The main task of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union will be to bring discussions with the European Parliament on the reform of the Stability Pact to a successful conclusion by the end of the EU legislative cycle, after the European finance ministers adopted their negotiating position at the end of December (see EUROPE B13318A13).
Negotiations with the European Parliament will focus on the ‘preventive’ arm of the pact. The Council’s position in this area...