Agenda Raad: Terrorisme, Grondwet, Cyprus

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - EU leaders will come together today after a tumultuous couple of weeks largely shaped by the aftermath of the terrorist bombings in Madrid on 11 March.

The bombings, which left over 200 people dead, have substantially altered the agenda shoving economic concerns off top spot in favour of intense discussions on increased security cooperation in the EU.

This means that EU leaders will kick off their agenda this evening by discussing and eventually agreeing a set of declarations pledging to improve the sharing of intelligence and to appoint somebody to co-ordinate the EU's fight on terror.

They will also pledge to do something about the Union's woeful record in implementing anti-terror laws - many of which were enacted after the attacks on 11 September 2001.

Moreover, there is a feeling that coupled with some timely public compromises by some of the main players, the Madrid attacks helped focus the political will to reach an agreement on the Constitution.

Treaty talks

This issue, which was put on the back burner after the failed December Summit fiasco, has suddenly come to the forefront after the reflection and negotiation between member states.

There is a feeling that if the EU cannot agree an internal issue like the Constitution, it will hardly be able to put up an effective united front against the threat of terrorism.

Consequently, EU leaders will discuss and may agree to formally reviving the negotiations with a view to concluding the discussions on in the first half of this year.

The result of these headline-stealers muscling their way on to such a prominent place on the EU's agenda is that economic goals to revive Europe's economy and eventually (by 2010) make it surpass that of the US have slipped out of the limelight.

This was something noted by European Commission President Romano Prodi on the eve of the Summit.

"We're running the risk of simply not making it", he said. Last year, a similar fate befell the Spring European Council which is traditionally devoted to this so-called Lisbon agenda.

At that time it was overshadowed by the Iraq war.

This time round foreign ministers will be occupied by discussions in post-war Iraq as well as the tense situation in the Middle East following the death of Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin in an Israeli missile attack.

Cyprus, Middle East

Also on the agenda for Friday will be the tricky question of Cyprus. If no settlement is reach, the island is set to enter the EU divided.

This would leave the Union in the awkward position of having part of its territory under military occupation. It has been leaning on Turkey which occupies the northern part of Cyprus to push pressure on Rauf Denktash - the northern Cyprus leader - to broker a deal.

Lastly and hidden away on the agenda, but of political importance, is an expected tussle between member states about who should be appointed a board member of the European Central Bank - which controls monetary policy in the European Union.

Big countries have been pitted against small on this issue with Ireland and Belgium gunning for the position in face of opposition by Germany which is backing Spain.