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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 8849

16 December 2004
Contents Publication in full By article 4 / 43
THE DAY IN POLITICS / (eu) eu/european council
Presidency hopes to announce agreement on Turkey on Thursday evening - Short exchange of views with Kofi Annan on Friday morning

Brussels, 15/12/2004 (Agence Europe) - The Heads of State and Government of the EU, meeting on 16/17 December for the European Council under the chairmanship of the Dutch Prime Minister, Jan Peter Balkenende, will get into the heart of the matter with a working dinner at 7.45pm, during which the Dutch Presidency hopes to obtain agreement on the two main questions still outstanding on Turkey, which are the date for accession negotiations to open (October 2005 or thereabouts looks likely, see...

Contents

THE DAY IN POLITICS
(EU) EP/TURKEY: 407 MEPs in favour of open-ended talks, 262 against - "No" to privileged partnership - Political criteria take priority - Demands concerning recognition of Cyprus, Kurds, minorities and religious communities, Armenian genocide
(EU) EP/UKRAINE:
(EU) EP/EUROPEAN COUNCIL: Summit expected to indicate "clear date" for opening negotiations with Turkey - Barroso warns that 1% budgetary ceiling would mean reduced objectives - Nicolai highlights EU values and fight against terrorism - polemic on secret ballot demanded by EPP-ED on Turkey
(EU) EU/EUROPEAN COUNCIL: Presidency hopes to announce agreement on Turkey on Thursday evening - Short exchange of views with Kofi Annan on Friday morning
(EU) EU/IRAN: Talks resume on trade and cooperation agreement - EU wants "objective guarantees" on nuclear programme
(EU) EU/BURMAH: New EU appeal for release of Burmese civil rights militant Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
(EU) EU/ISRAEL:
(EU) EU/BELARUS:
(EU) EU/SUDAN: Still concerned about humanitarian situation in Darfur, Council reiterates threat of targeted sanctions - promise of support for getting Sudan back on its feet
(EU) EU/SOMALIA: EU welcomes Somali progress to setting up federal state
(EU) EU/AFRICA/GREAT LAKES: Council condemns military incursions by Rwanda into DRC - EU ready to take part in summit meeting between two countries, convened by UN
(EU) EU/DEFENCE: Council confirms setting up planning unit for EU civil and military operations - also seeking to strengthen EU civil capability by 2008
(EU) EU/DEFENCE: Council conclusions on proliferation of weapons of mass destruction
GENERAL NEWS
(EU) EP/FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVES: No "internal discussion" at Commission on ceiling for expenditure, says Dalia Grybauskaite, who hopes for political agreement in June 2005 - Little support among MEPs for six austerity States
(EU) EU/INTERNAL MARKET:
(EU) EU/BUDGET 2005: Decision confirming use of budgetary flexibility is adopted to finance aid to Iraq
(EU) EU/FISHERIES: Commission kicks off reflection on simplifying rules for Common Fisheries Policy
(EU) EU/FISHERIES: Only Belgium and Italy have not reached their targets for reducing fishing capacity in 2003
(EU) EU/STATE AID: Commission investigates aid to Czech steel company
(EU) STATE AID: Investigation into French tax regime of "tax GIEs"
(EU) EU/COMPETITION:
(EU) EU/COMPETITION:
(EU) EU/AGRICULTURE: Commission validates EUR 829 million in French State aid for public rendering service
(EU) EU/STATE AID: Commission declares Bavarian aid to circles for exchange of farm machinery is partially incompatible with rules
(EU) EU/TRANSPORT: Reasoned opinion to Greece in combined transport
(EU) EU/ECONOMY:
(EU) COUNCIL OF EUROPE:
(EU) EU/TRANSPORT: Council agrees on Community air traffic controller licence
(EU) EU/AIR TRANSPORT: Reasoned opinions for Germany, Finland, Italy and Portugal on conclusion of aviation agreements with third countries
(EU) EU/TRANSPORT: Commission takes five Member States to Court over aircraft noise
(EU) EU/TRANSPORT: Yes to first restructuring phase of Transportes Aereos Portugueses
(EU) EU/TRANSPORT: Eight Member States before Court over maritime safety
(EU) EU/TRANSPORT:
(EU) EU/USA: New consultations on Aribus/Boeing in January - Mandelson undelines that it's going to be either negotiations or litigation at WTO but not both
(EU) EU/INTERNAL MARKET: Spanish law prevents existing shareholders preferential right to buy new shares
(EU) EU/INTERNAL MARKET: Developments in talks on "Services" directive reassure Austrian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(EU) EU/TAXATION: Spain must repeal law exempting Catholic Church from VAT, said Maurizio Turco
(EU) EU/SUMMIT/EMPLOYERS: UNICE calls on Heads of State and Government to implement structural reforms needed to make success of Lisbon
(EU) EP/MEDIATION: Evelyne Gebhardt, mediator in international child kidnapping cases
(EU) EU/EDUCATION: Adoption of "Maastricht communiqué" promised increased cooperation on vocational training
(EU) EU/CULTURE: Barcelona hosts European Film Awards 2004 with Viviane Reding
(EU) EU/AUDIO-VISUAL: European audiovisual observatory points out that growth in European audio-visual sector slowed in 2002
€ VALUE IN DIFFERENT CURRENCIES ON 15/12/2004: