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EU governments have quietly begun modifying the ill-fated European constitution into something far less ambitious than the charter rejected in 2005 by France and the Netherlands.

The alternative under debate in behind-the-scenes negotiations is far from finished. But what is emerging is a move toward a more modest blueprint for future European integration compared with the ground-breaking ambitions of the failed charter, according to a diplomat familiar with the negotiations. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he did not have authority to discuss the issue publicly.

Germany, which now holds the European Union presidency, has been leading secret negotiations with a handful of officials from each EU nation that point to a minimalist exit from the constitutional stalemate.

Germany is considering abandoning the constitutional idea, opting, instead, for simply amending the EU's founding treaty, the diplomat said.

The prospect of amending treaty pleases some and dismays others - setting the stage for a tough June 21-22 EU summit where German Chancellor Angela Merkel hopes to guide her EU counterparts into a final decision on the way forward.

Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi wants to save as much as possible of the constitution. Critics - such as Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek and Dutch Premier Jan-Peter Balkenende - see the constitution only as a basis for discussion and call for a lowering of the sights. Nicolas Sarkozy, France's new president, wants only a "mini treaty" of housekeeping reforms.

The draft constitution laid out by a European Convention of representatives of governments and parliaments, was approved by the EU leaders in October 2004. It was meant to give the EU more responsibility in foreign, security, justice matters, a fundamental rights charter and fairer voting rules.

Eighteen nations ratified it. The Dutch and French "no" votes in 2005 stemmed from several factors, including its rapid expansion and - especially in France - its embrace of globalization, and left the charter without the required unanimous approval.

Today, Prodi and Balkenende will speak in the European Parliament to rally support for their contrasting viewpoints.

Items from the draft constitution that - under pressure from the Netherlands, Britain and Poland - are to be abandoned are the very symbols some see evoking a European "superstate".

A German-drafted compromise suggests dropping the word Constitution, along with the EU anthem, the EU flag and the idea of turning the EU's foreign policy chief into an EU foreign minister. Also, diplomats say, neither the EU's fundamental rights charter nor the notion of making the EU a legal entity under international law will likely survive.

The EU constitution was designed to give the EU a bigger voice on the world stage. It can move forward without it, but it badly needs new voting rules and other steps to accelerate decision-making in a bloc that has ballooned to 27 nations and 494 million people.

Merkel wants to retain the charter's voting rules, which are designed to reflect national populations more fairly than now, and she wants to continue to let EU members opt out of areas such as justice and home affairs.

Behind-the-scenes negotiations are meant to prevent politicians from grandstanding about a highly sensitive issue, such as a new sharing of power within the EU.

The Czech Republic and Poland fear they will lose clout in the EU if voting rules are adopted that are more proportionate to a country's population. In that case, they say, big countries such as Germany, France and Britain get a relatively larger say.

If the EU leaders agree to changes next month, these would have to be ratified by national governments in 2008 and could take effect in 2009.

(China Daily via agencies May 22, 2007)