EU leaders have pledged to tackle practical challenges facing citizens after agreeing there would be no more institutional reforms to the EU for the "foreseeable future".
Climate change, globalisation and migration will become the new focus for the Union once the Lisbon treaty is ratified in all EU states, they said in a statement yesterday.
But there remain deep divisions between states over the future borders of the Union, with French president Nicolas Sarkozy insisting Turkey should not become a member.
At an EU summit in Brussels, Mr Sarkozy insisted a new reflection group set up to look at the future of Europe should consider where and when to stop EU enlargement.
"The issue of borders will inevitably arise," said Mr Sarkozy. "This is not just about Turkey. Must Europe enlarge indefinitely and if yes, what will the consequences be?" But just a few minutes later German chancellor Angela Merkel said the group's report "will not influence the further course of accession talks" and British prime minister Gordon Brown insisted it would only discuss real challenges facing the EU.
The reflection group, which has been dubbed the "committee of wise men", will consider the challenges facing the Union in the period 2020-2030. Felipe González, the former Spanish Socialist prime minister, was named chairman of the group, which will be excluded from considering any future reforms to the European institutions.
A statement issued by EU leaders said the Lisbon treaty provided the Union with a stable and lasting institutional framework. "We expect no change in the foreseeable future, so that the Union will be able to fully concentrate on addressing the concrete challenges ahead, including globalisation and climate change," it added.
Several EU states, including Ireland, asked that the reflection group should not begin work until the ratification of the Lisbon treaty is complete. Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said the treaty would be the last reform for some considerable time and the reflection group "should not cut across the reform treaty ratification process in any way".
He also revealed that Dr Merkel had accepted an invitation to visit Ireland in the run-up to the referendum on the Lisbon treaty next year. Several other EU leaders, including Mr Sarkozy, had also expressed an interest in visiting.
"We have to treat the campaign very seriously. We'll all be working on it. It is an important campaign for the country," said Mr Ahern.
Mr Ahern also held a bilateral meeting with Mr Brown to discuss tax incentives to attract foreign direct investment to Northern Ireland. Meanwhile, EU leaders backed the formation of an 1,800 strong EU police and civilian administration mission to Kosovo.