The leaders of Germany, France and the UK have rejected charges that they are trying to grab power in the EU.
Gerhard Schroeder, Jacques Chirac and Tony Blair were speaking after talks in Berlin this evening on the future of the European Union and other major issues.
The meeting prompted concerns from some European leaders that the three were trying to dominate an expanded EU.
The leaders rejected the charge but called for urgent EU economic reforms.
Earlier the three leaders called for the appointment of a high-level European commissioner charged exclusively with pushing through economic reforms.
The leaders said their proposed commissioner, who would also act as European Commission vice president, would not only coordinate but also intervene in any area that affected the bloc's economy
The proposal is contained in a letter to the Irish EU presidency and European Commission President, Romano Prodi.
