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East-west climate row at EU talks EU push for climate funding unity
(about 13 hours later)
EU leaders have begun a summit in Brussels deeply divided over how much money to offer developing nations to cope with climate change. EU leaders are trying to break an impasse over funding to help poor countries combat global warming on the last day of their Brussels summit.
Polish Finance Minister Jacek Rostowski told the BBC Eastern European nations were prepared to block a deal unless richer countries paid their fair share. Sweden's prime minister called on EU leaders to set a fixed sum, paving the way for other rich donors like the US and Japan to make similar pledges.
Swedish PM Fredrik Reinfeldt, who is chairing the two-day meeting, said the EU's credibility was at stake. But a coalition of nine poorer European nations has threatened to block a deal unless richer EU countries pay more.
Leaders later agreed a deal designed to win Czech backing of the Lisbon Treaty. Earlier leaders agreed a deal to secure the ratification of the Lisbon treaty.
The Czechs were granted an opt-out from the EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights, similar to the one already granted to the UK and Poland. The Czechs were granted an opt-out from the EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights, similar to that of the UK and Poland.
The deal should secure the signature of Czech President Vaclav Klaus - almost the final hurdle which lies in the path of the treaty's ratification by all member states. The Czechs are the only one of the 27 EU nations not to have ratified the treaty, which aims to streamline decision-making and bolster the bloc's role on the world stage.
Jose Manuel Barroso: "Tonight we have removed the last political hurdle" EU leaders also moved no closer to agreement on a prospective president of the European Council, with former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair's chances of securing the role receding.
The BBC's Oana Lungescu in Brussels said Mr Klaus - an ardent Eurosceptic - had feared that the charter would allow thousands of ethnic Germans who were expelled from Czechoslovakia after World War Two to reclaim their lands. Climate wrangle
The treaty is designed to streamline the way the bloc operates, but its path to ratification has been lengthy and controversial. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Friday that EU leaders had reached consensus on what to offer other countries at December's UN climate conference in Copenhagen.
Even after the Brussels deal, one possible hurdle to ratification remains: the Czech Constitutional Court is expected to rule next week on whether the treaty complies with the country's constitution. "Europe is making three conditional offers, money on the table, saying we will do everything we can to make a climate change deal happen," he said on Friday.
Internal rift
EU SUMMIT AGENDA Thursday pm: Climate changeThursday dinner: Lisbon TreatyFriday: Conclusions, including economy and illegal immigration Copenhagen countdown Q&A: The Lisbon Treaty Blair 'excellent' for EU job - PM
On climate change, the EU is keen to reach a united position ahead of December's United Nations Copenhagen summit, which aims to hammer out a new global climate treaty to replace the UN Kyoto Protocol.
Mr Reinfeldt called on EU leaders to agree a "fixed sum" that would open the way for other rich donors like the US and Japan to make similar aid pledges to help developing nations cope with the effects of climate change.
But just hours before the talks, Hungarian Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai said sharing the aid costs equally between all 27 EU nations was out of the question.
"The burden-sharing proposal is not acceptable in its current form," Mr Bajnai said.
The Polish finance minister, Jacek Rostowski, told the BBC that nine Eastern European nations were ready to block a deal unless they were allowed to contribute according to their means, not to how much they pollute.
Do the majority of leaders want someone who can get a hearing at the White House, or do they want someone who will build consensus within the European Union? Gavin Hewitt, BBC Europe editor Read Gavin's thoughts in full Watts blog: Penny hasn't dropped EU president: Names in the frame
"There are countries there like Bulgaria and Latvia, which are considerably poorer than Brazil, and which would be expected to help Brazil in its adjustments to climate change," he said.
"We therefore expect the richer countries of Europe to pay a small part of what we consider to be their fair share," he added.
Much will depend on the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, says the BBC's Oana Lungescu.
Our correspondent says that until now, the leader of Europe's biggest economy has refused to be pinned down on figures, but arriving at the summit she signalled some flexibility.
"I want Copenhagen to be a success," Mrs Merkel said, "but it's crucial that the US and China should also be willing to contribute."
EU targets
The President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, said he had received a letter from the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon asking the EU to continue to lead on climate change.
The European Commission has recommended EU nations pay up to 15bn euros ($22bn; £13bn) a year from 2013 to developing nations to help them cope with climate change.
A British government official said the UK would contribute 1bn euros annually from 2013-2020 towards international financing to help poor countries adapt to climate change and mitigate its impact.
The EU is committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020 and by up to 30% if other countries join in.The EU is committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020 and by up to 30% if other countries join in.
EU leaders will also discuss who will fill the post of full-time president that the Lisbon Treaty would create. Do the majority of leaders want someone who can get a hearing at the White House, or do they want someone who will build consensus within the European Union? Gavin Hewitt, BBC Europe editor class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/gavinhewitt/2009/10/a_tough_pitch_for_blair.html">Read Gavin's thoughts in full class="" href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8331301.stm">Blair 'excellent' for EU job - PM class="" href="/2/hi/europe/7371840.stm">EU president: Names in the frame
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Luxembourg Premier Jean-Claude Juncker have been touted as the leading candidates for the job. But the BBC's Oana Lungescu, in Brussels, says that with just weeks to go before the Copenhagen summit, Europeans are struggling over how much money to offer developing nations to fight the effects of global warming.
On Thursday, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown reiterated his support for Mr Blair, saying he would make an "excellent" first president of the European Union. The European Commission has recommended EU nations pay up to 15bn euros ($22bn; £13bn) a year from 2013 to developing nations.
A draft text of the summit conclusions, seen by the BBC, says EU leaders agree with the European Commission's estimate that the total cost of climate adaptation in developing countries could reach about 100bn euros ($148bn; £90bn) annually by 2020.
Of that 100bn euros, international public financing is estimated at 22-50bn euros annually by 2020, "subject to a fair burden-sharing at the global level".
Polish Finance Minister Jacek Rostowski told the BBC that eastern European nations should be allowed to contribute according to their means, not to how much they pollute - otherwise they were ready to block a deal.
"It's a coalition of nine countries and there are countries there like Bulgaria and Latvia which are considerably poorer than Brazil and which would be expected to help Brazil in its adjustments to climate change," he said.
The draft conclusions appear to recognise the eastern Europeans' concerns, saying that the EU contributions for developing countries "should be based on a comprehensive global distribution key" and "should take into account the ability to pay of less prosperous [EU] member states, through an internal adjustment mechanism".
But the EU does not spell out how the member states' contributions will be calculated - whether their CO2 emissions or their ability to pay will weigh more heavily in the calculation.
The UK and Scandinavian countries had been calling on the EU to put a figure on its climate help for poorer countries, ahead of the Copenhagen summit in December. Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel was reluctant however to commit to a figure.
The EU says it is "more than ever fully determined to play a leading role" in the climate negotiations, which it says need "new momentum".
But the draft conclusions also call for firm commitments from other developed countries. In the US, a bill on cutting CO2 emissions is still going through Congress.
'Blair hopes fading'
President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso said on Thursday that reaching a deal to secure the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty had been a long process.
"You know, this new treaty reminds me of a marathon but a marathon with hurdles and I believe that tonight we have removed the last political hurdle," he told the BBC.
Should the Czech Republic - as now expected - ratify the Lisbon Treaty, it will clear the way for the creation of the post of President of the European Council.
Tony Blair and Luxembourg Premier Jean-Claude Juncker have been touted as the leading candidates for the job.
But the BBC's Jonny Dymond in Brussels says a lack of support from European socialist leaders has served to undermine Mr Blair's chances.