BERLIN, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel said here on Thursday that Germany would try to revive the shelved European Union constitution when it assumed the bloc's rotating presidency in January.

    "We need the constitution to ensure that the European Union continues to function," she told the German parliament in a speechon Europe policy.

    In the first half of next year, Germany would try to win over askeptical public with new suggestions to reactivate the treaty, which was rejected in French and Dutch referenda last year, she said.

    She also warned that hasty action could result in fresh setbacks for the hard-forged charter.

    She called for a new era in the EU in which the people of Europe should be the focus of attention, saying it was important to remove the citizens' skepticism of the European Union.

    On EU expansion, Merkel reaffirmed that not every country whichwanted to become a new member of the 25-nation block should be granted membership.

    "Of course, Bulgaria and Croatia will become EU members," Merkel said, but the EU Commission should point out the deficits they have in meeting membership requirements.

    She urged that the EU should make it clear that entry talks were not a one-way street and there should be no more deals of multiple countries being received as members together just becausetheir entry talks started at the same time. Enditem