PART I
TITLE I - DEFINITION AND OBJECTIVES OF THE UNION
ARTICLE I-1
Establishment of the Union
1. Reflecting the will of the citizens and States of Europe to build a common
future, this Constitution establishes the European Union, on which the Member
States confer competences to attain objectives they have in common. The Union
shall coordinate the policies by which the Member States aim to achieve these
objectives, and shall exercise on a Community basis the competences they confer
on it.
2. The Union shall be open to all European States which respect its values and
are committed to promoting them together.
ARTICLE I-2
The Union's values
The Union is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy,
equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights
of persons belonging to minorities. These values are common to the Member States
in a society in which pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, justice, solidarity
and equality between women and men prevail.
ARTICLE I-3
The Union's objectives
1. The Union's aim is to promote peace, its values and the well-being of its
peoples.
2. The Union shall offer its citizens an area of freedom, security and justice
without internal frontiers, and an internal market where competition is free
and undistorted.
3. The Union shall work for the sustainable development of Europe based on balanced
economic growth and price stability, a highly competitive social market economy,
aiming at full employment and social progress, and a high level of protection
and improvement of the quality of the environment. It shall promote scientific
and technological advance.
It shall combat social exclusion and discrimination, and shall promote social justice and protection, equality between women and men, solidarity between generations and protection of the rights of the child.
It shall promote economic, social and territorial cohesion, and solidarity among Member States.
It shall respect its rich cultural and linguistic diversity, and shall ensure that Europe's cultural heritage is safeguarded and enhanced.
4. In its relations with the wider world, the Union shall uphold and promote its values and interests. It shall contribute to peace, security, the sustainable development of the Earth, solidarity and mutual respect among peoples, free and fair trade, eradication of poverty and the protection of human rights, in particular the rights of the child, as well as to the strict observance and the development of international law, including respect for the principles of the United Nations Charter.
5. The Union shall pursue its objectives by appropriate means commensurate with
the competences which are conferred upon it in the Constitution.
ARTICLE I-4
Fundamental freedoms and non-discrimination
1. The free movement of persons, services, goods and capital, and freedom of establishment shall be guaranteed within and by the Union, in accordance with the Constitution.
2. Within the scope of the Constitution, and without prejudice to any of its
specific provisions, any discrimination on grounds of nationality shall be prohibited.
ARTICLE I-5
Relations between the Union and the Member States
1. The Union shall respect the equality of Member States before the Constitution
as well as their national identities, inherent in their fundamental structures,
political and constitutional, inclusive of regional and local self-government.
It shall respect their essential State functions, including ensuring the territorial
integrity of the State, maintaining law and order and safeguarding national
security.
2. Pursuant to the principle of sincere cooperation, the Union and the Member
States shall, in full mutual respect, assist each other in carrying out tasks
which flow from the Constitution.
The Member States shall take any appropriate measure, general or particular,
to ensure fulfilment of the obligations arising out of the Constitution or resulting
from the acts of the institutions of the Union.
The Member States shall facilitate the achievement of the Union's tasks and refrain from any measure which could jeopardise the attainment of the Union's objectives.
ARTICLE I-6
Union law
The Constitution and law adopted by the institutions of the Union in exercising
competences conferred on it shall have primacy over the law of the Member States.
ARTICLE I-7
Legal personality
The Union shall have legal personality.
ARTICLE I-8
The symbols of the Union
The flag of the Union shall be a circle of twelve golden stars on a blue background.
The anthem of the Union shall be based on the "Ode to Joy" from the Ninth Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven.
The motto of the Union shall be: "United in diversity".
The currency of the Union shall be the euro.
Europe day shall be celebrated on 9 May throughout the Union.