Sarkozy attacks federalists in EU

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has criticized European federalists in his final speech to the European Parliament as holder of the EU presidency. "It would be a mistake to want to build Europe against the nation states," he told MEPs, saying he opposed "European fundamentalism". Sarkozy attacks federalists in EU Sarkozy also said the EU's legal guarantees to the Irish people would be added to Croatia's EU accession treaty. Croatia will probably join the EU in 2010 or 2011, he said. At last week's EU summit in Brussels the leaders agreed to give the Republic of Ireland legal guarantees on a range of issues, including state neutrality and family rights, in exchange for an Irish pledge to hold a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.

Sarkozy attacks federalists in EU

Sarkozy also said the EU's legal guarantees to the Irish people would be added to Croatia's EU accession treaty.

Croatia will probably join the EU in 2010 or 2011, he said.

At last week's EU summit in Brussels the leaders agreed to give the Republic of Ireland legal guarantees on a range of issues, including state neutrality and family rights, in exchange for an Irish pledge to hold a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.