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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 8901

4 March 2005
Contents Publication in full By article 10 / 37
GENERAL NEWS / (eu) eu/eurogroup/stability pact
Optimism in home straight of Pact negotiations at ministerial level - Definition of factors to be taken into account remains stumbling block

Brussels, 03/03/2005 (Agence Europe) - The decisive negotiations on the Stability and Growth Pact at ministerial level will take place on Monday and Tuesday of next week on the basis of a proposal to be sent by the Luxembourg Presidency to the Member States on Sunday evening. The majority of parties to the dossier - the Member States and the Commission - share the optimism of the Presidency of the EU Council on the goodwill and the chances that the Finance Ministers will arrive at a clear...

Contents

A LOOK BEHIND THE NEWS
A Look Behind The News, by Ferdinando Riccardi: It's Africa's time, as long as the commitment's mutual
THE DAY IN POLITICS
(EU) EU/TURKEY: Commission calls on Turkey to initial protocol to customs union before Troika's visit - Turkey responds that initialling does not exist within its Constitution
(EU) EU/CROATIA: Stipe Mesic continues attempts to seduce EU - EU/Croatia parliamentary committee meets in Zagreb on Thursday and Friday
(EU) EP/LEBANON: ALDE and Green groups feel that Syria's withdrawal from Lebanon should be prerequisite of signing of association agreement
(EU) EU/IRAQ: EU mission “EUJUST LEX” to Iraq to start on 1 July at latest
(EU) EU/MOLDOVA: EU has concerns about electoral campaign
(EU) EU/EPP PARTY: European People's Party opens its doors to Moldovan Christian Democrats
(EU) EU/GEORGIA:
(EU) EU/MONTENEGRO:
GENERAL NEWS
(EU) EU/EUROGROUP/STABILITY PACT: Optimism in home straight of Pact negotiations at ministerial level - Definition of factors to be taken into account remains stumbling block
(EU) EU/ECOFIN COUNCIL: Ministers to continue preparations for European Council and likely to recommend that Hungary take new measures to reduce excessive deficit
(EU) EU/SOCIAL COUNCIL: Ministers adopt document for Spring Council - Germany, France and UK enter reservations on progress
(EU) EU /SERVICES: Commission will await outcome of Parliament's first reading of services directive before amending its proposal
(EU) EU/SOFTWARE PATENTS: Restarting the legislative procedure would create “chaos” according to Charlie McCreevy, who would like to see Council formalise its agreement of June 2004
(EU) EU/COMMISSION: Lisbon strategy, The Hague programme, constitution, 2007-13 budget and Doha Agenda on menu for 2006
(EU) EU/STATE AID: Commission calls on Germany, Ireland and Netherlands to clarify mission and funding of public broadcasting bodies
(EU) EP/SERVICES: CDU/CSU plead for “positive list” of services governed by principle of State of origin, FDP against - PES group welcomes Commissioner McCreevy's statements
(EU) EU/AIR TRANSPORT: Commission wants to develop EU external policy agenda and proposes negotiations with China and Russia
(EU) EU/ECB: Euro zone interest rates remain unchanged but ECB revises its quarterly growth forecasts downwards
(EU) EU/WORLD BANK: José Manuel Barroso and James Wolfensohn express Commission and World Bank's desire to further cooperation for fighting poverty
(EU) EU/TRANSPORT: Green light given to SNCF restructuring plan - Gilles Savary denounces Commission decision
(EU) EU/STATE AID: Further examination procedure on aid to Combus
(EU) EU/PATENTS: EPO information day
(EU) EU/STATE AID: Chemische Werke Piesteritz to return 6.7 million EUR in illegal aid to German government
(EU) EU/STATE AID: Commission wants to end tax breaks for mutual and provident societies for “non-health” insurance contracts
(EU) EU/STATE AID: Green light to British public subsidy for staff training at Ford factory
(EU) EU/INTERNAL MARKET: guidelines on payment card fraud prevention databases
(EU) EU/EIB: EIB provides loans of EUR 79 million for rehabilitation of health sector and cleaner environment
(EU) EU/INTERNAL MARKET:
(EU) EU/CUSTOMS:
(EU) EU/UNIONS/LISBON STRATEGY: John Monks stresses investments and reduction in unemployment - Demonstration on 19 March
(EU) EU/ECONOMY: Moderate rise in growth in fourth quarter of 2004, with 0.2% in euro zone and 0.3% in EU25
(EU) EU/UNIONS/SERVICES: European Federation of Retired and Elderly People opposes Bolkestein directive
(EU) EU/BISHOPS/LISBON STRATEGY: Bishops contribute to relaunch of Lisbon Strategy and to March Summit
(EU) EU/ECONOMY: Industrial production prices up 0.6% in euro zone and 0.5% in EU25
SUPPLEMENT
EUROPE/Documents N° 2401: Human rights: What the European Parliament expects from forthcoming session of United Nations commission
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