The body drawing up a European Union constitution proposed today an unprecedented clause which would allow member states to opt out of the bloc, in a move aimed at euroskeptics.
Under the draft clause, to be considered by the 105-member convention on the future of Europe, any EU member state could withdraw from the bloc "in accordance with its own constitutional requirements."
"A member state which decides to withdraw shall notify the Council of its intentions," says the draft article, referring to the EU's council of ministers of member states.
"Once that notification has been given, the Union shall negotiate and conclude an agreement with that State, setting out the arrangements for its withdrawal," said the proposed clause.
The deputy head of the convention, Mr Jean-Luc Dehaene, said the clause was specifically drawn up with euroskeptics in mind.
"In a number of countries where there is a discussion about belonging to the Union, where there is a certain euroskepticis, apparently, it could be an important argument psychologically as regards not being trapped in the Union," he said.
The idea of opt-out clause was first floated last year by Mr Valery Giscard d'Estaing, the former French president who heads the convention
"If a state believes it is better for it to leave the union, it can exit... there would be no obligation to remain," he said at the time.
Euroskeptics in the convention, meeting in plenary session in Brussels yesterday and today, immediately criticised the tough conditions laid down for any country wanting to opt out.
Under the clause an accord for a member state's request to opt out of the EU would have to be agreed by the council of ministers by qualified majority, after being backed by the European parliament.
Once that been completed the state would not longer participate in the council of ministers, and the country would no longer be bound by the new EU constitution.
The convention is in theory aiming to draft the future constitution by June, but that target date appears increasingly unlikely to be met.
AFP