“This is a landmark achievement in the process of European unification,” said the movement, adding that the more difficult challenge now follows.

“This requires all the member states to explain the content and implications of this Constitution to the citizens of Europe with the aim of securing its ratification. Sufficient means must be provided to make this crucial task effective,” said the movement.

The European Movement (Malta) said it expected the Maltese political parties to follow the political line of their respective political groupings within the European Parliament, namely the Party of European Socialists (PES), the European People’s Party (EPP) and the European Greens in supporting the ratification of this Constitution.

“This is an issue on which the Maltese political formations cannot divide. It is also a unique occasion in which the Maltese people as a whole can participate together in approving their European Constitution which is the next important step in the construction of Europe. The EU belongs to all its citizens,” said the movement.

Although the new European Constitution does not fully satisfy all aspirations it is a welcome improvement on the existing treaties and meets the predominant aspirations of most, said the movement. “It will lead in the construction of a European federation of nation-states. It has enough flexibility to allow states who wish to cooperate more closely under the provisions of “enhanced cooperation” to do so without dividing Europe again, said the movement.

It said such initiatives must remain open to all member states and must seek to include as many member states as possible. “In the case of initiatives falling under the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), the unanimous approval of all the member states is retained. The new Constitution meets the requirements of achieving unity while preserving national diversities,” said the movement.

The European Movement said it was also satisfied that a minimum threshold of six seats in the European Parliament had been established.

“As a result, Malta will have six seats in the European Parliament as from 2009 if the Constitution is ratified. This should help Malta make its representation count more in the European Parliament which has a crucial role in EU law-making,” said the movement. It also welcomed agreement on the new qualified majority voting.

The movement said that more important than this is the fact that the new Constitution recognised the special problems of small island states. This is a marked development on the EU treaties as they stand. This provision can be used by Malta to build up its case for differentiated treatment in some crucial policy areas such as the development of transport networks on the basis of its smallness, insularity, remoteness and peripheral situation.

The movement said that in respect to other institutional changes approved by the European Council, such as those affecting the size of the Commission after 2014, all member states are treated equally and Malta has not been discriminated against. “With regard to the financial resources which the EU must acquire for the purposes of its budget, it is important to note that the unanimity of all the member states will still be required and this right may be waived only by unanimity,” it said. The movement said the decision to postpone the nomination of the next President of the Commission was the right one in order to prevent progress from being blocked and to preclude the entanglement of this problem with other important issues such as the approval of the new Constitution.

The European Movement (Malta) also welcomed the acceptance of Croatia as a candidate country.