Brussels, 24/03/2006 (Agence Europe) - On Friday, the European Council gave its support to Spain after ETA announced its ceasefire. “At the request of President Chirac, Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has informed us of the situation after the announcement of the offer of a permanent ceasefire by ETA, and we have expressed our full support for the Spanish government and Spanish people,” Wolfgang Schüssel told press. Commission President Barroso also expressed his unequivocal support for Spain: it was up to Spain to decide on how to proceed, but it could be sure of EU solidarity, he assured. In his press conference, Mr Zapatero said he could see in these developments hope for Spain and also for the EU. He thanked the French government and others like the British and Irish, for their help in bringing about this reconciliation in the Basque Country, and he said he had spoken about the situation to Angela Merkel. Would ETA be removed from the EU list of terrorist organisations? Mr Zapatero asked this question very carefully, saying that to be in a legal situation, violence had to be abandoned, to return to right, right had to be respected.