Meeting yesterday, Tony Blair and French president Jacques Chirac talked of their determination to ensure the forthcoming Nice summit is a success. Referring to the difficulties ahead, Blair said "I have no doubt we will find a way through." Chirac declared that "our common vision of the EU for tomorrow is of a Europe which is enlarged."

Ahead of the Nice summit the president of the European Commission has expressed concern over the refusal of member states to give up their veto. He argued that as the EU expands the need for unanimity will paralyse the EU and hoped that the summit, held next week, would not be a re-run of the failed UN talks on climate change.

Speaking in Brussels, EU commissioner Chris Patten has told the Guardian that the government is hamstrung by "hysterical" hostility to the EU from the media and Conservatives. He said that talk of a superstate was "unutterable bilge".