Spanje volhardt in starre houding stemwegingen na nieuwe compromis-voorstellen (en)

Spain continues to talk tough on the Constitution despite an apparent concession by Germany on the contested issue of voting weights.

According to the Financial Times, Spanish diplomats in Madrid rejected a compromise proposal currently doing the rounds as a "non-starter".

The proposal suggests that decisions in the future could be made by 55 percent of member states representing 55 percent of the EU population - as opposed to 50 percent of member states representing 60 percent of EU citizens which is currently suggested by the draft Constitution.

This compromise would mean that a combination of Germany, France and Britain - the EU's biggest countries - could not block a decision without the backing of other member states.

But Spain maintains that the compromise does not go far enough because it does not allow Madrid - as a middle-sized country - to easily form a blocking minority of its own.

Spain's unequivocal answer comes after Germany yesterday (9 March) struck a more conciliatory note on the so-called double majority system.

Chancellor Gerhard Schröder said while the principle of double majority should be kept, "we are open to proposals from the [EU] presidency that are based on this principle, and which would bring movement on this issue".

Talks on the Constitution collapsed last December over this very issue which pitted Spain and Poland against Germany and France. Since the beginning of the year Ireland has been trying to pick up the pieces and see if a deal on the Treaty blueprint can eventually be reached under its Presidency.

More talks with Spain are set to continue after its general elections on Sunday when José Maria Aznar will step down.

This week Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern will meet Danish prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Wednesday evening, the UK's Tony Blair on Thursday and Slovak prime minister Mikulas Dzurinda on Friday (12 March) to discuss the Constitution.