This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/6490437.stm

The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 4 Version 5
EU birthday to mark 'new phase' EU birthday to mark 'new phase'
(about 5 hours later)
European Union leaders are due to meet in Berlin to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the bloc, which was founded by the 1957 Treaty of Rome.European Union leaders are due to meet in Berlin to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the bloc, which was founded by the 1957 Treaty of Rome.
The summit in Berlin will endorse a statement emphasising the EU's achievements and the challenges ahead.The summit in Berlin will endorse a statement emphasising the EU's achievements and the challenges ahead.
Chancellor Angela Merkel will use the event to relaunch the debate on the EU's stalled constitution, rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005.Chancellor Angela Merkel will use the event to relaunch the debate on the EU's stalled constitution, rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005.
But correspondents say it will mask deep divisions among the 27 EU members. But correspondents say the statement will mask divisions among EU members.
"We, the citizens of Europe, have united for the better," says the draft statement, known as the "Berlin Declaration"."We, the citizens of Europe, have united for the better," says the draft statement, known as the "Berlin Declaration".
The statement was composed by EU officials and strongly backed by Mrs Merkel, who fought to ensure the statement had broad support among fellow leaders. The statement, drawn up by the EU's German presidency, hails some of the EU's achievements over the past 50 years, including open borders, the common market and the euro, and an end to Europe's Cold War divisions.
It hails some of the EU's achievements over the past 50 years, including open borders, the common market and the euro, and an end to Europe's Cold War divisions. BERLIN DECLARATION The unnatural division of Europe is now consigned to the pastWe, the citizens of the European Union, have united for the betterWe preserve in the European Union the identities and diverse traditions of its member statesWe are united in our aim of placing the EU on a renewed common basis before the European Parliament elections in 2009 class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/6483585.stm">Europe brought together
We are united in our aim of placing the EU on a renewed common basis before the European Parliament elections in 2009 Berlin Declaration excerpt class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/6483585.stm">Europe brought together The BBC's Oana Lungescu in Berlin says there is no explicit mention of the most divisive issues - future enlargement to admit Turkey and the Balkan nations, and the EU constitution.
The BBC's Oana Lungescu in Berlin says there is no explicit mention of the most divisive issues; future enlargement to admit Turkey and the Balkan nations, and the EU constitution.
Just weeks before the French presidential elections, and faced with stiff opposition from the Czech Republic, Poland and Britain, Angela Merkel has chosen the vaguest of terms, our correspondent says.Just weeks before the French presidential elections, and faced with stiff opposition from the Czech Republic, Poland and Britain, Angela Merkel has chosen the vaguest of terms, our correspondent says.
"We are united in our aim of placing the EU on a renewed common basis before the European Parliament elections in 2009," the statement says. A single coded reference to the constitution talks about "placing the EU on a renewed common basis" before the 2009 elections to the European Parliament.
'Great achievements''Great achievements'
Speaking in Rome on the eve of the summit, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said in the next 50 years the EU needed to be "the best answer to 21st century challenges like globalisation, sustainable growth and competitiveness".Speaking in Rome on the eve of the summit, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said in the next 50 years the EU needed to be "the best answer to 21st century challenges like globalisation, sustainable growth and competitiveness".
But a poll by a British Euro-sceptic think tank, Open Europe, suggests that three-quarters of Europeans would like a referendum on any new treaty giving more power to the EU. But a poll by a British Eurosceptic think tank, Open Europe, suggests that three-quarters of Europeans would like a referendum on any new treaty giving more power to the EU.
According to the poll, carried out in all 27 EU countries, 41% of respondents said the union should have fewer powers and that more decisions should be taken at a national or local level. This two-euro coin has been minted to mark the 50th anniversaryAccording to the poll, carried out in all 27 EU countries, 41% of people in the EU would Yes in such a referendum and the same proportion, 41%, would vote against.
This two-euro coin has been minted to mark the 50th anniversaryWhile the "Berlin Declaration" will cite the euro as one of the great achievements of the EU, a majority of citizens in the eurozone want to go back to their old national currencies. However, a majority would vote No in 16 EU countries, including Germany.
There was majority support for keeping the euro in only six of the 13 euro member countries, according to the poll results. While the "Berlin Declaration" will cite the euro as one of the great achievements of the EU, a majority of citizens in the eurozone want to go back to their old national currencies, the poll suggests.
According to another poll, conducted in several European countries and the United States, most people believe the EU will still be around in 50 years from now, but expanded to Turkey and even Russia.According to another poll, conducted in several European countries and the United States, most people believe the EU will still be around in 50 years from now, but expanded to Turkey and even Russia.
However, less than one-third of those polled thought transatlantic relations would be much better in 2057.However, less than one-third of those polled thought transatlantic relations would be much better in 2057.