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EU leaders to discuss new treaty EU leaders meet for vital summit
(about 2 hours later)
EU leaders are preparing to meet in Brussels to discuss a treaty to help the union work more effectively. European Union leaders are meeting in Brussels to debate a new treaty to establish how the 27-member bloc is run in the 21st Century.
A draft tabled by Germany recommends deep reforms, but not a constitution - an idea spurned by French and Dutch voters two years ago. Germany, which holds the EU presidency, has called for a fair deal to replace a planned constitution that was rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005.
The paper makes several concessions to EU member states opposed to key parts of the failed constitution. But the summit is expected to be tense, with the UK and Poland both threatening to use their vetoes.
But Poland and the UK are still warning they could use their vetoes if they do not get their way on a new treaty. The UK opposes any growth of EU powers, while Poland wants more voting rights.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso told the BBC the revised treaty was "good for Britain". The draft paper tabled by Germany makes several concessions to EU member states opposed to key parts of the failed constitution.
"Britain - with this agreement that is on the table - will have more votes, will have much more votes," he told Radio 4's Today programme. But both the British Prime Minister Tony Blair - attending his final EU meeting before leaving office next week - and his Polish counterpart have taken a hard line during the run-up to the summit.
Failure would almost amount to humiliation for Germany's chancellor, Angela Merkel class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markmardell/">Mardell's thoughts in full The BBC's Europe correspondent Oana Lungescu says the threat of failure hangs over this summit even as it begins.
"It is good for all those who want to push forward an agenda of an open Europe, a modern Europe, a Europe that is efficient. It is not at all about creating a kind of super federal state. No one is proposing this. Why are we creating imaginary threats?" Touchy subject
UK Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said Britain wanted a Europe "of sovereign nations, not a superstate". Poland's Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski has suggested that his country deserves an increased share of voting rights because of the millions of Poles killed by Nazi Germany during World War II.
The summit is intended to issue a mandate for an intergovernmental conference to agree the precise wording of a treaty to replace the failed constitution. He argues that his country would be a much larger country now if not for thewar, and would therefore qualify for stronger voting rights.
We realise we cannot stop the process [of reform] - that would be too risky for the future Jaroslaw KaczynskiPolish Prime Minister class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/4596005.stm">Q&A: EU constitution class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/6222882.stm">EU summit sticking points class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/6225580.stm">Q&A: Charter of Fundamental Rights Fellow leaders have dismissed Mr Kaczynski's assertion, some suggesting that his main motivation was a desire to scupper German plans.
If it fails, it will plunge the EU into a political crisis as deep as the one that followed the rejection of the constitution by French and Dutch voters two years ago. Many are watching us, not only in Europe. It is important... that we make every effort to reach agreement Angela MerkelGerman Chancellor class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/6227834.stm">Polish war of wards class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/6222882.stm">EU summit sticking points class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/6225580.stm">Q&A: Charter of Fundamental Rights Mr Blair has set out four "red lines" which the UK government regards as unacceptable.
These include proposals for an EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, a European foreign minister, and any EU-wide rules on taxation or common law.
'No danger'
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso told the BBC that any deal struck in Brussels should be ratified in the UK without a referendum, a move opinion polls suggest could end in rejection.
Failure would almost amount to humiliation for Germany's chancellor, Angela Merkel Mardell's thoughts in full He told Radio 4's Today programme that suggestions that ratifying an EU treaty in parliament would be ratification "by the back door" were wide of the mark.
"Britain is the country that exported parliamentary democracy to the world. Do the British people consider parliament the backdoor?"
"Is that the respect some people show their parliament, maybe the greatest parliament in the world? I don't consider parliament the back door."
Mr Barroso, who has urged EU members not to stand in the way of a deal in Brussels, also said the new treaty would be create "an open Europe, a modern Europe, a Europe that is efficient".
Potential crisis
The German paper proposes that the new treaty is called "The Reform Treaty", accepts that the EU will not have a "foreign minister", and provides countries with a chance to opt out of EU policies in the area of policing and criminal law.The German paper proposes that the new treaty is called "The Reform Treaty", accepts that the EU will not have a "foreign minister", and provides countries with a chance to opt out of EU policies in the area of policing and criminal law.
'Olive branch' HAVE YOUR SAY What kind of democracy is this when our own leaders are doing deals behind our backs? Philip Davies, UK class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=6629&&&edition=1&ttl=20070620220825">Send us your comments The Netherlands and the Czech Republic also have concerns about the treaty.
Correspondents say the biggest remaining problem for the UK could be Germany's continued support for the idea of making the EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights legally binding. German Chancellor Angela Merkel says every member nation will have their issues addressed at the summit.
The UK fears this could allow the European Court to make decisions that would change British labour law. But she too urged leaders to move towards a deal.
The part of the constitution that Poland most disliked - the introduction of a new voting system for decisions taken by member states - is preserved in the latest German proposals, seen by the BBC. "Many are watching us, not only in Europe," she said.
The new system would benefit larger member states to the detriment of smaller and medium-sized ones, and have the effect of reducing Poland's clout. "It is important that we don't drag on too long and that we make every effort to reach an agreement."
However, the BBC's Oana Lungescu in Brussels says the German paper offers Poland a "discreet olive branch". Correspondents say failure will plunge the EU into a fresh crisis as deep as the one that followed the rejection of the constitution two years ago.
For the first time it mentions, in a footnote, that the Poles, backed by the Czechs, want to raise the idea of changing the voting system at the summit.
'50-50 chance of deal'
Despite his warnings of a possible veto, Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski hinted that Warsaw could drop its opposition if it guaranteed a strong voice in EU decision-making.
HAVE YOUR SAY What kind of democracy is this when our own leaders are doing deals behind our backs? Philip Davies, UK Send us your comments
"We realise we cannot stop the process [of reform] - that would be too risky for the future," he told Reuters news agency.
He said there was a 50-50 chance of the summit ending in agreement.
Under the latest German proposals, Britain gets reassurances that the European Courts will have no power to examine foreign affairs policies.
And at the request of the Dutch, the draft gives more power to national parliaments to block EU laws.
But a Dutch proposal to enshrine criteria for further enlargement in the treaty, is not fully satisfied.
That would send a very negative signal to Balkan countries, an EU diplomat said.