Brussels, 05/09/2011 (Agence Europe) - On 2 September, the Council of the European Union authorised the payment of a new batch of aid for Ireland and Portugal from the eurozone's bailout fund, following the positive assessments of the two countries' economies by the European Commission, the ECB and the IMF after a fact-finding mission in Ireland in July (see EUROPE 10419) and Portugal in August (see EUROPE 10437).
The EFSF will provide Ireland with €5.5 billion in total, €2.5bn by the...