Blair in talks on 'son of EU constitution'

Last updated at 10:26 26 April 2007


Tony Blair will fly to Warsaw tomorrow as part of talks leading to a "son of the EU constitution".

His trip comes amid fears that he is planning to give away key powers to Brussels without a referendum in one of his final acts as Prime Minister.

Mr Blair has met a dozen European leaders in recent weeks, in a sign that he is putting a new treaty at the top of his legacy agenda.

A major summit will be held on 26 June - days before he will leave No 10 for the last time.

Talks centre on a replacement for the European Union constitution which collapsed after being rejected in referendums in France and the Netherlands.

The mark-II version is expected to expand the use of majority voting, reducing Britain's veto powers.

Whitehall speculation is that Mr Blair, after years of seeing his European ambitions thwarted by the Chancellor, is keen to strike a deal.

Yesterday the president of the European Commission told London business leaders that a new version of the failed constitution was needed "as soon as possible".

Speaking at the Institute of Directors, Jose Manuel Barroso said it was vital after the EU expanded from 15 to 27 members.

"To have strong, effective institutions, they require updating and improving," he said.

"That is what the constitutional treaty intended to achieve; and that is why the political focus has switched back to the institutional settlement.

"We need to resolve these questions as soon as possible."

Mr Barroso argued that businesses would benefit most from a strong Europe that was powerful enough to carry out reforms.

In an appeal to firms to abandon British Euroscepticism, he urged: "Europe offers no real surprises, no hidden plots. The more each country puts into it, the more it gets out. To score a goal, you have to be on the pitch."

What will be in the treaty?

DROPPED

• The term "constitution".

• Plans to formalise the EU flag, anthem and Europe day.

PROBABLY REVIVED

• A permanent post of European Union president.

• An EU foreign minister, diplomatic service and joint EU embassies. Member states will have to respect EU foreign policy.

• Expansion of majority voting, which critics claim is equivalent to a one-third reduction in Britain's veto powers.

• Scrapping Britain's right to nominate two commissioners.

• Veto on criminal justice and immigration policy reduced.

• Increased powers for MEPs.

• New powers for the European Court of Justice over criminal laws.

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