The European Council president has called this extraordinary meeting to allow the twenty-seven member states to analyse their economic plans for the coming years.

In calling this meeting, Mr. Van Rompuy stated that the economic crisis “has increased the sense of urgency to refocus our efforts and to enhance our co-ordination.”

The EU Council president will outline some of the ideas he heard from European leaders during his round of visits to member state capitals.

 Mr. Van Rompuy believes that all the Union's economies are facing major challenges, given that structural growth is not sufficiently high to create employment and to maintain the European social model.

During the meeting, the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Durao Barroso, will explain the specific proposals the EU executive branch expects to approve in early March.

European leaders will also analyse possible tactics for future global negotiations to deal with climate change issues, based on the outcome of last December's Copenhagen Conference.

The third major issue to be discussed at the meeting is Haiti, where the EU aims to follow its immediate rescue operations with a long-term reconstruction strategy.

Next Thursday's summit will be the first such meeting under Mr. Van Rompuy's presidency, in full application of the Lisbon Treaty.