(BRUSSELS) - Frustrated by wide differences in divorce laws across the bloc, nine EU nations decided Friday to simplify procedures for thousands of couples from each of their countries breaking up each year.

Austria, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Romania, Slovenia and Spain signalled that they would start harmonising laws to ease divorces between their nationals, diplomats and officials said.

Originally, they wanted a deal that would cover all European Union members.

The decision, expected to be formalised next week, was taken at a meeting of EU justice ministers in Brussels, where the differences -- for cultural, religious and historic reasons -- remained as stark as ever.

Around 170,000 couples from different nations divorce each year but the EU has struggled to help end fighting over which court should settle their separation, at an often difficult and emotional time.

"There are 170,000 reasons for us to make progress," French Justice Minister Rachida Dati told reporters after chairing the meeting. "This is a big subject that concerns the public at large in Europe."

Sweden strives to expedite divorces as quickly as possible, while the process can take far longer elsewhere, with some nations demanding a period of separation before any court divorce can begin.

Laws are tougher than most in Poland and Ireland, while Malta does not recognise the right to divorce at all. Adultery is recognised in courts in France, but not in Finland.

Marriage between homosexuals is only recognised in a few member states.

Sweden has taken the strongest stance against harmonised laws, mainly out of concern that other countries offer less protection to the most vulnerable partners, and this still frustrates many ministers.

"No-one disputed the need for people to be protected, for divorces to take place under the same conditions," said Dati, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency, but she gave no clue as to how progress could be made.

Indeed the idea of moving ahead in a pioneer group for the first time -- particularly in an area as charged as family law -- has proved worrisome for some states.

The Czech Republic, Finland, Latvia and Poland are opposed, along with Estonia which fears that the idea of a two-speed Europe would "open up a Pandora's box" in other areas.

Five countries -- Belgium, Germany, Lithuania, Portugal and Slovakia -- are "thinking about" joining up with the nine and forging ahead, an EU official said, on condition of anonymity.

Sweden, perhaps surprisingly, will not oppose them.

"We don't want to have any risk that Swedish citizens or inhabitants of Sweden would not have access to Swedish laws of divorce," affirmed Swedish state secretary Magnus Garner. "Sweden will not take part in that process."

But he added: "We don't have any reason to block that process."

European Justice Commissioner Jacques Barrot noted that it was important to rally wide support for any project before forging ahead on deeper cooperation, and he said the ministers understood the dangers.

"They said that if we have to go down this road, it needs to be done very prudently to avoid any possible risk of Europe being divided over such a major family issue," he said.

Text and Picture Copyright 2008 AFP. All other Copyright 2008 EUbusiness Ltd. All rights reserved. This material is intended solely for personal use. Any other reproduction, publication or redistribution of this material without the written agreement of the copyright owner is strictly forbidden and any breach of copyright will be considered actionable.