Germany wants the Irish presidency of the EU to put forward a proposal to end an internal battle over voting rights, a German government official said today.
Under a proposed European Union constitution, an enlarged EU would use a "double majority" voting system, under which decisions would need to be agreed by at least half of its member states representing at least 60 per cent of the bloc's population.
But Spain and Poland blocked this plan in December, fearing it would give too much power to bigger nations. Ireland is now trying to rescue the constitution by probing whether other thresholds could find unanimous approval.
"If there is to be a discussion on thresholds, then please, out in the open," said a German Chancellery official who declined to be named. "We are waiting for proposals from the presidency."
The German Chancellor Mr Gerhard Schroeder supported the Irish probes.
"We see a certain opportunity in that. We will be very constructive in debating the proposals the Irish presidency has announced," he said after a meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende.
Under one idea floated by the Government, the double majority thresholds would shift to 55 per cent, preventing the EU's biggest three members - Germany, France and Britain - from being able to block a decision on their own.
Spain has already signalled that it would reject these thresholds as well.
Another compromise suggested by the Government would slightly raise both thresholds, making it easier for medium-sized countries to block decisions, and would delay implementation of the new system until 2014 instead of 2009.
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern is due to report to a March 25th-26 th summit in Brussels on the prospects for resuming and concluding negotiations that plunged the bloc into crisis.
Diplomats said Mr Ahern had tested several formulas on EU leaders in intensive bilateral consultations. "We haven't formally put proposals on the table. It's a bit early for that," a spokesman for the Irish presidency said earlier this week.
Officially the German position is unchanged in support of the 60/50 formula. However, Schroeder had already indicated a willingness to compromise while remaining committed to the "double majority" principle.