The Assembly of European Regions (AER) has published a guide “The European Constitution: Your Questions Answered” which aims at increasing awareness and understanding of the Constitutional Treaty and its implications for the citizens.

“The main hurdle to ratification is the lack of information available to citizens about the contents of the Constitutional Treaty and its practical implications for the lives of Europe’s citizens. This guide forms part of a wider information campaign on the Constitution, through which the AER will promote a greater comprehension of the Treaty amongst the citizens and thereby contribute to the creation of a European Union that is more accessible and transparent for all of its citizens” underlined Riccardo Illy, President of the AER and President of Friuli Venezia Giulia-I. “The regions have a key role to play in ensuring that the citizens are provided with information that can enable them to make an informed decision in the referenda that will be held in many EU Member States” he added.

The guide provides straightforward answers to the main questions that citizens may ask, such as: What is the European Constitution? Why does Europe need a Constitution? How am I better off under the Constitution than the current system? What happens if my country does not ratify the Constitution? Does the Constitution give more power to the European institutions? Does the Constitution create a European ‘superstate’? It can be used to prepare public debates at local and regional level.

The AER, who played an active role in the European Constitution drafting process, strongly encourages its member regions to commit themselves to the campaign in support of the Constitution, which improves the European framework for the regions and their citizens.

A guide “The European Constitution: Your Questions Answered” as well as two posters, which present the main steps forward in the EU Constitution for the regions and the citizens, are available on the AER web site.

For more information: [email protected]