Van Rompuy looks for Feb budget summit: sources

(BRUSSELS) - European Union head Herman Van Rompuy is canvassing member states to decide whether to call a summit next month on the bloc's 2014-20 budget after EU leaders dismally failed to reach a deal in November, EU sources said Tuesday.

EU leaders meet February 7-8 for a regular summit and the sources said Van Rompuy wanted to see whether nations could tackle the risky subject with a good chance of success.

"The decision to devote the summit to (the budget) has not been taken yet because Van Rompuy wants to be certain he can get an agreement," said one EU source who asked not to be named.

"He should be in a position to announce his decision on Thursday," the source added.

Van Rompuy is due to meet hardline Finland Premier Jyrki Kaitainen on Wednesday to discuss the budget, Finland's EU office said.

Finland is among a group of countries led by British Prime Minister David Cameron who insist the EU cannot expect a 5.0 percent increase in spending when they are dealing with austerity and economic malaise.

Cameron has instead led calls for sharp cuts, said to be of up to 200 billion euros, from the more than one-trillion-euro seven-year budget.

Van Rompuy said earlier this month that he was working hard on an accord and was optimistic a deal could be worked out in February, or failing that, in the next few months.

A special budget summit in November collapsed in acrimony as member states dashed Van Rompuy's hopes of a compromise.