National governments are scrutinising the draft

The unveiling of the plans for reform of the European Union marks the start of intense negotiations between the member states.

The proposals are designed to lead to a new constitution for the EU that will streamline its working before it expands next year from 15 to 25 countries.

But the draft is likely to be opposed in some quarters, particularly in Britain where a political row has broken out over the latest proposals.

DRAFT PROPOSALS Powerful EU president EU foreign minister Common foreign policy Tax harmony More qualified majority voting Legally binding charter of rights EU to have "legal personality" Have your say on referendum Excerpts: Draft constitution EU battle for power

Eight of the 15 EU countries, including the UK, oppose the idea of a public prosecutor.

The idea is to have a network of lawyers who could, for example, pursue across borders big criminal cases involving EU money.

In Britain, the opposition Conservatives insist there should be a referendum on all the plans, which they say pave the way to an EU "superstate".

Proposals for an elected EU president, an elected foreign minister and backing for a common foreign policy were publicised on Monday.

List of concerns

The plans unveiled in Brussels on Tuesday would make the existing Charter of Fundamental Rights legally binding in all EU countries.

But it goes further on workers' rights and social policy, and that could mean a European judge having the final say on workers' right to strike in member countries.

BBC Europe correspondent Tim Franks says it may be tricky to sort out the legal status of the charter of fundamental rights.

EUROPEAN CONVENTION Chaired by Valery Giscard d'Estaing Holding year-long discussions Aims to simplify treaties Trying to decide balance of power between Brussels and governments More about the convention

Britain believes the charter's list of entitlements could undercut its existing labour laws.

The plans also extend qualified majority voting (QMV) in EU-decision-making, notably to asylum policy.

Already well over half the decisions taken on EU policy are subject to QMV, including everything involving the running of the single European market.

Eurosceptics fear extending QMV to more policy areas is a move towards centralised European control of domestic policy.

"Claims for asylum are by definition international and need to be dealt with across borders" said a UK Government spokesman.

Blair says he has his veto ready

"But immigration policy is very much a domestic legal area and we want any EU decisions on immigration to continue to require unanimous agreement."

The UK Government also refuses to countenance the plan to end the veto on co-ordinated social security policy and certain areas of taxation.

The European Parliament's powers are enhanced too, with the number of policy areas in which MEPs have equal say with EU ministers more than doubled from 34 to 70.

F-word dropped

National governments will now spend the next few months trying to hammer out a final agreement on the plans.

References to a "federal" Europe were dropped from the draft at UK Prime Minister Tony Blair's request after a meeting with the EU convention chairman, former French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing.

Calls to rename the EU as "United Europe" have also been dropped.

On foreign policy, the draft says EU states should "actively and unreservedly" back a common foreign and security policy.

Another president, of the European Commission, would also be elected by the European Parliament.

On the economy, the draft says: "The Union shall co-ordinate the economic policies of the member states, in particular by establishing broad guidelines for these policies."

The 148 pages of proposals have been drawn up over 15 months by the 105 members of the convention, including government ministers, Euro MPs, MPs and the European Commission.

The UK Government has said it will veto any plans which it believes are not in British interests.

The draft will be considered by EU leaders at a summit in Greece in June and it is hoped a final agreement can be reached by the end of the year.