Smallest EU states meet to avert plans for president

The seven smallest European Union countries met yesterday to try to forestall plans by bigger members for a powerful new EU president.

Nicknamed the "summit of the seven dwarfs", yesterday's gathering in Luxembourg was the clearest sign yet that the debate over the future of Europe is polarised between the views of the large and small nations.

The meeting of leaders from Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Finland, Ireland, Portugal and Belgium underlined a new determination to protect the position of the EU's minnows, as crucial decisions on the future of Europe approach.

One of the central points of conflict is the idea for a president or chairman of the European Council and for a reform of the system under which the presidency rotates among EU nations every six months.

Plans for a new president are backed by Britain, France, Spain and Italy – with less enthusiastic support from Germany – and are designed to provide more direction and leadership for the council. Big countries want to scrap the rotating presidency, arguing it will become unworkable when 10 new, and mainly small, countries join next year.

But the small countries see moves to strengthen the council, where large nations have more votes, as a threat. They want to preserve the rotating presidency because it gives each nation an opportunity to chair meetings and a chance to claim the limelight, irrespective of size.

Last night's meeting, which took place over dinner, was unique because a caucus of small countries has never before met at such a high level. Diplomats point out that large nations have sometimes ganged up together, most notably when Tony Blair invited the French President and the German Chancellor to a Downing Street dinner to discuss the international crisis in 2001. And, with the EU due to expand to 25 countries in May next year, such gatherings could become much more popular.

While the seven small countries share some common ground, they are divided on their general approach to European integration. Belgium and Luxembourg favour a federalist model while Ireland and Finland want to protect the powers of member states.

Last night's gathering was designed to try to agree a common line before all EU heads of government meet on the future of Europe on 16 April in Athens. That meeting was requested by Valery Giscard d'Estaing, the French former president who is chairing a convention on the future of Europe.

M. Giscard is to complete a draft constitution for the EU by the end of June, which is supposed to be paving the way for next year's enlargement when the 15-member bloc will be joined by eight ex-Communist nations plus Cyprus and Malta. M.Giscard was not invited to yesterday's meeting of smaller nations but was said to be relaxed at it taking place.