Threat to expel Eurosceptics fails

A threat to expel any country that fails to ratify the EU's new constitution has been seen off, ending the prospect that Eurosceptic nations such as Britain might be forced out.

Proposed texts produced by the former French president Valéry Giscard d'Estaing also make it clear that nations which want to leave the EU voluntarily will be able to do so, although they will have to negotiate the terms of their departure. The details were disclosed as it was confirmed that the convention of 105 politicians drawing up the constitution will finish the bulk of its work by the end of June.

M. Giscard had argued for more time but now accepts that the timetable he has set should be achievable. That means the document will be handed to heads of government at a summit on 30 June. National leaders will take the final decisions and expect to agree the constitution by March next year at the latest.

The threat to exclude countries that do not ratify the treaty was backed both by federalists, anxious to shed less integrationist countries, and by Eurosceptics who saw an opportunity to create an outer tier of states committed to a looser trade arrangement. But a protocol made public yesterday says only that if two years after the constitution is signed, four-fifths of the countries have ratified but one or more has not, the issue will be referred to EU leaders. That means the constitution would not come into force until all countries have ratified it.

If a nation signs the constitution and then wants to quit the EU it will have the right to do so. However, the terms of its withdrawal will have to be negotiated within a two-year timescale and other EU countries will have to agree by a qualified majority to the details.

These clauses were attacked by the Eurosceptic Democracy Forum group, which argued that member states which wish to leave will be forced to wait for up to two years while the terms are decided by others.

Peter Hain, the cabinet minister representing Britain, welcomed the plans. Mr Hain was non-committal about whether the constitution can be agreed by this year, or whether the process will spill over into the Irish presidency in the first half of 2004.