Director General of the Legal Service, Council of the European Union.

• Introduction; 1. Is the Constitution for Europe 'dead and buried'?; 2. The process that led to the Constitution; 3. Changes in structures and procedures; 4. Changes in the institutions; 5. Changes in substance; 6. General assessment; Conclusion: What will the final form of the Union be?; Annex 1 - Laeken Declaration on the Future of the European Union; Annex 2 - Existing legal bases switched to ordinary legislative procedure (codecision); Annex 3 - Existing legal bases switched to qualified majority voting in the Council; Annex 4 - New legal bases; Annex 5 - Existing legal bases where unanimity, common accord or consensus will continue to apply; Annex 6 - Table of equivalences between the provisions of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe and the provisions of the EU and EC Treaties; Annex 7 - List of 'passerelles' and provisions on a simplified revision procedure.

'Whatever its ultimate political destiny, the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe is destined to remain a fundamental text. Piris has managed the impossible: a commentary written with the authority (and passion) of a key insider who has 'been there, done that' and yet displaying critical objective insights more habitually found in the detached observer.' Joseph H. H. Weiler, Director, Global Law School Program, NYU School of Law