Brussels, 25/05/2005 (Agence Europe) - A June agreement on financial perspectives for 2007-13 is “becoming less and less likely”, particularly after the announcement of the German general elections, affirmed Jean-Claude Juncker, the Luxembourg prime minister and acting president of the European Council, in an interview to the Belgian daily Le Soir on 25 May. Mr Juncker said, “I think our presidency will end badly…with regard to financial perspectives. I believe that the affair is becoming less and less likely, particularly after the announcement of elections in Germany in September”. Nevertheless, Mr Juncker has promised to continue negotiations on this case even if it is only for demonstrating that in a year or two and in relation to “our last proposal, the text adopted will be exactly or almost identical to the one we're leaving behind”. This text was presented on 22 May to EU foreign affairs ministers during a conclave and provoked a lot of criticism (EUROPE 8952). The same ministers will be meeting for another conclave on 12 June. In the meantime, Mr Juncker has planned to tackle the dossier with other Heads of State and governments from the EU.
During the European Council on 16-17 June Mr Juncker described the absence of a solution on the financial framework for 2007-13 as “serious”, and repeated that there would not be an agreement according to him under the British presidency (beginning 1 July). Juncker said that in 2006 during the Austrian and Finnish presidencies “there would not be any room for manoeuvre, they will be subject to real beating in an effort to finish up with a package that should have been obtained in a calm atmosphere”. Juncker said that the British rebate was the real key to the negotiations. He affirmed that that, “the British are becoming aware that without any changes to dealing with their rebate, no solution is possible on financial perspectives”.