Felipe González, the former Spanish socialist prime minister, has been named chairman of an independent EU group of experts to review the future challenges facing the Union.
President Vaira Vike-Freiberga (70) and former Nokia chief executive Jorma Ollila (57) were named as deputy leaders of the reflection group.
The so-called "group of wise men" will be tasked with analysing how the EU can respond to key challenges such as the European economy, migration and climate change. EU diplomats said the mandate of the group would not allow it to focus on preparing any new institutional changes to the Union.
But EU leaders remained divided on whether the group, which was the brainchild of French president Nicolas Sarkozy, would be able to reflect on the borders of the EU.
"The issue of borders will inevitably arise," Mr Sarkozy told a press conference after an EU summit in Brussels yesterday. "This is not just about Turkey. Must Europe enlarge indefinitely and if yes, what will the consequences be?"
Moments later, when asked about the group's role in assessing Turkey's EU ambitions, British prime minister Gordon Brown insisted its mandate was restricted to discussing real challenges facing the EU and not "institutional change".
German chancellor Angela Merkel, who like Mr Sarkozy opposes Turkish EU membership, said the group's report "will not influence the further course of accession talks". The reflection group will be composed of no more than nine members and will deliver a report on the future challenges facing the Union between 2020-2030 in June 2010.
Ireland was one of several states that insisted the committee should not start its work until the ratification process of the EU reform treaty was completed for fear it could negatively influence the referendum in the Republic.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said he hoped former Munster MEP and president of the European Parliament Pat Cox would be appointed to the group in the next few months. He had lobbied Mr Sarkozy on the issue recently.
Mr Cox gained the backing of European Parliament president Hans Gert Pottering, who said the group should contain a member who was close to the parliament.