16 June 2006
Tony Blair says the European Union should concentrate on the "bread and butter" issues that worry people the most.
Speaking after the two-day European Council summit in Brussels, Mr Blair revealed that the leaders had agreed a "twin-track approach" to the future of Europe.
The first track involved concentrating on dealing with issues of direct concern to individuals - like immigration, crime and terrorism.
The second allowed more time to work out the right approach to a revised constitution. French and Dutch voters rejected a draft version of the constitution last year.
Mr Blair said:
"This allows us now to really get on with things that the citizens of Europe worry about and gives us a chance, of course, to consider what rules are appropriate in a Union of 25 and, in time, 27.
"I think what citizens of Europe want is to concentrate on the bread and butter key issues about the economy, about illegal immigration, about security, that really worry them."
Austria have held the Presidency for the first half of 2006 and will shortly hand over to Finland.
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