EU leaders seek treaty, climate change deals

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European Union leaders hope to reach a deal at a summit this week removing the last obstacles to a treaty to give the bloc more global clout, but face a battle over funding for a global climate change agreement. Failure to break the deadlock would risk leaving the 27-country bloc looking impotent when it is trying to strengthen its role on the world stage and the influence of emerging powers such as China is growing following the economic crisis.

European Union leaders hope to reach a deal at a summit this week removing the last obstacles to a treaty to give the bloc more global clout, but face a battle over funding for a global climate change agreement.

Failure to break the deadlock would risk leaving the 27-country bloc looking impotent when it is trying to strengthen its role on the world stage and the influence of emerging powers such as China is growing following the economic crisis.

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EU leaders say publicly they are hopeful of breaking the impasse on both issues. But much depends on quiet diplomacy in the run-up to the summit in Brussels on Thursday and Friday.

The chances of a breakthrough over the Lisbon reform treaty rose on Friday when Czech President Vaclav Klaus, the only EU leader holding out against the charter, welcomed proposals by the EU's Swedish presidency for securing his signature.

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