03/10/2008 (Agence Europe) - In a conclusions document on remuneration packages for company executives to be adopted on 7 October 2008, the ECOFIN Council will reaffirm the validity of the European Commission's October 2004 communication, considering that national measures can also be used. The Council is calling for shareholders to have a greater role in actually controlling companies' remuneration policies (ministers say they are prepared to take measures in this connection); taking greater account of company performance when setting managers' remuneration packages (including golden goodbyes); performance criteria taking account of appropriate incentives (like long-term profitability); and preventing potential conflicts of interest when managers decide on mergers and acquisitions. (A.B.)