Talk of 'President Blair' overshadows EU summit

Europe’s leaders will struggle to display unity today on climate change, financial regulation – and Tony Blair.

The key question is whether the member states want to anoint a high-profile internationally-recognisable political figure as the first president of Europe, a new job created under the Lisbon Treaty.

However, because the treaty is not in force until Czech president Vaclav Klaus signs it, the subject everyone wanted to discuss and settle at the talks is banished to the summit corridors and watering holes.

The vitally-needed Czech signature is now expected before the end of the year, but the longer it takes, the longer the wait for a full discussion of runners and riders in a race which is only open to former EU prime ministers and heads of state.

“The new role does not yet exist, and there is as yet no detailed job description,” explained one EU official. “Furthermore, Mr Blair has not announced that he is in the running.”

So, while the whispering campaign continues amongst national delegations, EU leaders will try to settle their differences on how to finance the ambitious climate change targets Europe will table at December’s United Nations environment conference in Copenhagen.

The European Commission has put a price of up to €14.5m a year on the EU’s contribution towards the cost poor countries will face to meet a global climate change deal.

But some member states, led by Germany, are insisting there is no need to agree figures ahead of a global climate change accord in Copenhagen.

That has angered environmental campaigners who want details spelled out to boost chances of a watertight deal before the end of the year.

“The EU must stop shirking its legal and moral commitments and provide sufficient public money to developing countries so that they can grow cleanly and adapt to the effects of climate change which are already putting millions of lives at risk,” said Friends of the Earth international climate campaigner Tom Picken.

But Germany is adamant that none of these figures should be tabled by the EU until and unless other key players at the Copenhagen talks, including America, India and China, indicate what figures they are prepared to accept as the price of joining forces to tackle the environmental problem.

The summit will also review continuing efforts to restore stability to finical markets in the wake of the economic crisis – but differences remain on the scale of new curbs on the sector’s excesses, in particular to regulate hedge funds, as well as the timetable triggering “exit strategies” – withdrawing the massive economic stimulus of state intervention to prop up financial markets.

Summit chairman Fredrik Reinfeldt, meanwhile, has told all EU leaders he expects the summit to show Europe is leading in fighting climate change.

He said in a letter on the eve of today’s meeting that the EU had a strong negotiating position prepared for the December talks, but warned: “However, it is clear that a deal on financing will be central to reaching agreement in Copenhagen.”

There’s no mention of the job of “President of Europe”, or Tony Blair – but the issue is likely to gather momentum until EU leaders settle the matter, probably at a special summit likely to be called as soon as the Lisbon Treaty is ratified.