The European Union has agreed to sign a free trade pact with South Korea and grant Pakistan trade concessions after floods.
However, a row over France's deportation of Roma migrants marred today's one-day summit of EU leaders in Brussels.
Diplomats said the dispute pushed into the background planned discussion of EU budget rules, intended to prevent a new financial crisis. However, leaders did adopt a statement calling for efforts to keep up momentum on the reforms.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that Berlin would not agree to an extension of a safety net set up to protect eurozone countries that needed a bailout.
This means work on reform of the 16-country eurozone will continue after a task force led by European Council President Herman Van Rompuy presents its recommendations on reforms next month.
The Commission will present its own proposals on 29 September.
The agreement on trade issues was a boost for the EU at a meeting where leaders discussed ways to enhance the bloc's role in global affairs - in particular relations with emerging powers such as Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Korea.
Member states secured Italy's backing for the free trade pact with South Korea, reaching a compromise to delay by six months the introduction of an agreement that Rome fears could hurt its car industry.
'This is the first generation of bilateral trade agreements which will bind Europe and Asia together in an ever-closer economic bond.
'This is a very big step in opening markets in Asia for our companies,' said Belgian Foreign Minister Steven Vanackere.
EU officials say the agreement will create about €19bn of new exports for EU producers and combined EU-South Korea trade in goods was worth about €53bn in 2009, according to EU figures.
The deal is due to be signed at an EU-South Korea summit in Brussels on 6 October and will come into force from 1 July, 2011.
The 27 member states also agreed to grant trade concessions to Pakistan, but the Commission will have to work with the World Trade Organisation to finalise how they will be implemented and ensure trade rules are not violated.
'We want to give maximum support, more aid and more trade. We want Pakistan to recover now,' Mr Van Rompuy said referring to the devastating floods in Pakistan.
Roma row
An angry exchange between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso over the Roma issue overshadowed these agreements.
'Sarkozy made a strong point defending France's position. José Manuel Barroso stood up and said he was not happy with the current situation in France. Sarkozy replied in a sharp manner,' one diplomat said of the clash.
A dispute had been simmering all week over France's deportation of about 8,000 Roma migrants to Romania and Bulgaria in a crackdown on crime.
The Commission has accused France of breaking EU law and threatened legal action.
French leaders were angered by a statement by EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding, who urged France not to return Europe to the climate of WWII.
