The redesign, which will take place on Tuesday, is the paper's first since it converted its tabloid section into a broadsheet in an attempt to give it a more upmarket feel after editor Simon Kelner joined in 1998.
The newspaper is undertaking a change of headline typeface to Augustea and a 15% increase in stories. The leader column, comment, obituaries and letters are all being moved to the first section of the paper.
It will also have a new European page, which will include European politics, features, events and places.
However, Kelner said the newspaper would continue to be a national UK newspaper, despite the new European influence.
He said: "We are a very much a national British newspaper, but one that is more interested in Europe, has a more defined line of Europe and reflects our readers' growing interest in Europe."
The review section of the paper is returning to its original tabloid format and will be 28 pages long. It will contain new science, nature and families sections and it is expanding its media and law sections.
The move has sparked calls that the paper is copying the format of its closest rival The Guardian, which carries a tabloid section, and The Times 2 section, also tabloid.
However, the Independent has so far never got close to the circulations of the other UK daily broadsheets.
It currently has an average daily circulation of 231,221 according to the latest figures from the Audit Bureau of Circulation for the September 2001-February 2002 period. This compares with the Guardian's 417,763, and the Times's 772,452.
Under Kelner's leadership the title has witnessed a steady increase in circulation. In 1998, when he joined from Associated Newspapers, the newspaper had an average ABC of 215,987 for the three months to May 1998.
In 2000, sales had increased to 224,000, but it has failed to achieve the 250,000 target it set itself at the end of that year.
If you have an opinion on this or any other issue raised on Brand Republic, join the debate in the .
_1.jpg)
.jpg)
