Paris:  Saying "something isn t right" with Europe, President Nicolas Sarkozy today called for profound changes in building the European Union as France was poised to take the helm of the 27-nation bloc.

"There have been errors in the way that Europe has been built," Sarkozy acknowledged during a television interview on the eve of the starting day for the six-month French EU presidency.

The European project has become a source of concern to citizens who are wondering whether national institutions can better protect them from the ill effects of globalisation than European ones, he said.

Calling such thinking a "step backward," Sarkozy said: "We must therefore profoundly change our way of building Europe."

Sarkozy was hoping to lead the European Union into a new era of strength and unity, but Ireland's rejection of a key treaty meant to streamline EU decision-making has all but thwarted his ambitious agenda.

"Something isn't right. Something isn't right at all," he said.

The French EU presidency's "first priority" is to find a way out of the Irish conundrum, said Sarkozy.

"Ireland's No has complicated our task."

Sarkozy is due to travel to Ireland on July 11 to hear first hand the concerns of Irish voters, a day after he presents the priorities of the French EU presidency in an address to the EU parliament in Strasbourg.

France and Germany have called on EU countries to continue ratification of the Lisbon Treaty despite Ireland s No vote and Sarkozy is expected to spend much of his time as EU president working to salvage the key charter.

Source : PTI