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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 8403

19 February 2003
Contents Publication in full By article 9 / 23
GENERAL NEWS / (eu) eu/ecofin
Council suggests United Kingdom should tend toward budgetary position balanced in medium term - Commission declaration

Brussels, 18/02/2003 (Agence Europe) - The Economy and Finance Ministers, who met on Tuesday in Brussels, adopted by qualified majority an opinion on the updated convergence programme of the United Kingdom in which they recommend that the British authorities should tend towards a budgetary position balanced in the medium term, in conformity with the requirements of the Stability and Growth Pact. The Ecofin Council also unanimously adopted opinions on the stability programmes of Spain,...

Contents

THE DAY IN POLITICS
(EU) EU/EUROPEAN COUNCIL/IRAQ: Fifteen adopt conclusions confirming that war is not inevitable but allow that force could be used if Iraq does not fully co-operate at short notice - EU insists on rapid implementation of roadmap on Israeli-Palestinian conflict
(EU) EU/CONVENTION/RACISM:
(EU) EP/EUROPEAN COUNCIL/IRAQ: Satisfaction about signal for unity launched by EU - with some qualifications - don't ignore public opinion - criticism of Jacques Chirac for admonishing candidate countries
(EU) EU/CONVENTION: Mr Lamassoure's initiative on Union's geographic borders
(EU) EP/CONVENTION: "No real political Europe with twenty-five", states Mr Bourlanges, who suggests a Franco-German agreement "open to all"
(EU) EU/CONVENTION/COMMISSION: President Prodi opens public internet debate
(EU) EU/IRAQ/CANDIDATE COUNTRIES: Candidates rally to Fifteen's conclusions on Iraq, which become "common position of enlarged Europe" - candidates' criticism following Chirac's comments
GENERAL NEWS
(EU) EU/EUROGROUP: Twelve willing to coordinate action in event of prolonged rise in oil prices - Divergence overcome on degree of flexibility of Stability Pact and concerns about growth
(EU) EU/ECOFIN: Council suggests United Kingdom should tend toward budgetary position balanced in medium term - Commission declaration
(EU) EU/ECOFIN: Only France and United Kingdom support Commission's suggestion to authorise slight deterioration in budgetary position
(EU) EU/ECOFIN: Disagreement continues on energy taxation - Last lap of negotiations with Switzerland on savings taxation - Agreement on VAT and Lamfalussy procedure
(EU) EU/ECONOMY:
(EU) EU/STABILITY PACT: Commission prepares to caution Portugal on overspending in 2003
(EU) EP/STATE AID/EMPLOYMENT: Chris Huhne accuses Pirelli of receiving unlawful assistance from the Italian government to create jobs in Battipaglia at the expense of the Eastleigh site
(EU) EU/STATE AID: negative decision for Belgian, Dutch and Irish tax systems
(EU) EU/COMPETITION: Mr Monti explains role of competition in airline sector, car distribution and sports events
(EU) EU/REGIONAL POLICY:
(EU) EU/RUSSIA: Romano Prodi goes to Russia
(EU) EU/TRANSPORT: Meeting between European and American officials on protection of air passenger data
(EU) EU/JUSTICE: Commission green paper on standardisation of suspects' rights in penal matters
(EU) EU/COURT OF JUSTICE: Should Advocate General Ruiz-Jarabo have noted conflict of interest when he gave his conclusions in Spanish Golden Share case?
(EU) EU/EUROJUST:
ECONOMIC INTERPENETRATION
€ VALUE IN DIFFERENT CURRENCIES ON 18/02/2003: