Barroso's Blueprint to Revitalise Eu

Jose Manuel Barroso, the president of the European commission, challenged EU leaders yesterday to give Brussels a greater say in the fight against terrorism or risk a backlash after the next attack.

With terrorism said to pose the greatest threat to the lives of the EU's 470 million citizens, Mr Barroso declared that a pan-European fight would help revive support for the EU. "Shall we wait for another terrorist atrocity before we have effective joint action across Europe to fight terrorism?" he asked in Brussels.

Mr Barroso's proposal is part of a series of initiatives to breathe fresh life into the EU after the rejection of its constitution. European leaders asked him to draw up a blueprint for them to consider next month when the year-long "pause for reflection", called after France and the Netherlands rejected the constitution, ends.

With European leaders still unable to reach agreement on what to do with the constitution, Mr Barroso called for the period of reflection to be extended by at least a year. "We are not ready for a penalty shoot out yet, so let us go into extra time."

But he believes it would be a grave mistake to do nothing, and set out a series of initiatives to show Europeans that the EU could transform their lives. These include an entitlement card, modelled on Britain's E111 health card, for every EU citizen which would show they are entitled to healthcare and other services across the European Union.

The most controversial idea is to give the European commission and the European parliament a say in justice and home affairs, which is handled by member governments at present.

Mr Barroso called for the change because he said cross-border police and justice cooperation was still too slow.

Eurosceptics reject this as an attempt to introduce the EU constitution by the back door, as the idea was contained in the controversial treaty. The commission dismissed this, saying that Mr Barroso wants to use existing treaties to introduce his changes. Mr Barroso, who said he was losing patience with European leaders who attack the EU, wants them to sign a declaration of intent next year, the 50th anniversary of the treaty of Rome, which founded the common market. This would be modelled on the Messina declaration of 1955 signed by Germany, France and Italy and the Benelux countries after another setback when France blocked a European defence community.

Angela Merkel, the German chancellor who will hold the EU's rotating presidency next year, has made it clear she supports a slow approach. "Waiting does not mean letting it slowly go to sleep, but finding the correct time to act - I am firmly convinced it is not there at the moment, but the reflection must continue," she said

The EU was also expected to be on the table last night when Tony Blair was due to meet the French prime minister, Dominique de Villepin, for dinner and informal discussions, a Downing Street spokesman said.