Brussels, 19/09/2002 (Agence Europe) - Despite a very full agenda, the next General Affairs/Relex Council will concentrate its work into a single day, 30 September in Brussels (several ministerial sessions of Association Councils are to be held on 1 October).
During the Council, the Vice-Chairman of the European Convention, Giuliano Amato, will take stock before ministers of the state of progress of work by the Convention. Furthermore, EU enlargement will of course be one of the main themes on the agenda, as well as the question of Solidarity Funds proposed by the European Commission for the EU and candidate countries hit by natural disasters (see below). Ministers will also discuss the Commission's proposals on Kaliningrad (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.7), the steel dispute with the United States, and relations with Switzerland (see EUROPE of 9/10 September, p.11). They will also hold an open debate on the link between trade and development (see yesterday's EUROPE, p9, for the proposals by Commissioners Lamy and Nielson).