The EU must now "get on with things that the citizens of Europe worry about", Tony Blair has said.

Decisions on the EU constitution should only be taken once politicians have convinced the public they can deal with "bread and butter" issues, the prime minister added.

Speaking after talks in Brussels with other national leaders, he said the EU had agreed with the British government's view.

"My suggestion is to get to those issues that people are worried about, concentrate on them, and then, when we need people's consent to change the constitution, we have a better chance of getting it," he said.

The strategy was first outlined in his speech to the European parliament when Britain took over the EU presidency last year.

A decision on the EU constitution will be delayed until 2008.

The 25 leaders formally agreed that the 'period of reflection' begun after voters in France and Holland rejected the document last year should be extended.

Blair said the summit had effectively agreed a "twin track approach" to the future of Europe, dealing with issues of concern to voters while continuing to work on a revised constitution.

"This allows us now to get on with things that the citizens of Europe worry about and, of course, to consider what rules are appropriate in a Union of 25 and, in time, 27," he said.

The prime minister also accepted that sooner or later, the EU will have to revise its constitutional agreements.

The delay is likely to put the controversial subject centre stage at the next general election, when Gordon Brown is expected to be trying to win a fourth term for Labour.

"No doubt the union is going to have to change its rules," said Blair.

"Europe needs new rules, but what form these rules take remains an open question and we are right to reflect on that."

Foreign secretary Margaret Beckett, speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, had earlier said more time was needed to find a way forward.

She conceded some elements of constitutional reform could go ahead in the meantime, but said they would not be introduced "in some kind of surreptitious way".

"No government at the moment is talking about proceeding with anything that needs a new legal base but there are one or two other things it might be very sensible to do," she said.

She cited a possible proposal to tackle drug trafficking as an example, but said the UK would continue to safeguard its veto on issues like crime and justice.

The Austrian presidency has set the next date for discussing the constitution as June 2007, with a final decision in late 2008.

Next year marks the EU's 50th anniversary, when governments will make a political statement about the EU model.

The Austrian president said this would "serve as guidance for us to later develop the constitution".