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Image header Agence Europe
Europe Daily Bulletin No. 9330
Contents Publication in full By article 4 / 31
THE DAY IN POLITICS / (eu) eu/balkans

New CEFTA signed in Bucharest today

Brussels, 18/12/2006 (Agence Europe) - Negotiations for a Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) were begun last April and will be completed in Bucharest on Tuesday. Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo and Moldavia are expected to join Croatia and Macedonia, the only two to have not signed this agreement, after Romania and Bulgaria leave to join the EU next January. The new agreement extended to the western Balkans and Moldavia, aims to replace around twenty...

Contents

A LOOK BEHIND THE NEWS
A Look Behind The News, by Ferdinando Riccardi: European Council: orientations still vague but strong political will for constitutional relaunch; opening up in Balkans and energy policy - factors in a genuine immigration policy action plan
THE DAY IN POLITICS
(EU) EP/EUROPEAN COUNCIL/FINNISH PRESIDENCY: Most MEPs satisfied with “unspectacular” Summit and more so with six months of Finnish Presidency - divisions confirmed on enlargement and Constitution - Matti Vanhanen pleads in favour of more qualified majority
(EU) EU/CONSTITUTION: France and Netherlands irritated by Hispano-Luxembourg initiative to arrange meeting on 26 January in Madrid restricted to 18 countries that have ratified treaty
(EU) EU/BALKANS: New CEFTA signed in Bucharest today
(EU) EP/MIDDLE EAST: Visit to Israel and Palestine by delegation of MEPs chaired by Veronique de Keyser
(EU) EP/GERMAN PRESIDENCY:
(EU) EU/MIDDLE EAST: EU calls for calm and remains willing to cooperate with Palestinian government that respects Quartet's principles
(EU) EP/RUSSIA: Parliament calls for balanced relations with Moscow
GENERAL NEWS
(EU) EU/ENVIRONMENT COUNCIL: Political agreement on framework directive for preservation of marine environment - Aim is high standard of water quality by 2021
(EU) EU/ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL: REACH formally adopted
(EU) EU/ENVIRONMENT COUNCIL: Qualified majority reject Commission proposal against Austrian safeguard measures on GMOs
(EU) EU/AGRICULTURE: Commission plans to put “everything on the table” during debate taking stock of CAP and budgetary reform
(EU) EU/AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES COUNCIL: 2007 fishing quotas, organic products, bananas and Russian ban on agenda for meeting from 19 to 21 December
(EU) EU/CUSTOMS: Commission seeks to reinforce security of EU supply chain while facilitating international trade
(EU) EU/TRADE/ENVIRONMENT: Mandelson rejects idea of “Kyoto tax” but calls for zero tariff on “green” goods
(EU) EP/LEGISLATION: Presidents Vanhanen and Borrell sign agreements on REACH and 7th R&D framework programme
(EU) EP/TELECOMMUNICATIONS: MEPs back changes to “Television without borders” directive similar to those sought by Council
(EU) EU/TRADE/RUSSIA: Marcos Kyprianou in Moscow to discuss possible Russian ban on animal products
(EU) EP/2006 BUDGET: Large reduction in Member States' contributions
(EU) EP/BUDGET:
(EU) EP/FISHERIES:
(EU) EP/EPIZOOTIC:
(EU) EU/IRAN/EURO: ECB will “neither encourage nor put brake on” Iran's project to replace dollar with euro
(EU) EU/EUROPEAN COUNCIL/ECB:
(EU) EU/FREQUENCIES: Commission frees up frequencies for short range wireless devices
(EU) EU/TAXATION: Commission sends Ireland reasoned opinion over minimum retail prices for cigarettes
(EU) EU/EMU:
(EU) EU/COURT OF JUSTICE: Court of First Instance confirms, in essence, commission decision penalising agreement in beef sector, but reduces fines
(EU) EU/LEGISLATION/TRANSPORT:
WEEKLY SUPPLEMENT
European Library: No. 713
€ VALUE IN DIFFERENT CURRENCIES ON 18/12/2006: