European leaders have said they will look to complete the Union's reform agenda despite last week's "no" vote on the Lisbon Treaty in the Irish Republic.

France has outlined a number of issues it wishes to achieve during its six-monthly presidency of the European Union due to begin on July 1.

Telling the French Senate on Tuesday that EU reform "did not stop" with the Irish rejection, France's Europe Minister Jean-Pierre Jouyet said:

"The best way for the French presidency to respond to the preoccupations that have just been expressed is to make Europe more political with more common policies," he said.[source]

President Nicolas Sarkozy has flagged immigration reform, cutting carbon emissions, energy security and increasing Europe's defence capabilities as the main priorities to be tackled during the French presidency.

The possibility of a "no" vote in the Irish referendum on the reforming Lisbon treaty has put pressure on a number of European heads of government, who are keen to see the reforms passed.

French PM Nicolas Sarkozy, whose country will take the six monthly chair of the European Union on July 1, has admitted a negative vote in the Republic of Ireland may derail his country's reform agenda for the EU and has promised a joint response with outgoing president Angela Merkel in the event of such an outcome.

The first votes on outlying islands of the Irish Republic have been cast as the rest of the country prepares to vote on the Lisbon Treaty.

The Irish vote on the Lisbon Treaty on Thursday has enormous ramifications for the future of EU reform with the country the only one to hold a referendum on the issue. Failure to pass the bill would have a knock-on effect on other EU countries and make ratification of the Treaty more difficult.
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