The proclamation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the Treaty of Lisbon make beautiful Christmas presents. And in Santa's stocking, a last little gift: a group to think about the future of Europe in the 2020-2030 timeframe. Is this worth celebrating? Yes. The EU has opted for perspective, giving these "wise men" a mandate to step back from everyday institutional questions and focus on the renewal of European integration. This can only be welcomed. And yet after the episode of a Convention open to public debate, the return to a sadly "classic" IGC - with its horsetrading between national interests, devoid of overarching perspective - and now this confinement of thinking on Europe's future to a few wise men, we are left with the feeling of going backwards.

Like a snail retreating into its shell, the EU's democratisation process has been frightened by the French and Dutch 'no's. But is this the right response? Or would a better one be to open wide the windows of deliberation, in order to bring much-needed fresh air to the European project in this 21st century? Notre Europe's work on the Convention method points clearly to this second option, reminding us of its merits and making proposals to rethink its functioning.