European Union considers shelving constitution talks

BRUSSELS, Belgium -- European Union leaders discussed putting their plans for a continental constitution on hold Thursday, seeking time to reassess the bloc's future after French and Dutch voters rejected the charter and cast doubt on Europe's 50-year drive for greater unity.

French President Jacques Chirac said European leaders should meet again to discuss the future of the 25-nation bloc. He said the union needed to reflect on how to reconnect with European citizens.

"France is ready to support the idea of an exceptional meeting of heads of state and government to discuss the fundamental subjects that involve the future of the union," Chirac told fellow European leaders.

Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen was expected to announce that Denmark was joining Britain in freezing its plans for a referendum on the proposed charter, which supporters defend as essential for streamlining EU decision-making and detractors criticize as a blueprint for a bureaucratic superstate.

Portugal and the Czech Republic also are mulling a postponement, and Spain wants to extend the deadline for ratifying the constitution in all member states from 2006 to 2007.

A deal to suspend the constitutional process would allow EU leaders to focus today on how to distribute more than $850 billion in EU subsidies through 2013.

They must also find the money to pay for new roads, power networks and phone lines in the eight former communist nations that joined the bloc last year.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso also called for "pause for reflection" on the constitution. Nine nations have ratified the charter: Spain by referendum and the others in parliamentary votes.

"The differences are too big," said Persson, whose nation is one of six opposing a major increase in outlays.

Barroso pleaded for unity, telling reporters just before the meeting: "I hope all leaders in Europe are really aware of the responsibility they have. I appeal to their sense of compromise."At the same time, the EU must find the money to pay for much-needed new roads, power networks and phone lines in the eight former communist nations that joined the bloc last year.

The problem is expected to get worse in 2007, when Romania and Bulgaria -- who are even poorer than the other newcomers -- are scheduled to join.

Barroso insisted Wednesday the EU must stick to its commitments to bring in new members -- despite voter worries that the bloc's expansion is going too far, too fast.

Those concerns have been particularly strong over mostly Muslim Turkey, which is due to begin membership negotiations in October.