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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 8558

8 October 2003
Contents Publication in full By article 16 / 50
GENERAL NEWS / (eu) eu/ecofin
Stalemate on reduced VAT rates

Luxembourg, 07/10/2003 (Agence Europe) - The Ecofin Council has confirmed divergences between Member States on new rules for reduced rates of VAT. Germany, Denmark and Sweden are still opposed to extending the list to services benefiting from reduced VAT or extending exception rules (zero rates, super reduced and "parking"). The United Kingdom, Ireland, Belgium, Austria, Finland, Luxembourg and Portugal are insisting that these systems are maintained. Commissioner Frits Bolkestein has...

Contents

A LOOK BEHIND THE NEWS
: Opening of IGC confirmed initial positions, but also shed light on the political and psychological motivation of the various attitudes - a worrying financial link
THE DAY IN POLITICS
(EU) EU/IGC: Formal opening of Intergovernmental Conference tasked with completing constituent process - Spain and Poland defend pre-eminence of States and threaten whole process for a few votes in Council - Chirac, Schröder and Ciampi call on them to assume their responsibility
(EU) EU/SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO: Harri Holkeri proposes organisation of first meeting between Belgrade and Pristina on their "questions of mutula interest" in Vienna on 14 October
(EU) EU/MIDDLE EAST: de Villepin wants speed up of Quartet road map for Middle East in response to suicide attacks against Israel and Israel's military raid on Syria
(EU) EU/DEFENCE: Spokesman for the German government confirms opposition of his country to creation of European "HQ" outside NATO
(EU) NATO/AFGHANISTAN:
(EU) EU/IGC/POLAND: President Prodi reassures Warsaw and Madrid ruling out all link between IGC and next financial perspectives
(EU) EU/IGC: A return to the reference to Christianity on 14 October
(EU) EU/IGC: Giscard d'Estaing repeats there is no alternative to draft Constitution - Spain and Poland should be realistic and moderate
(EU) EU/MIDDLE EAST:
GENERAL NEWS
(EU) EU/EUROGROUP: Twelve favour accelerating creation of 1 Euro note
(EU) EU/EUROGROUP: Confirmation of slow recovery in growth - new Commission forecast end October
(EU) EU/EUROGROUP: French argument over economic reasons for slip of deficit convinces most partners - Commission will take this into account, but continues procedure this Wednesday
(EU) EU/ECOFIN COUNCIL: Contribution to initiative for relaunching growth in Europe - Nordic countries worried about financial implications of projects
(EU) EU/ECOFIN: Political agreement on investment services without United Kingdom, Sweden, Ireland, Luxembourg and FINLAND
(EU) EU/ECOFIN: Stalemate on reduced VAT rates
(EU) EU/TRANSPORT: Maritime security, insurance for air carriers and safety in tunnels on Thursday's Transport Council agenda in Luxembourg
(EU) ACP/EU: Commission to present, on Wednesday, the tabled advantages of integrating the European Development fund into the general budget
(EU) EU/RESEARCH: 65 million EUR for military research
(EU) EU/COMPETITION: Microsoft plans verbal defence
(EU) EU/WTO: Negotiations could continue until 2006
(EU) EP/SOCIAL: Busy social affairs calendar for this autumn
(EU) EU/SOCIAL/ENLARGEMENT: Study published on candidate country legislation on tackling discrimination
(EU) EU/SOCIAL: First meeting of Public Social Platform
(EU) EU/IMMIGRATION: 90 associations call on European Parliament to request cancellation of directive on family reunification
(EU) EU/HEALTH: Paediatricians express concern about lack of legislation on paediatric medicines
(EU) EP/HEALTH:
(EU) EU/EURO:
(EU) EU/CONSUMERS: BEUC calls upon Parliament and Council to give priority to consumer rights in regulation on denied boarding
(EU) EU/ENVIRONMENT: Coalition of NGOs protests at extended authorisation for Paraquat in the Union, and calls for urgent reform of policy on chemicals
(EU) EP/INTERNAL MARKET: Two petitions against software patents
(EU) EU/INTERNAL MARKET: EU "notification" system for trade compatibility for eight accession countries enters into force
(EU) COURT OF JUSTICE: Vassilios Skouris is elected President of the Court of Justice
(EU) EU/COHESION: Commissioner Barnier warns acceding countries there is still a great deal to do before they can fully benefit from Structural Funds
(EU) EU/CINEMA: Cinedays 2003 celebrates European film heritage and cinema (10 to 24 October 2003)
(EU) EP/CULTURE/SOCIAL: Doris Pack calls for directive harmonising circus practice
ECONOMIC INTERPENETRATION
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(EU) Agro-foods:
(EU) Computers:
€ VALUE IN DIFFERENT CURRENCIES ON 07/10/2003: