Blair, Schroeder to Call For EU Reform

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, February 26, 2002

Blair, Schroeder to Call For EU Reform

British Prime Minister Tony Blair has joined German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in urging radical reform of the European Union (EU), British official sources said Monday.

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British Prime Minister Tony Blair has joined German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in urging radical reform of the European Union (EU), British official sources said Monday.

Blair and Schroeder are expected to call for a more streamlinedand transparent EU, breaking down the culture of secrecy that surrounds much of the EU's decision-making.

Blair's office said their proposals, set out in a four-page letter, would be sent on Monday to Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency.

Their proposals came ahead of a convention later this week to consider the future of the 15-member bloc as it moves towards the threshold of accepting up to 10 new members in 2004.

The two leaders hope that the proposals would be introduced quickly, possibly at the EU summit scheduled for June in Seville, Spain.

They suggest that the monthly-held council of ministers be cut by up to a third and the workload of the European Council streamlined.

A Downing Street spokesman said the proposed reform would require no change to the treaties involved.

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