Violent clashes at EU summit

Smoke billows from a bank targeted by protesters

NICE, France -- More than 20 people have been injured in clashes between police and protesters outside the venue of a crucial European Union summit in Nice.

Anti-globalisation activists set a bank alight and attacked fire services when they arrived to put out the blaze.

French President Jacques Chirac condemned the violence as "contrary to democratic principles" as he led European leaders in trying to focus on talks aimed at paving the way for expanding the union.

Up to 10 former communist states and Cyprus, Malta and Turkey are seeking entry to the EU and want clear signals that the current membership is willing to change decision-making processes to ensure fairness in the enlarged bloc.

AUDIO Dr Ulrich Brueckner of Free University, Berlin comments increasing European Union integration. 170K/31 sec. AIFF or WAV sound EU Commissioner Chris Patten speaks of the inevitable enlargement of the European Union. 180K/33 sec. AIFF or WAV sound    VIDEO CNN's Patricia Kelly reports on the EU's attempt to take the next difficult step toward a united Europe Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)    REFERENCE   •  Summit preview   •  Main sticking point   •  Chirac's salvation?   •  On the agenda   •  What do they want?   •  Votes vs. population   •  Jargon glossary   •  EU enlargement map   •  History of EU growth   •  What kind of Europe?   •  France's EU presidency   •  In-depth: Changing face of Europe   •  Message board    ALSO Analysis: What do the protesters want? Nice summit: Battle for Europe's future Nice's biggest sticking point Chirac dogged by corruption scandal

CNN.com's European political editor, Robin Oakley, said the summit is currently facing a deadlock on reforms to the EU's structures.

Protesters are campaigning for more social justice through taxes on global financial transactions.

"We want to block the summit," said one masked protester. "Europe is not a piece of merchandise."

Some in the crowd were armed with baseball bats and Molotov cocktails and others tossed stones, flares and rubbish bins at riot police lined up behind reinforced barricades.

The protesters dispersed after about three hours, with some leaving for nearby Monaco to protest against international tax evasion.

On the facade of the burnt bank, the protesters scrawled slogans in Basque, French and Italian, reading "Long Live ETA," "Death to Money" and "Fascism-Capitalism."

Several other banks and a France Telecom office nearby were aslo daubed with slogans.

Protesters smashed the windows of an estate agent's office across the street, sending the owner and an employee scrambling to the back courtyard for safety.

"I feel discouraged and disgusted," said owner Luc Mercier as he surveyed the damage.

As well as the violence in Nice, around a dozen people were injured on Thursday in clashes on the Italian-French border between police officers and protesters trying to reach the summit.

Medical staff in the border town of Ventimiglia said five protesters were treated for slight injuries. The police said several officers were also hurt.

Officers used tear gas to drive the stone-throwing demonstrators back into a train station where they had spent the night.

On Wednesday, more than 60,000 activists marched peacefully through Nice.

After the summit had begun talks with countries seeking entry to the EU on Thursday, officials spoke pessimistically about the chances for quick progress on the key issues.

European Commissioner Michel Barnier said: "There could be a crisis here. I don't think it will happen, but I can't say it won't." Poland's chief EU entry negotiator Jacek Saryusz-Wolski said failure at Nice would be "fatal" as it would slow down crucially important enlargement preparations.

With member states at odds on key issues they see as vital to their own national interests, the talks are likely to stretch on beyond the summit's scheduled Saturday close.

EU Commissioner Chris Patten said finding a way through the divisions was difficult but possible.

"Every head of government has national interests they want to battle for and there must be trade-offs for an agreement to be reached," Patten said.

But Barnier warned: "The Nice summit will be one of the toughest in the history of Europe."

Reuters contributed to this report.

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EU Nice Summit
European Union
The European Commission
City of Nice, France

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