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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 9083

7 December 2005
Contents Publication in full By article 21 / 42
GENERAL NEWS / (eu) eu/ecofin/vat
No agreement on cut-rate VAT - Decision postponed until December European Council (or later under Austrian Presidency)

Brussels, 06/12/2005 (Agence Europe) - At the 6 December ECOFIN Council, the EU25 finance ministers failed to strike agreement on cut-rate VAT because of disagreement from Germany (unanimous decision making on the British Presidency proposal was requir3d). The issue will now be on the agenda for the December 15/16 European Council. If agreement is not reached there, the finance ministers agreed to carry on as at present after the 1 January 2006 until the issue is discussed at the first...

Contents

A LOOK BEHIND THE NEWS
A Look Behind The News, by Ferdinando Riccardi: The financial perspectives 2007-2013: Somewhere between strategems, beliefs, second-rate ambitions and neglected European interests
THE DAY IN POLITICS
(EU) EU/TERRORISM/CIA: Jean-Marie Cavada calls on European Parliament jurisconsult with view to opening investigation
(EU) EU/NATO: Informal foreign ministers' dinner on Wednesday
(EU) EU/WEU: President calls for permanent parliamentary forum in Brussels
(EU) EU/IVORY COAST:
(EU) EU/MIDDLE EAST:
(EU) EU/AFRICA: EU-Africa summit in Bamako (Mali) agreed on joint Africa-EU Strategy
(EU) EU/DRC: Changes to security reform joint action
(EU) EU/BIELORUSSIA:
(EU) EU/DEATH PENALTY:
(EU) EU/CONSTITUTION/FEDERALISTS: Genoa Convention moots idea of referendum and Constitution coming into force through double majority voting
(EU) EU/INSTITUTIONS: John Temple Lang and Eamonn Gallagher argue case for Community Method - European Commission is vital for smaller Member States
(EU) EP/COMMISSION: Duff Report on European Commission approval process calls for next European elections to be held in May 2009 instead of June
(EU) EU/ISRAEL: EMHRN calls on EU to focus on human rights in relations with Israel
GENERAL NEWS
(EU) EU/FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVES: Foreign Ministers of EU to examine already controversial proposal of Presidency this Wednesday
(EU) EU/EUROGROUP: Growth will reach full potential in 2006 - Commission to decide on infringement proceedings against Germany in January
(EU) EU/FINANCE/TRADE UNIONS:
(EU) EP/ECOFIN:
(EU) EU/ECOFIN: Ministers welcome national reform plans as part of Lisbon strategy and hope to see ambitious follow-up and rigorous analysis
(EU) EU/ECOFIN: Advantages of globalisation should win out, as long as reform of employment and goods markets is completed
(EU) EU/ECOFIN/VAT: No agreement on cut-rate VAT - Decision postponed until December European Council (or later under Austrian Presidency)
(EU) EP/ENERGY: Parliament/Council agreement in second reading on energy efficiency directive
(EU) EU/TRANSPORT COUNCIL/MARITIME: Council stresses need for life-long learning in maritime sector and creation of "maritime clusters" to create synergy between companies at sea and on land
(EU) EU/EIB:
(EU) EU/EDUCATION:
(EU) EU/DEFENCE: Commission decides to prepare new, more transparent, defence procurement rules
(EU) EU/TRANSPORT COUNCIL: Commission instructed to start aviation talks with United States but talks with China will have to wait
(EU) EU/RESEARCH: Fotis Kafatos is first Chairman of Scientific Council for future European Research Council
(EU) EU/ECONOMY: In 2006, European economy will stabilise at too low a level to reach Lisbon goals, Eurochambers warns
(EU) EU/INTERNAL MARKET: Lawyers and solicitors invited to give their views on requirements to combat money laundering
(EU) EU/EIB:
(EU) EU/INDUSTRY:
(EU) EU/SOCIAL:
(EU) EP/EMU: Parliament approves changes to framework for introducing single currency in new Member States
(EU) EP/COMPETITION/MARITIME TRANSPORT: Parliament opposes repeal of block exemption enjoyed by maritime conferences
(EU) EP/SPORT: Parliament supports idea of Olympic Truce during Games in Turin in 2006
(EU) EP/SPORT/RACISM:
(EU) EU/TRANSPORT: Commission commits to present impact study on introduction of financial compensations for delays in rail freight services by end 2007
(EU) EU/COURT OF JUSTICE: French Council of State's request regarding staff numbers, which has been challenged by unions, is not priority
(EU) EU/WTO/TEXTILES/SOCIAL:
(EU) EU/TRANSPORT:
€ VALUE IN DIFFERENT CURRENCIES ON 06/12/2005: