Brussels, 23/11/2000 (Agence Europe) - The talks over the 2001 budget started end the end of the Thursday afternoon between the Council delegation, chaired by the French Minister Florence Parly, and the European Parliament delegation chaired by the President of the Budgetary Committee Terry Wynn. It continued into the night. On the menu: Balkans, agricultural spending, employment initiative and payment credits (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.10).
On the even of the Council, Commissioner Mrs Michaele Schreyer told journalists that the Commission "cannot accept that they reduce aid to the other Balkan countries compared to what the Commission had proposed". For as much, the Commission continues to have a waiting stance: "we will wait to see the positions of the EP and Council during the talks", she indicated. The main difference between the Commission and the Council, in fact, cover the aid to the other countries of the region. The Commission modified its initial proposal, which was for EUR 814 million of which 40 for Serbia. Now, with a proposal of 240 for Serbia, it is proposing a total of EUR 839 million: Serbia (240), Kosovo (175), other countries (334), UNMIK (15), marco-economic assistance (75). The COREPER ruled on its side the following figures, for a budgets of 648 million: Serbia (200), Kosovo (230), other countries (209), UNMIK (15) and macro-economic assistance (30). Let us recall that an additional 175 million have just been added to the 2000 budget for Kosovo.
"When the Agriculture Council gathers, it is always expensive" commented the Budgets Commissioner visibly annoyed by the decision over fruit and vegetables (+40 million on the 2001 budget, +177 million in all) and by the Council's desire to make the Commission pay part of cost of the BSE screening tests, while it is "mainly the responsibility of Member States". The financing of tests should not call for too significant extra credits (COREPER moved for 60 million). Though the discussion would be completely different if the Council started to talk of supporting the beef subsidiary.