Brussels, 16/07/2003 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, inn the last phase of the long process allowing adoption of the tax package on 3 June this year, the Council adopted two decisions on Italian milk quotas and Belgian coordination centres. Italy had, after rallying to the tax package, secured reimbursement of the debt that its farmers had incurred for exceeding quotas to be spread out over 14 years without interest (see EUROPE of 4 June, p.6). Formal adoption of this Council decision, under Article 88 of the Treaty, had however been blocked by Belgium. It hoped a similar decision would be taken concerning the extension under 31 December 2005 of contracts concluded by centres ensuring financial and administrative coordination of multinational groups. The Council finally adopted a decision allowing Belgium to keep the tax relief granted to such centres, considering that without new aid the international groups are "likely to end their activities in this country" and that "abrupt closure of contracts should be avoided". The Commission will take the matter before the Court (see following article).