"Britain and other members of "new Europe" are planning to challenge Jacques Chirac to declare whether the EU constitution is dead or alive after the emphatic French no in Sunday's referendum." 5-05
"The veto reflects concern that the Netherlands, the biggest donor to the EU's budget on a per capita basis, is losing sovereignty and influence in the enlarged 25-member bloc, Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said. The rejection will probably kill the treaty, which requires the assent of all EU members to take effect. The euro dropped below $1.22 for the first time since September." 6-05