11/03/2002 (Agence Europe) - On 11 March 2002, the Council heard the presentation by President Prodi of the essential elements of the Annual Political Strategy for 2003, and welcomed the Commission's intention to hold indepth dialogue on this strategy. The dialogue should be "supple and effective" (see EUROPE of 28 February, p.8 on the subject of the presentation by Mr Prodi at the European Parliament). The ministers also stressed that this debate on the political and budgetary priorities of the EU upstream of budgetary procedure must be adequately geared to budgetary procedure and carried out within the budgetary framework. Ministers kept to these considerations of principles and did not discuss the document itself, explains one observer. The discussion on substance should take place during the General Affairs Council in May, while the Commission is to present its preliminary draft budget for 2003 end April. The Committee of Permanent Representatives is in the meantime charged with pursuing dialogue with the Commission on the various aspects of this issue.