The eurozone governments, led by France and Germany, have asked the European Convention - a body set up to draft a new constitution for the EU - to consider giving them exclusive voting rights on key economic issues.

The move would diminish the influence on European economic policy of the UK, Sweden and Denmark, the three EU nations which remain outside the eurozone.

Although the 12 eurozone finance ministers hold regular informal meetings, economic policy issues are currently decided jointly by all 15 EU finance chiefs.

The proposals, which reinforce claims from British pro-euro campaigners that remaining outside the eurozone would reduce the UK's clout in Brussels, are likely to run into strong resistance from the three non-eurozone countries.