Merkel adamant on EU treaty changes ahead of Brussels summit

Oct 27, 2010, 12:55 GMT

Berlin - German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday reiterated her intention to push for key treaty changes at this week's EU summit in Brussels, in a move likely to be opposed in several member states.

Merkel wants alterations to the Lisbon Treaty governing how the EU and eurozone operate, in order to protect the shared currency against future crises.

'There are no two ways about it, in clear terms - this will only succeed with an alteration of the European treaties,' Merkel told the German parliament.

The EU's 27 member states meet in Brussels on Thursday to decide on future EU budget rules, and consider proposals drawn up by a task force headed by EU President Herman Van Rompuy.

A bilateral deal struck last week between Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy soured negotiations as several member states felt bypassed and oppose the proposed changes.

Many see it as a way of protecting the German economy against bailing out further euro miscreants, in the wake of the near collapse of the Greek economy this year.

Others worry that any renegotation of Lisbon would reopen the way for other EU members to make special demands.

Merkel also said that Germany would not support the extension of the current 750-million-euro (1-trillion-dollar) eurozone rescue package beyond 2013, when it expires.

'There cannot, and will not be a simple extension including Germany,' Merkel said.

The chancellor said that her goal was 'long-term stability' for the euro currency, warning that 'it has not yet been decided whether Europe will emerge from this crisis permanently strengthened.'

Merkel again raised the possibility to suspending the voting rights of those who seriously contravened eurozone budget rules - a measure opposed by several other EU members.

The chancellor defended the agreement she reached last week with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, in the seaside resort of Deauville.

'A Franco-German agreement is not everything in Europe,' Merkel said, adding, 'Without a Franco-German agreement little will come of many things - that is true in this case too.'

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