- By Jessica Parker
- BBC correspondent in Brussels
Britain is considering whether it will take part in Europe’s new political ‘club of nations’ next month.
The first meeting of the “European Political Community” is to be held in early October in Prague.
Downing Street wants more details about the summit before Prime Minister Liz Truss commits to attending and no final decision has been made.
The European Political Community is an idea defended by French President Emmanuel Macron.
He proposed it, in May, as a “new space” for cooperation.
Mr Macron suggested the group could discuss security, energy and transport as well as the movement of people, particularly young people.
The overall intention is to establish a forum that extends beyond the immediate 27 EU member states.
Similar ideas have been circulating for decades, but this is the first major push for such a forum since Brexit.
British officials are reportedly seeking assurances that the meeting will not be too dominated by EU countries or institutions.
Britain would like to see other “big players” from outside the EU present.
All 27 EU members are expected to be invited, as well as the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey.
Six Western Balkan countries are also expected to be invited, alongside Iceland, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
EU officials told the BBC that a “to remember” memo had been sent to capitals, with formal invitations to follow.
But before responding, there are signs that Britain also wants to consult the Ukrainian government, as well as the defensive military alliance, NATO.
The inaugural meeting of the “European Political Community” will take place on October 6 in the Czech capital Prague.
The Czech Republic currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Council.
A provisional agenda suggests discussions would focus on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the economy and Europe’s energy crisis.
However, there are few details on what such a “political community” would look like in the long term.
Critics within the EU are wary of what they see as a “vague” French-led project.
France, a notorious skeptic of EU expansion, is also suspected of wanting to create a “parking lot” for countries aspiring to join the European Union.
EU leaders insisted the community would not “replace” its enlargement policy.
Ukraine officially became an EU candidate country in June, while many Western Balkan countries have been trying to join the bloc for years.
Bringing Britain around the table to discuss the fundamental problems facing the continent is now a key objective, according to some European diplomats.
It is hoped that the bleak economic outlook and energy crisis will bring Liz Truss to the table.
However, there are fears that the new British Prime Minister will end up refusing the offer, partly to avoid upsetting some conservative Eurosceptics.
The timing was also raised as an issue, with the summit taking place just a day after the Conservative party conference.
Ms Truss had previously rejected the idea of British involvement.
As foreign secretary, she declared NATO and the G7 to be the UK’s “key” military and economic alliances.
His predecessor as Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, appeared to express interest in the proposal, even claiming “authorship”.
The new British government has so far paid “limited” attention to this issue, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Ms Truss is expected to meet in the coming days with President Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Relations between Brussels and London have been strained by the row over post-Brexit arrangements for Northern Ireland; a question the two men should discuss.
