Brief items for which space was lacking in earlier editions
*** EU/VAT/culture: French Culture Minister Catherine Traumann said in an interview with the daily "Le Progres" that she would take advantage of the French Presidency of the EU Council to plead in favour of lower VAT rates for records.
*** EU/United States: Gunter Burghardt, new European Commission ambassador to the United States, said, at a ceremony at the White House when taking up his post in Washington, that "European...