How should the EU constitution in an enlarged community safeguard micro island states?

Abstract

Before considering this question in more detail some preliminary observations have to be made in order to place it in context. First, small states, micro-states and island states are not new phenomena as far as the membership of the European Union (hereafter referred to as "the EU") is concerned. What is significant at this stage in the development of the EU is that the majority of candidate countries (except Poland and Turkey) seeking membership of the EU are small states and include micro states such as Malta and Cyprus which are also islands. Furthermore, a Convention on the Future of the European Union has been set up to consider, inter alia, constitutional issues pertinent to a EU consisting of twenty-seven or more member states.