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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 8653
Contents Publication in full By article 23 / 34
GENERAL NEWS / (eu) eu/eurostat

Favourable decision for Belgium on pensions

Brussels, 25/02/2004 (Agence Europe) - The transfer of company pensions to the State can be accounted for as budgetary income, said Eurostat on Wednesday. This decision should please Belgium, which took on Belgacom's pension fund. However, Eurostat stressed that such a transfer is neutral on the long term, because of the pension payments. The Belgian government evaluated its budgetary surplus as 0.3% of GDP for 2003, including the transfer to the State of five billion EUR held in the...

Contents

A LOOK BEHIND THE NEWS
: Frits Bolkestein's intentions of creating "reinforced co-operation" to standardise company tax base
THE DAY IN POLITICS
(EU) EU/ROMANIA: Mr Cox warns Bucharest that its accession process will be decoupled from Bulgaria's if political problems are not resolved soon
(EU) EP/INSTITUTIONS/SPINELLI: MEPs Napolitano, Frassoni and Watson celebrate 20th anniversary of Spinelli project with witnesses from era
(EU) EP/MIDDLE EAST: MEPs criticise construction of wall protecting Israeli settlers
(EU) EP/PES/SPINELLI GROUP:
(EU) EP/CHECHNYA: Olivier Dupuis calls on EU to examine "Akhmadov" peace plan to put an end to conflict in Chechnya
(EU) EU/AFRICAN UNION: Romano Prodi at African Union Summit
(EU) EP/NATO: Speaking before EP Committee on Foreign Affairs, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer urges strengthened cooperation between EU and NATO
(EU) EU/ESDP: General Perruche replaces General Schuwirth at EUMS
(EU) EU/VENEZUELA: EU expresses concern about process of counting signatures in favour of referendum
(EU) EU/SAUDI ARABIA: Prince Saoud Al Fayçal criticises western prejudice and presses for cooperation against terrorism
GENERAL NEWS
(EU) EU/COMMISSION/STRATEGY 2005/BUDGET: "Annual Strategy Policy" announces budget 2005 will be particularly tight
(EU) EU/TRANSPORT: European Commission to present its third rail package on 3 March
(EU) EU/HUMANITARIAN AID/MOROCCO: Commission releases initial emergency aid of EUR 500,000 for Moroccan earthquake victims
(EU) EU/ENVIRONEMENT/ENLARGEMENT: Commission proposes granting additional deadline to accession states to allow them to implement recycling objectives and packaging evaluation
(EU) EU/USA/FOOD: US embargo on certain meat products and French foie gras introduced same say as European embargo on US chickens and eggs
(EU) EU/ECONOMY:
(EU) EU/LEBANON: "Frank explanations" on political aspects and economic reforms - Lebanon raises " case study" linked to enlargement
(EU) EU/FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVES: Fischler insists Member States should reduce agricultural spending
(EU) EU/GMO: Fischler calls on Member States to give notice of their national legislation on coexistence
(EU) EU/ENLARGEMENT/SOCIAL: Austria limits access to its job market - New Member States relieved by London's decision to open work market, notwithstanding planned restrictions
(EU) EU/SWITZERLAND: EU suspends tax on re-exported goods from Switzerland
(EU) EU/EUROSTAT: Favourable decision for Belgium on pensions
(EU) EU/TRADE: WTO arbitrators agree on EU request for sanctions in dispute over US Anti-Dumping Act - Lamy hopes that US legislation swifly complies and sanctions won't be necessary
(EU) EU/UNITED STATES/TRANSPORT: United States agree to change rules on airline ownership, but uphold their refusal of cabotage
(EU) EU/TRADE: "Anti-dumping" measures proposed on imports of large rainbow trout from Norway and Faeroe Islands
(EU) EP/COMPETITION: Monti places emphasis on reform under way in enlargement perspective and welcomes enhanced dialogue with third countries
(EU) EP/ENLARGEMENT: Brok report generally positive on state of preparedness of ten acceding countries, but still expresses some concern - Report on Bulgaria generally positive
(EU) EP/ENERGY: EP's Committee on Energy keeps co-decision for directive on security of EU gas supply
(EU) EU/AGRICULTURE: Appeal for Community measures to support ornamental horticulture sector
(EU) EU/UNIONS/CYPRUS:
(EU) EU/SOCIAL:
(EU) EU/YOUTH:
€ VALUE IN DIFFERENT CURRENCIES ON 25/02/2004: