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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 8416

8 March 2003
Contents Publication in full By article 18 / 38
GENERAL NEWS / (eu) eu/development/cuba
Poul Nielson's first official visit to Cuba- Cuba's accession to Cotonou agreement no problem for Commission

Brussels, 07/03/2003 (Agence Europe) - Poul Nielson, European Commissioner for Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Aid, will make his first official visit to Cuba on 10 to 14 March. He will inaugurate the offices of the Commission's delegation to Havana, to be run by German Sven Kuhn von Burgsdorff, and meet a range of political figures- from President Fidel Castro to the dissident Osvaldo Paya- as well as representatives of Cuban civil society. The Commissioner will also visit...

Contents

THE DAY IN POLITICS
(EU) EU/CYPRUS: Rauf Denktash rejects UN plan ahead of Monday's meeting in The Hague with Tassos Papadopoulos and Kofi Annan
(EU) EU/CONVENTION: Praesidium drafts articles on budgetary issues and area of freedom, security and justice
(EU) EP/IRAN:
(EU) EU/TERRORISM:
(EU) EU/CONVENTION/NETHERLANDS: Mr de Vries insists on democracy and equality between countries - full-time President of European Council and congress
(EU) EU/ENLARGEMENT/CITIZENSHIP:
GENERAL NEWS
(EU) EU/EUROGROUP: In a difficult economic and geopolitical environment, euro states welcome cut in ECB interest rates and prepare to take coordinated action against oil price hikes
(EU) EU/STABILITY PACT: Solbes confirms procedure is open to remedy slide in French public finance - Paris undertakes to bring its deficit below the 3% threshold in 2004
(EU) EU/SPRING SUMMIT/UNITED KINGDOM/FINLAND:
(EU) EU/ECOFIN: Disagreement continues over energy tax - Negotiations with Switzerland on savings tax are nearing completion - Agreement on VAT and Lamfalussy procedure
(EU) EU/ECOFIN COUNCIL: Fifteen avoid re-launching debate on Stability Pact - adoption of report on coordination of budgetary policies
(EU) EU/ECOFIN/BUDGET: Michaele Schreyer announces EUR 7 billion surplus for 2002 budget - Council requests Commission to introduce measures for preventing such large surpluses reoccurring
(EU) EU/ECOFIN: No agreement on reform of the ECB governing council
(EU) EU/SWITZERLAND: Despite some progress, negotiations for Swiss accession to Schengen continue to be hampered by cooperation on tax matters
(EU) EU/TRANSPORT: Eleven Member States are soon to send a letter to the United States concerning Open Skies Agreements
(EU) EU/EMPLOYMENT COUNCIL/SOCIAL: Presidency calls for balanced compromise on three aspects of proposed directive on temporary employment- Germany's key role to break deadlock
(EU) EU/VISAS: Visas for Equadorians, but phased out for Swiss
(EU) EU/DEVELOPMENT/CUBA: Poul Nielson's first official visit to Cuba- Cuba's accession to Cotonou agreement no problem for Commission
(EU) EU/WTO/SERVICES: Lamy explains position on services and investment
(EU) EU/RESEARCH/ENERGY: Cooperation agreement signed between EU and USA on nuclear research - Mr Abraham indicates that so far there has been no use of US oil supplies
(EU) EU/RUSSIA: Troika disappointed by Moscow's attitude to Kyoto protocol
(EU) EU/TRADE PROTECTION: Safeguard against too harsh penalties for unfair practices abroad
(EU) EU/SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: Environment Council prepares contribution to Spring Summit
(EU) EU/TRANSPORT: Meeting between Loyola de Palacio and Secretary General of International Maritime Organisation (IMO) - Commission to propose review of MARPOL Convention
(EU) EU/UNITED STATES/OIL:
(EU) EU/AGRICULTURE/WTO: Despite ambient pessimism, Fischler repeats EU hopes to reach agreement on liberalisation modalities in March
(EU) EU/UNITED STATES: Geopolitical circumstances call for a great deal of cooperation when handling Euro-American trade agenda, Lamy and Zoellick say
(EU) EU/EPIZOOTIES: Extension of control measures on poultry and eggs till at least 13 March in the Netherlands
(EU) EU/ESB: Commission proposes two year extension to special measures in fight against BSB including the ban on meat and bone meal flour
(EU) EU/HUSBANDRY: Portugal fears Community ban on poultry exports
(EU) EU/AGRICULTURE:
(EU) EP/MARCH SESSION: Presidents' Conference made very few amendments to EP plenary agenda- meeting with Mr Kharzai on 17 March
(EU) EP/ENLARGEMENT:
(EU) EU/ITALY/INFORMATION/COURT OF JUSTICE:
(EU) EU/GULF: Session obscured by regional political context - no new business forum
(EU) EU/IMMIGRATION: European Network Against Racism criticises agreement on family reunification
TIMETABLE
(EU) Main European activities from 8 to 17 March 2003:
€ VALUE IN DIFFERENT CURRENCIES ON 07/03/2003: