European heads of government meet in the southern French city of
Nice for long nights of negotiations to thrash out the nitty-gritty of EU
institutional reforms.
The toughest talk is over the number of votes each country will get
once the union expands and acrimony breaks out between the big and small
countries. Talks almost break down a number of times.
The summit agrees to limit the size of the commission and increase the
president's powers. Vetoes make way for qualified majority voting in a
number of new areas but members keep their vetoes on social security and
tax.
"Enhanced co-operation" is given the go-ahead, allowing fast-track
countries to press ahead with new policies without waiting for other
members.
Candidate countries, who also attend the conference, say it is a big
step towards enlargement but Commission President Romano Prodi is
disappointed.
Many issues are dealt with in a makeshift way and are left for more
rigorous negotiations at the next conference in 2004.