The executive European Commission will call tomorrow for closer coordination to ensure the European Union takes common positions in the UN Security Council, in a move that could irk permanent members Britain and France.
The proposals come six months after a damaging split within the 15-nation bloc over the Iraq conflict, in which the key EU powers were unable to take a joint line at the United Nations.
In a paper proposing ways to increase Europe influence in the world body, the EU executive stops just short of saying member states should be bound to vote the same way, which would be anathema to London and Paris.
The report by External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten, to be published tomorrow, points to "factors which still prevent the EU from 'punching its weight' in the UN, such as the persistence of occasional split votes by EU member states in key UN bodies."
It insists EU states must fully apply Article 19 of their founding treaty, which states: "Member states who are permanent members of the Security Council will, in the execution of their functions, ensure the defence of the positions and the interests of the Union, without prejudice to their responsibilities under the provisions of the United Nations Charter."
"In principle, this implies that there should be no split EU vote on issues covered by a common position" under the bloc's common foreign and security policy, the Commission paper says.
British and French diplomats, who guard their special UN status and veto right jealously, reject any suggestion that they should be made to vote an EU line in the top world body.
The Commission proposes that a future EU foreign minister be given a reinforced role in bringing together member states' positions to avoid split votes on Security Council resolutions.
It also calls for a clearer arrangement for presenting agreed EU positions and more proactive consultation among EU states to maximise consensus on issues discussed in Council.
The report urges an eventual move towards unified EU representation in the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank -- a position regularly opposed by the big member states.
"Against the background of EU economic integration, notably in the euro zone, the lack of an effective EU presence in the (international financial institutions) looks increasingly anachronistic," it says.
Mr Patten says the EU could take the lead more systematically in negotiating and implementing EU targets, as it did in the Kyoto Protocol on climate change or the International Criminal Court, both of which the United States rejected.
He proposes extending such EU leadership to issues such as counter-terrorism, weapons of mass destruction or human rights.
He also suggests more systematic partnership with the United Nations in the field, including joint training and exchanges of personnel.