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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 8592

26 November 2003
Contents Publication in full By article 17 / 36
GENERAL NEWS / (eu) eu/jha council
Council Thursday and Friday - difficult discussions on asylum procedures, questioned by HCR and NGOs - text on drugs could be blocked

Brussels, 25/11/2003 (Agence Europe) - Little progress is expected in Thursday's Council on the difficult discussions on the harmonisation of asylum request processing procedures, whereas the options and derogations added by Member States along the way are of serious concern to protectors of refugees' rights. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Ruud Lubbers, met European Commissioner Antonio Vitorino on Tuesday to inform him of his grave misgivings (yesterday's EUROPE, p.12, and of 5...

Contents

A LOOK BEHIND THE NEWS
: While awaiting the Italian Presidency's compromise on Europe's constitution
THE DAY IN POLITICS
(EU) EU/IGC: Mr Frattini's indications on Naples package
(EU) EP/IGC: Mr Barnier salutes Mr Frattini's "voluntarism" in front of national and European MPs - Over 60% of the population to calculate qualified majority "unacceptable", says Mr Vitorino
(EU) EU/IGC: London prepared to veto EU Constitution if necessary - Dominique de Villepin expresses confidence in outcome of Naples
(EU) EU/DEFENCE: France and United Kingdom in support of EU rapid reaction force deployable in two weeks
(EU) EU/UNITED STATES: Barnier proposes Euro-American discussion group
(EU) EU/IGC/EPP: Convention members call on EPP family
GENERAL NEWS
(EU) STABILITY PACT: Ecofin Council decides to suspend excessive debt procedure against France and GERMANY
(EU) EU/ECOFIN: Council calls on Commission to prolong current reduced VAT rate
(EU) EU/ECOFIN: Compromise on "transparency" directive, precluding need for companies to publish figures every three months
(EU) EU/STABILITY PACT/GERMANY: CDU incensed by Eurogroup's indulgence - no room for Pact in Constitution, says Mr Lipietz
(EU) EU/BUDGET 2004: Agreement on sum total and funding of aid to Iraq - Council gets Parliament to agree to extra credits for CFSP and increase in payment appropriations restricted to 2.3%
(EU) EU/CULTURE COUNCIL: Progress on future of European cultural and audiovisual policies - Political agreement on promotion of organisations active at European level in field of culture
(EU) EU/RESEARCH: Will research ministers choose between Cadarache and Vandellos for site for international ITER reactor?
(EU) EU/SPACE: Signing of ESA/EU agreement
(EU) EU/FRAUD/TERRORISM:
(EU) EU/JHA COUNCIL: Council Thursday and Friday - difficult discussions on asylum procedures, questioned by HCR and NGOs - text on drugs could be blocked
(EU) EU/WTO: In synthesis document, Commission could decouple Singapore subjects from Doha Agenda, to be negotiated on voluntary basis
(EU) EU/EP/ENVIRONMENT: Parliament officially launches European campaign against Spanish hydrological plan under "Blue Embassy" banner
(EU) EU/ENVIRONMENT: Commission proposes to make collection and recycling of all batteries compulsory in the Union
(EU) EP/AUDIOVISUAL/REGIONS:
(EU) EU/AFRICA: Support for NEPAD and EU/Africa summit are priorities for future Irish presidency
(EU) EU/VIETNAM: Expanding dialogue, setting up "human rights" sub group
(EU) EU/HUMANITARIAN AID: EUR 11.5 million for different countries
(EU) EP/COHESION: Commissioner Barnier expects "limited" losses in structural funds at end of year
(EU) EU/PTO: Commissioner Bolkestein feels Council and EP compromise over takeovers empties text of meaning, and considers withdrawing his proposal
(EU) EP/TRANSPORT: Loyola de Palacio calms EP Transport Committee concerns over 'Quick Start' programme
(EU) EP/COHESION: Commissioner Barnier calls for postponement of communication on financial perspectives and cohesion report till January
(EU) EP/EUROSTAT: Ms Reding denies all responsibility in OPOEC affair
(EU) EP/MEDICINES: Corbey continues to demand derogation for period protecting data in future Member States
(EU) EU/COMPETITION: Dialogue begins with China
(EU) EU/COMPETITION: Addressing Japanese leaders, Monti recommends intensification of fight against cartels
(EU) EU/COURT OF JUSTICE: After Greece, Spain is second Member State to be found guilty of failure to comply with Court ruling
(EU) EU/COURT OF JUSTICE: Netherlands is found guilty of having ill-managed fight against swine fever in 1977
(EU) EU/COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE: Company which organises Formula 1 races on Nürburgring circuit calls for directive on tobacco advertising to be annulled
€ VALUE IN DIFFERENT CURRENCIES ON 25/11/2003: