Brussels, 19/02/2001 (Agence Europe) - "The cost of enlargement to ten countries in 2006 will be between 16 and 25 billion euro" said Commissioner Michaele Schreyer in a speech before the London School of Economics on Friday. She hinted that the EU's financial framework 2000-2006 would have to be reviewed but that the overall ceiling would not have to be exceeded. The figure of 16 billion corresponds, in credit appropriations, what was scheduled in Agenda 2000. However, although she mentions the figure of 16 billion, the Commissioner based her whole speech of the "hypothesis" of 10 accessions in 2004, whereas Agenda 2000 rested on 6 new members in 2002. She presented a minimum scenario, with a budget of some 17.5 billion euro in 2006, and a maximum scenario of 25 billion euro. As these scenarios are in excess of the ceiling provided by the financial perspectives, this financial framework will need modifying, which both the Commission and Council have for now refused to contemplate. The Commissioner, while stressing in her speech the logical consequence of the figure put forward, preferred to stipulate that that, according to Commission estimates, the Community budget would remain below the 1.27% limit of the EU's GNP. The Commissioner recalled that the EU's stance is not to grant direct aid to the farmers of the new Member states while stipulating that "we know that it will be difficult to conclude agricultural negotiations without making some concessions on direct aid or equivalent measures..