Europe's Push For Economic Power

German, French and British leaders agreed Wednesday on broad proposals aimed at making Europe the world's premier economic power this decade.

The plan calls for appointment of a new European Union official to push that goal.

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, French President Jacques Chirac and British Prime Minister Tony Blair unveiled the recommendations at a summit meant to signal unity after last year's rifts over the Iraq — even as alarmed European partners insisted the big three nations could not hope to steer Europe alone.

The leaders called for measures to stimulate job creation and boost the competitiveness of European industry, as well as a stepped-up role for the EU's executive or Commission in guiding economic reforms for the bloc that is expanding to 25 countries from 15 in May.

"We recommend the nomination of a vice president of the Commission who would be responsible exclusively for economic reforms," the leaders said in a joint letter to Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency through June, and other EU governments.

This official "should be able to intervene in all decisions concerning EU projects that have an impact" on the bloc's goal to become the world's leading economic power by 2010, the letter said.

The summit at the chancellery in Berlin came at a crucial time for the EU, which is deadlocked in efforts to give itself a constitution and about to welcome 10 new members, mostly former communist nations of eastern Europe.

"What we have agreed naturally concerns developments in our countries, but also Europe's development," Schroeder said. "The two cannot be separated."

But other EU nations, notably Spain and Italy, that were not invited to the meeting expressed fresh fears that the big three could try to dictate Europe's agenda as the 15-nation bloc prepares to accommodate 10 new members on May 1, most of them former communist nations of eastern Europe.

"Beware. Nobody in Europe is ready to be a second-class citizen. Europe is made up of 25 countries, not of three," Italy's European affairs minister, Rocco Buttiglione, told British Broadcasting Corp. radio. "We do not think that there is any chance of leading Europe with a small group of countries. I do not know whether that is the intention, but there are rumors that this could be and this would be wrong."

Spanish Foreign Minister Ana Palacio said the big three should be criticized if they aim to impose their will on the rest of Europe.

France, Britain and Germany deny that they are seeking to rule the roost but say they want to come up with ideas to help Europe tackle its economic problems and overcome its troubles on agreeing to a common constitution.

"We don't want to dominate anyone, least of all Europe," Schroeder told a joint news conference after talks involving the three leaders and key Cabinet ministers. "In the end, the problems are similar all over."

In sharply worded appeal to the European Commission, the three leaders called on the EU head office to ensure more business-friendly regulations throughout the bloc.

"The legislative framework on the European level and the level of individual member states must promote business activity, not hinder it," their letter said.

The EU's most divisive dispute — the deadlock over a constitution meant to set decision-making rules for the expanded union — was to be taken up by the three leaders and their foreign ministers over dinner.

A December summit of EU leaders collapsed when Germany and France clashed with Spain and Poland over the draft constitution. The two smaller countries oppose changing an EU voting system to reflect the larger countries' bigger populations.