The absence of progress last Monday in the Council on the financial perspectives 2007-2013 did not surprise anyone; it was announced in advance. With the UK Presidency having set a special restricted meeting (“conclave”) for 7 December for which the numbered proposals are reserved, the ministers only had one new point for discussion this week. The point of the discussions can be summed up in two points: a) increasing the pressure on the Presidency. The European Commission and several...