PM urges swift EU economic reforms

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He said the institutional debate within Europe was "over for the next decade" and declared Britain would remain firmly at the heart of the EU.

The Prime Minister was speaking after his first Brussels talks with European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso and told reporters: "The EU is essential to the success of Britain and a Britain fully engaged in Europe is essential to the success of the EU."

There had been doubts over Mr Brown's commitment to Europe after he turned up late to sign the controversial Lisbon Treaty and because he had taken so long after moving into number 10 to come to the Commission headquarters for a full-blown summit with Mr Barroso.

But the Prime Minister was keen to stress: "It is by standing together we can be a force for stability and justice throughout the world. We should not put at risk the trade, businesses and jobs that flow from our position at the heart of Europe."

The Prime Minister went on: "With the institutional debate over for the next decade we must focus on the issues that really matter to our citizens - prosperity and jobs, security and climate change."

He stressed: "We must accelerate economic reform to enable European citizens and businesses to compete."

He suggested helping small firms by removing the "burden of European regulation" from them and said Europe should lead the way in "building global prosperity", creating a "sustainable world", helping the reconstruction of fledgling nations and leading the fight against global poverty.

He told reporters: "This is an ambitious agenda for the future but I believe with the right political will it is deliverable."

During his visit to Brussels, where he arrived using the new Eurostar high-speed link, Mr Brown also had talks with trade commissioner Peter Mandelson. The two men are said to have nursed a simmering feud since Mr Mandelson backed Tony Blair for the Labour leadership ahead of Mr Brown but aides described the talks as "very constructive" and Downing Street stressed the two speak regularly by telephone.