Spain and Poland must decide whether to compromise on voting rights contained in the proposed EU constitution or face being left behind while other member states move to towards closer integration, Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt has said.
He told Belgian radio that a core group of countries would club together on defence, crime-fighting and immigration policy in the coming months if the states that scuppered agreement on the constitution at the failed EU summit at the weekend did not relent.
"If we don't get a solution very soon, I believe it will be necessary in the first months of next year for like-minded countries who share our belief in intensifying European integration to find much closer cooperation in many areas," Mr Verhofstadt told RTBF.
But diplomats have said tentative plans for France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and some other pro-integration countries to launch an initiative declaring themselves a "pioneer group" had been deferred.
The European Commission has called for another effort next year to break the deadlock but spokesman Mr Reijo Kemppinen has indicated that talks may not begin in earnest until after Ireland's six-month presidency which begins at the start of next year.
He said the Commission hoped for an agreement by the end of 2004, after elections in Spain in March and for the European Parliament in June.
"It is clear that what we need is time for reflection and rethinking of some of the issues," Mr Kemppinen told reporters.
Spain and Poland have refused to accept a proposed reduction in the weight of their votes in the constitution and while the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has said Ireland will "have a go" at getting agreement at the next summit in March, Mr Kemppinen said progress was more likely in the second half of next year under the Dutch presidency.