Duitsland tegen 'Europa met twee snelheden' (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - German chancellor Angela Merkel has said that Europe must not be allowed to divide into two camps that approach European integration at different speeds.

Speaking just days after she brokered a deal on a new-look treaty that permits a group of member states to move ahead in judicial and police cooperation and which has given an apparent opt-out to the UK from the Charter of Fundamental Rights, Ms Merkel said that for EU citizens' sake the 27 nations should proceed together.

"Only when we act systematically and together can we achieve tangible headway for our citizens," said the chancellor on Wednesday (27 June) before MEPs in Brussels.

Referring directly to a "two-speed Europe," she said "I don't think that is a good idea" adding that it would only lead to "the opening of new trenches" in Europe.

The chancellor's comments come as several politicians have criticised that the treaty negotiations were conducted behind closed doors and that the end result contains several exemptions, footnotes and declarations in an attempt to get all governments on board.

In the summit aftermath - which has seen Polish-German relations take a nosedive - Italian prime minister Romano Prodi regretted the loss of the European spirit and said that a "two-speed Europe is inevitable" under the new look treaty - a comment echoed by several MEPs in recent days.

However, the euro-deputies gave the chancellor a standing ovation for getting an agreement despite the odds - even though they also complained about how the new treaty will look.

"It reads like the instructions for building a Japanese pagoda translated into English by a Chinese middle-man," said liberal leader Graham Watson.

Green leader Daniel Cohn-Bendit said it was a "good result" but added that the "music was lousy and it was difficult to hear the melody" at times.

Amid the general back-slapping and congratulations for the German leader who hands over the reigns of the EU presidency this weekend, there were a few dissenting voices.

Danish eurosceptic MEP Jens-Peter Bonde said the double majority voting system based on population which is to kick in in 2014 is "unfair."

Echoing Polish complaints on a topic that almost derailed the weekend summit, he said that the main losers under the new voting system would be small and medium sized countries.