EU leaders published the latest draft of a constitution for an enlarged Union today, but key issues remain unresolved barely three weeks before the blueprint is to be finished.
The disputed question of who wields power in the European Union - due to expand to 25 members next year - has to be agreed in time for an EU summit in Greece on June 20th.
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The inner-core praesidium of the 105-member convention, headed by former French president Mr Valery Giscard d'Estaing, published its latest draft after three days of discussion last week.
"This text has been approved by the whole praesidium, except for the institutional questions," said Mr Giscard d'Estaing's spokesman, presenting the latest version to reporters at the European parliament.
The trouble is, these "institutional questions" are by far the most hotly disputed - primarily, plans to replace the EU's current rotating leadership with a full-time permanent president, and to create a new job of EU foreign minister.
Smaller EU states fear the plans will only strengthen the domination of the bloc by heavyweight countries such as Britain, France and Germany.
The new version includes amendments on a wide range of points, including some which have led to fierce debate in recent months. The word "federal" for example, which has sparked the ire of euro sceptics who fear domination by a superstate, has been dropped from the latest draft, replaced by the phrase "in the Community way."
The convention spokesman denied however that the change of words - demanded by euro sceptics in Britain for example - would alter the fundamental balance of power between national states and the EU.
Euro sceptics might also take succour from the omission in the new draft of a name-change for the EU. Mr Giscard d'Estaing had suggested "the United States of Europe" - an idea that has not won widespread backing.
Although toning down the federalist language, the latest draft explicitly proposes beefing up joint management of economic policy for the inner core of countries using the euro.
This is likely to raise eyebrows in Britain, whose government is agonising over whether and when to hold a referendum on joining Europe's single currency. Euro sceptics in Britain are also demanding a referendum on the new constitution.
AFP