France, which on Saturday took over the Union's presidency for a six-month period from Portugal, said that preparing a social agenda for Europe, a five-year plan for modernising and reinforcing labour and a new treaty to get EU institutions ready for enlargement would be its priorties for the period.

The country also aimed to create a consensus on a Charter of Fundamental Rights and on institutional reforms at southern French city of Nice in December, the statement said.

Other French priorities include a bigger role for the 11-member body with more co-ordination of national economic policy and judicial co-operation, it said.

At a time when Western Europe is grappling with illegal immigration and increasing asylum seekers, France also aims to work out a common immigration and asylum policy, the statement said, adding that the presidency would endeavour to deal with the causes of migration flows by co-ordinating policies with the countries of origin and to improve integration of aliens settled officially in EU member-states.

However, the most important task would be to initiate institutional reforms on the size and composition of the European Commission (EC) and extension of qualified-majority in the council, it said.

The EU member-states have agreed in principle to accept more countries, mostly from Central and Eastern Europe.

Another challenging task would be building a single European defence and security area and a common foreign policy, the statement said.

France insists that a stronger Europe calls for development of a common EU security and defence system. The US has not reacted positively to the idea as the new defence initiative would undermine the role of the Brussels-based North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) in which Washington plays a dominant role.

The statement said France would also endeavour to forge strategic partnerships between the Union and its neighbours, particularly Russia, Ukraine and the countries of the Mediterranean.

However, the way before France is not without hitches as differences have appeared within the country over its policies as leader of the EU.

President Jacques Chirac called for framing of a constitution for Europe during his recent address at the German parliament. He also called for creation of a special secretariat, separate from the existing European Commission in Brussels.

-- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA