, united ever more closely, to forge a common destiny,
CONVINCED that, thus ‘United in diversity’, Europe offers them
the best chance of pursuing, with due regard for the rights of each individual
and in awareness of their responsibilities towards future generations and
the Earth, the great venture which makes of it a special area of human hope,
DETERMINED to continue the work accomplished within the framework of the Treaties
establishing the European Communities and the Treaty on European Union, by
ensuring the continuity of the Community acquis,
GRATEFUL to the members of the European Convention for having prepared the
draft of this Constitution on behalf of the citizens and States of Europe,
HAVE DESIGNATED AS THEIR PLENIPOTENTIARIES:
HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF THE BELGIANS, Guy VERHOFSTADT Prime Minister Karel
DE GUCHT Minister for Foreign Affairs
THE PRESIDENT OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC, Stanislav GROSS Prime Minister Cyril
SVOBODA Minister for Foreign Affairs
HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF DENMARK, Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN Prime Minister Per
Stig MØLLER Minister for Foreign Affairs
THE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY, Gerhard SCHRÖDER Federal
Chancellor Joseph FISCHER Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs and Deputy
Federal Chancellor
THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ESTONIA, Juhan PARTS Prime Minister Kristiina
OJULAND Minister for Foreign Affairs
THE PRESIDENT OF THE HELLENIC REPUBLIC, Kostas KARAMANLIS Prime Minister Petros
G. MOLYVIATIS Minister of Foreign Affairs
HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF SPAIN, José Luis RODRÍGUEZ ZAPATERO
President of the Government Miguel Angel MORATINOS CUYAUBÉ Minister
for External Affairs and Cooperation
THE PRESIDENT OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC, Jacques CHIRAC President Jean-Pierre
RAFFARIN Prime Minister Michel BARNIER Minister for Foreign Affairs
THE PRESIDENT OF IRELAND, Bertie AHERN Taoiseach Dermot AHERN Minister for
Foreign Affairs
THE PRESIDENT OF THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC, Silvio BERLUSCONI Prime Minister Franco
FRATTINI Minister for Foreign Affairs
THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS, Tassos PAPADOPOULOS President George
IACOVOU Minister for Foreign Affairs
THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF LATVIA, Vaira VI¯K¸E FREIBERGA
President Indulis EMSIS Prime Minister Artis PABRIKS Minister for Foreign
Affairs
THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA, Valdas ADAMKUS President Algirdas
Mykolas BRAZAUSKAS Prime Minister Antanas VALIONIS Minister of Foreign Affairs
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE GRAND DUKE OF LUXEMBOURG, Jean-Claude JUNCKER Prime
Minister, Ministre d'Etat Jean ASSELBORN Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for
Foreign Affairs and Immigration
THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF HUNGARY, Ferenc GYURCSÁNY Prime Minister
László KOVÁCS Minister for Foreign Affairs
THE PRESIDENT OF MALTA, The Hon Lawrence GONZI Prime Minister The Hon Michael
FRENDO Minister for Foreign Affairs
HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF THE NETHERLANDS, Dr. J. P. BALKENENDE Prime Minister
Dr. B. R. BOT Minister for Foreign Affairs
THE FEDERAL PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF AUSTRIA, Dr. Wolfgang SCHÜSSEL
Federal Chancellor Dr. Ursula PLASSNIK Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs
THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF POLAND, Marek BELKA Prime Minister W?odzimierz
CIMOSZEWICZ Minister for Foreign Affairs
THE PRESIDENT OF THE PORTUGUESE REPUBLIC, Pedro Miguel DE SANTANA LOPES Prime
Minister António Victor MARTINS MONTEIRO Minister for Foreign Affairs
and the Portuguese Communities
THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA, Anton ROP President of the Government
Ivo VAJGL Minister for Foreign Affairs
THE PRESIDENT OF THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC, Mikulás¯ DZURINDA Prime Minister
Eduard KUKAN Minister for Foreign Affairs
THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF FINLAND, Matti VANHANEN Prime Minister Erkki
TUOMIOJA Minister for Foreign Affairs
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE KINGDOM OF SWEDEN, Göran PERSSON Prime Minister
Laila FREIVALDS Minister for Foreign Affairs
HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN
IRELAND, The Rt. Hon Tony BLAIR Prime Minister The Rt. Hon Jack STRAW Secretary
of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
WHO, having exchanged their full powers, found in good and due form, have
agreed as follows: