Brief items for which space was lacking in earlier editions
***Euro/United Kingdom: During the BBC Money Programme, European Central Bank President Wim Duisenberg stated that he still believed it would be in the interest of the United Kingdom to join the euro area, "but it is up to the people of Britain to reach the same conclusion", and observed that, in any case, this is still "years away". Sony Chairman Noboyuki Idei told Tony Blair (whom he met at the Davos Economic Forum) that the delay in British decisions on the euro risked compromising the company's future in Britain.
***EU/United States/Agriculture: "As I read the comments by various American politicians regarding the need to protect the family farm, the rural environment and rural development, I am tempted to write to my friend Dan Glickman, Agriculture Secretary, to tell him that this is multifunctional farming and to welcome his belated conversion to the European philosophy", declared European Commissioner Franz Fischler on 1 February in London, at the annual conference of the British agricultural union NFU.
*** EU/European Commission: In an interview published by the German daily Focus on 31 January, European Commission President Romano Prodi, asked about the controversy created at the time (in German Conservative circles, Ed.) by the appointment of Michaele Schreyer (Greens) as Commissioner, replied: "Scepticism about her, which I never shared, was unjustified. She is competent and German, very German. And I am very pleased with her".
*** Austria/EU/Council of Europe: The Socialist Group of the Committee of the Regions voiced regret over the formation of the ÖVP/FPÖ government in Austria and announced that it would "keep an extremely close eye on the words and deeds" of Jörg Haider. As Minister-President of Carinthia, Haider is a member of the Committee. The Union of Christian Democrat Workers (the "workers' group" in the EPP) expressed similar concern and the President of the Party of European Socialists, Rudolf Scharping, reminded all the democratic political forces in Europe of the principles laid down in the Charter signed last year by the political parties in favour of a non-racist society. Further, the President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Brian Cowen, Parliamentary Assembly President Lord Russell-Johnston and Secretary General of the organisation Walter Schwimmer declared that the new Austrian Government would be judged on its policies, declarations and actions: "the attitudes it would encourage among citizens will also be taken into account" by the bodies of the pan-European organisation, to ensure that the Austrian Government abides by the principles of the Council of Europe, notes a statement.
*** Romania: Former Prime Minister Radu Vasile last week founded the Romanian People's Party, a far-right movement advocating "the central role of the nation and the Church, authoritarianism and the rejection of multiculturalism". The programme of the new party (which defines itself as "Social Christian"), quoted by Agence France Presse, states that "suspicion against foreigners must be considered a natural instinct, because social cohesion can be affected by the presence of foreigners", and states that it favours a "powerful and authoritative executive, who should not share power with another institution".
***France/European Movement: The European Movement-France, presided since December by Anne-Marie Idrac, has set up a new Bureau, whose members include Vice-Presidents Henri Nallet (former Minister), Catherine Lalumière (Member of the European Parliament), Jean-Thomas Nordman (former Member of the EP) and MP Patrick Devedjan. Other Bureau members include MEP Pervenche Berès, former Member of the EP Marie-Claude Vayssade, European Commissioner Pascal Lamy and AFEUR President Robert Toulemon.
*** Jacques Delors 1999 Prize: The Jacques Delors Prize, awarded annually for research on the European Union, has been awarded for 1999, ex-aequo, to Paulo José de Almeidas for his work "O Sistema Político da União Europeia - Entre Hesperus e Bosphorus", and to Sabina de Jesus Pereira dos Santos for "Direito do Trabalho e Política Social na União Europeia".
***EP/Sport: Italian Green Reinhold Messner, Member of the European Parliament, has launched a proposal called "Peace on the Slopes", proposing separate ski slopes for "traditional" skiers and snowboarders, to prevent the increasing and sometimes deadly accidents caused by collisions between practitioners of the two different sports.