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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 8453

1 May 2003
Contents Publication in full By article 4 / 36
THE DAY IN POLITICS / (eu) ep/defence
Guy Verhofstadt answers criticism from some MEPs on timeliness of "Defence" Summit of Four and insists on opening the initiative up to all Member States and on its compatibility with NATO - The project moves forward: Defence Ministers of the Four work on a seven-point plan - Four draw up report for European Council of Thessaloniki - Should foreign policy or defence policy come first?

Brussels, 30/04/2003 (Agence Europe) - "History will be our judge - we shall see whether it is all a bit of an anticlimax or whether it gives the impetus that people want, i.e. a European defence in the context of NATO", Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt said on Wednesday when speaking to a number of MEPs who felt that his initiative to convene a summit devoted to defence with the participation of only four countries (see yesterday's EUROPE and EUROPE/Documents annexed to today's...

Contents

: Our offices will be closed on Thursday 1st May, Labour Day. The next bulletin, EUROPE No 8454, will be dated Saturday 3rd May, 2003.
THE DAY IN POLITICS
(EU) EU/GYMNICH: Informal meeting of Foreign Ministers in Rhodes and Kastellorizo should allow stock to be taken on Iraq, Middle East, transatlantic relations, defence and the Balkans
(EU) EU/IRAQ: First humanitarian aid flight to Baghdad, carrying pharmaceutical and medical products, is imminent
(EU) EP/DEFENCE: Guy Verhofstadt answers criticism from some MEPs on timeliness of "Defence" Summit of Four and insists on opening the initiative up to all Member States and on its compatibility with NATO - The project moves forward: Defence Ministers of the Four work on a seven-point plan - Four draw up report for European Council of Thessaloniki - Should foreign policy or defence policy come first?
(EU) EU/CONVENTION/COMMISSION: Commission examines its response to Praesidium's institutional proposals
(EU) EU/ENLARGEMENT: Presidents of candidate country parliaments discuss final preparations for accession and reform of EU with EP and Commission
(EU) EU/PALESTINE: Commission changes aid for Palestine - EU supports new Palestinian government
(EU) EU/MYANMAR: Council tightens up sanctions on Burmese junta with suspension clause until 29 October 2003
(EU) EU/NATO:
GENERAL NEWS
(EU) EU/COMPETITION: Competition Department reorganisation will be effective by 1 May 2004
(EU) EU/COMPETITION: Green Light to setting up Toll Collect
(EU) EU/COMPETITION: Commission clears Siemens/Drägerwerk hospital equipment venture subject to divestitures
(EU) EU/STATE AID: Inquiry into aid planned for Peugeot plant (cars)
(EU) EU/STATE AID: Investigation into Italian shipbuilding guarantee scheme
(EU) EU/HEALTH: Health Ministers meeting on SARS planned for 6 May
(EU) EU/BUDGET 2003: Ms Schreyer presents quite tough preliminary budget to meet needs resulting from enlargement
(EU) EU/EMU: Commission concerned at increase in Austria's public deficit
(EU) EU/UNITED STATES/WTO: Lamy and Zoellick hope to bring talks out of deadlock
(EU) EU/JUSTICE: Discussions on racism and xenophobia are suspended in Council
(EU) EU/JUSTICE: Right of accused is one of the priorities of Italian Presidency
(EU) EU/EGYPT: Meetings with Egyptian Minister of foreign affairs regarding cooperation
(EU) EU/UN/DEVELOPMENT: Commission and UN sign new framework agreement for strengthening their partnership
(EU) EU/ECONOMY:
(EU) EU/FARMING: EU agrees on prices for sugar from ACP countries
(EU) EU/BALKANS: Free access is suspended for sugar from Serbia and Montenegro
(EU) EU/France: Jean-Pierre Raffarin argues in favour of restaurant owners and farmers
(EU) EU/ECONOMY: Current accounts in surplus again in February
(EU) EU/ECONOMY:
(EU) EU/ECONOMY:
(EU) EU/ECB/EURO:
(EU) EP/EMPLOYMENT: Hearing on free movement of persons in EU shows irrefutable need to simplify and modernise Regulation 1408/71 on coordination of social security systems for those who move around within the EU
(EU) EU/FUTURE OF EUROPE: European Movement reasserts need for Europe of solidarity
(EU) EU/LOBBIES/COMMISSION: Burston-Marsteller Brussels suggests that lobbyists should make more effort to be effective when lobbying Commission officials
(EU) EU/CULTURE:
SUPPLEMENT
EUROPE/Document No. 2316: Conclusions of Summit on Defence between France, Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg, on 29 April 2003 in Brussels
€ VALUE IN DIFFERENT CURRENCIES ON 30/04/2003: