SPECIAL EDITION SPRING EUROPEAN COUNCIL 20 AND 21 MARCH 2003 IN BRUSSELS

(EU) EU/SPRING EUROPEAN COUNCIL: EU makes series of decisions for this year in order to reactivate Lisbon strategy - Iraq: emphasis is placed on the role of the EU in humanitarian matters - Belgian initiative to give impetus to defence policy - Constructive meeting with future Member States

Brussels, 23/03/2003 (Agence Europe) - The Spring European Council held in Brussels on 20 and 21 March was naturally marked by the outbreak of war in Iraq. Nonetheless, the Fifteen carefully avoided placing emphasis on what divided them, insisting more on the contribution that the European Union is prepared to make for providing humanitarian aid to the Iraqi people. On Friday afternoon, during a special meeting, the European Commission took decisions relating to immediate humanitarian aid,...