EU:European Commission president José Manuel Barroso and German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier have appealed to Poland and Britain to accept a revised version of the EU constitution.
At the European Parliament yesterday, both men warned of "very negative consequences" for the union and the single market if no deal is found on a new "simplified treaty" at a summit of EU leaders next week.
"Those who want a strong political Europe will have the possibility to have a very weak and divided one," Mr Barroso warned MEPs. "Those who want an open market will see more and more protectionism; those who want and need more solidarity and more cohesion will have a Europe of egoisms and narrow national interests."
His comments were made as Poland continued to threaten to veto any new treaty text that does not include the possibility of revising the voting system contained in the EU constitution. Warsaw opposes the proposed "double majority" voting rules because they increase the influence of large states such as Germany in EU decision-making at the expense of smaller states such as Poland.
Polish prime minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski yesterday repeated his government's threat to use its veto to defend its national interests, stating: "We will never agree to what is being proposed to us now."
In his speech to MEPs and national parliamentarians in Brussels, Mr Barroso appealed to states to help solve the impasse caused by the rejection of the constitution by French and Dutch voters in 2005.
"What I am saying to member states is: please help us solve this if we are not to create a new set of problems," he said.
Mr Steinmeier also called on states to compromise in order to get a deal and noted that the EU could not let "one country block such important issues".
Poland is not the only country that is giving a headache to German chancellor Angela Merkel, who will chair the summit talks. Britain is also causing concern because of its continued opposition to giving the European Charter of Fundamental Rights legal force.
The EU constitution incorporates the whole text of the charter, but Germany has proposed removing it from the text but retaining the legal status of the charter, which confers new rights on EU citizens.
Britain is also digging in its heels over a plan to remove national vetos over EU decision- making in the sensitive area of police and judicial co-operation.
However, in an interview with the International Herald Tribune yesterday, Mr Barroso hinted that Britain could be allowed an opt- out on this provision.
"As a rule, to have opt-outs is not good, but if it is a solution, I will not be against it," he said.
It is still unclear if Ireland will also ask for an-opt.
The Netherlands, France and the Czech Republic are also seeking changes to the constitution.