Packed agenda for EU summit

EU leaders Verhofstadt of Belgium and Berlusconi of Italy are eyeing a busy two days

BRUSSELS, Belgium -- A broad range of issues from international terrorism to the European single currency are on the agenda as European Union leaders meet at their latest summit.

The leaders have gathered amid tight security at a royal palace in the Brussels suburb of Laeken for the two-day meeting, which will also consider the Mideast crisis, plans for a 60,000-strong EU military force and efforts to rebuild war-torn Afghanistan.

Proposals to welcome 12 new members into the 15-state bloc within the next decade are also on the agenda, as is progress in the international coalition against terrorism.

With discussions of the situation in the Balkans and Africa also expected, officials expect the summit to go into overtime.

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Summit chairman Guy Verhofstadt, the Belgian prime minister, told European colleagues in his invitation letter that the agenda "is a particularly heavy one and should see us take important decisions for the immediate and longer-term future of our union."

A pressing issue is the commitment made to the United States to adopt a wide-ranging package of measures to help hunt down terrorist cells operating in Europe.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi had objected to the wide range of crimes covered by a proposed EU-wide arrest warrant, though he backed down this week following massive pressure from his partners to accept the new warrant, which is expected to come into effect by 2004.

The proposal will cover 32 crimes ranging from terrorism to money laundering to child pornography.

Also part of the anti-terrorist package are measures to bolster security at airports and borders as well as drawing up a common definition of what constitutes a terrorist act.

EU leaders are also due to draft a list of European terrorist groups, which some officials told The Associated Press was so sensitive that it was unlikely be resolved at the summit.

On Saturday, the summit will discuss how to launch new reform talks and issue a formal declaration laying out how an expanded Union of 27 members will work. They will also meet with leaders of the 12 candidate countries negotiating to join the EU by 2004.

Police were bracing for protests outside the summit, with tight security in place. Helicopters are flying overhead and water cannons have been deployed on the streets alongside riot police and horse patrols.

Officials said at least 25,000 protesters representing non-governmental organisations and an alliance of protest groups were expected on Friday.

On Thursday, 80,000 trade unionists marched peacefully through the Belgian capital. Police told AP they had detained 43 anti-globalists on Thursday as a precaution.

Under the banner of "Another Europe for Another World," activist groups have joined together in an organisation called D14. The group said EU policies go "against the aspirations of the people" because they pursue capitalism, free trade and the American economic model.

On the EU "rapid reaction force," the leaders are set to declare the first elements of the force operational, a milestone on the road to being able to carry out peacekeeping and crisis management tasks without U.S. involvement.

But Belgian officials told Reuters Greece was still haggling over the terms of a deal negotiated with Turkey that would assure the EU of access to NATO's military planning resources for its operations when the United States is not involved.

EU leaders also plan to review final preparations for the historic introduction of euro notes and coins on January 1.