Meanwhile, Joseph Daul, leader of the centre-right EPP group - of which the British Conservatives used to be a member - hit out at UK Prime Minister David Cameron.

BBC: Barroso hails 'natural' move towards fiscal union

The address received broad support from centre-right and liberal group leaders Joseph Daul and Guy Verhofstadt, who said that citizens wanted "more not less Europe", and called for the Commission to be more pro-active in coming forward with new legislation to promote economic growth.

BBC: State of the Union address 2010