EU leaders in power struggle at meeting

Bertie Ahern and other EU leaders sparked a battle for power tonight as talks began in earnest on the final shape of a new constitution for Europe.

A summit in Brussels marked the start of months of negotiations on how to streamline the EU and avoid gridlock when 10 more member states join next May.

The initial round of talks today centred on the size of the future European Commission and the role of a new EU “foreign minister”.

The larger EU nations – Britain, France, Spain, Germany and Italy - want to see a smaller EU bureaucracy in future – ensuring policy-making power is tipped in favour of EU governments themselves.

But the small EU countries – especially the newcomers from central and eastern Europe – are determined to keep the current system and have one Commissioner each, to ensure their voice is heard in policy-making.

They fear being sidelined by the “big five” unless the Commission represents their interests.

The idea of a new post of “foreign minister” is causing a power struggle too - because some want the new figurehead to be based in the Commission while others say he or she should work primarily for EU government.

Tonight the summit – attended by leaders of all 25 present and future member states – switched to talks on the EU’s defence role.

Britain insists that EU defence cooperation will not undermine Nato’s role and the importance of the traditional transatlantic relationship.

The summit, which ends tomorrow, was making no decisions: negotiations on all aspects of the proposed new constitutional treaty will continue until December at least, and the final agreed document will not be signed until next Spring.