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Europe Daily Bulletin No. 9117

26 January 2006
Contents Publication in full By article 11 / 26
GENERAL NEWS / (eu) eu/ecofin council
Agreement on reduced VAT rates fails to attract unanimity -Czech Republic, Poland and Cyprus expected to respond on Friday

Brussels, 25/01/2006 (Agence Europe) -Tuesday's Ecofin Council was unable to reach a unanimous agreement on the proposed compromise of the Austrian Presidency on reduced rates of value-added tax (VAT). 22 of the Member States were able to agree to extend the optional application of reduced rates to certain highly labour-intensive services until the end of 2010 (a small repair services, decoration and cleaning services for private homes, window-cleaning, home care, hairdressing). The Czech...

Contents

A LOOK BEHIND THE NEWS
A Look Behind The News, by Ferdinando Riccardi: The stir in political circles caused by a ruling of the Court of Justice
THE DAY IN POLITICS
(EU) EU/CYPRUS: Commissioner Rehn welcomes Turkish plan to re-launch peace process - Ankara suggests May or June meeting under aegis of UNO and “practical” inclusion of North Cyprus in Customs Union - Greek Cypriots see nothing new
(EU) EU/DRC: EU works towards possible mission in DRC to oversee elections in June
(EU) EU/DEFENCE/AUSTRIAN PRESIDENCY: Austrian priorities include strengthened EU military capabilities and possible despatch of EU police mission to Kosovo
(EU) EP/PALESTINE: MEPs meet candidates of all lists
(EU) EP/EUROPEAN POLITICAL PARTIES: Rapporteur Jo Leinen wants debate about status of European political parties to look at lists of candidates from more than one Member State
(EU) EP/CONSTITUTION: Constitutional affairs committee wants to know more on Austrian Presidency's concrete plans
(EU) EP/COUNCIL OF EUROPE: GUE/NGL worried about Assembly resolution putting Communism and Nazism on same footing
GENERAL NEWS
(EU) EU/LISBON STRATEGY: President Barroso makes concrete suggestions: research and education, encouraging SMEs and entrepreneurship, joining the labour market and energy - Gunter Verheugen said the Lisbon Strategy would give an incentive to slower ships - Barroso and Verheugen refuse to name Member States with best national reform programmes
(EU) EU/LISBON PROCESS/UNIONS: John Monks wants Commission to place workers' rights and Social Europe at heart of proposals
(EU) EU/ECOFIN COUNCIL: Agreement on reduced VAT rates fails to attract unanimity -Czech Republic, Poland and Cyprus expected to respond on Friday
(EU) EU/HUMANITARIAN AID: Commission earmarks €20 million of humanitarian aid for Afghanistan and Afghan refugees in Iran and Pakistan
(EU) EP/HEALTH: Austrian health minister focuses on women's health - children's medicines regulation may be finished in June
(EU) EP/TRANSPORT/FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVES: Paolo Costa warns of dangers to funding for trans-European Transport Networks
(EU) EP/EDUCATION/YOUTH/CULTURE/AUSTRIAN PRESIDENCY: Gehrer, Haubner and Morak at Parliament - MEPs condemn budget cut threat to education, youth and culture programmes
(EU) EP/AUSTRIAN PRESIDENCY/REGIONAL AFFAIRS: Alfred Linz outlines ambitious schedule for processing Cohesion Policy regulations to pave the way for speedy inter-institutional agreement
(EU) EP/REGIONAL AFFAIRS/COMPANY RELOCATION: Adopting Hutchinson Report, MEPs call for EU funding not be granted to relocating companies
(EU) EU/COMPETITION: Microsoft suggests granting licenses for access to Windows source code and hopes to comply with Commission's decision
(EU) EU/POLAND/INTERNAL MARKET: Polish authorities, under pressure, explain blocking of HVB/UniCredit deal
(EU) EU/STATE AID:
(EU) EP/ENVIRONMENT: Josep Borrell signs environmental declaration whereby European Parliament officially joins EMAS to improve its environmental track record
(EU) EP/BIRD FLU: Markos Kyprianou says EU is best prepared part of world but much remains to be done
(EU) EU/JHA/BULGARIA: During visit to Bugaria, Franco Frattini calls for “zero tolerance” on organised crime
(EU) EU/JHA/VISAS: EPDS issues favourable opinion, along with some proposals, on decision on access to VIS database
(EU) EU/OSCE/GERMANY/IMMIGRATION:
€ VALUE IN DIFFERENT CURRENCIES ON 25/01/2006: