EU treaty hopes fading

22 Jun, 2007 03:27 / Updated 17 years ago

European leaders are continuing their bargaining to iron out rows over a new treaty to govern the EU. Britain and Poland are refusing to sign up to the treaty, which they say will affect their sovereignty and status within the EU.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is planning to hold talks with opponents of the treaty, in an effort to persuade them to back down. But things don't look too good, as Thursday's negotiations failed to make any headway. If their efforts fail, it may result in a weakened EU, and a crisis, similar to that when the French and Dutch voters rejected the draft Constitution in 2005.