21/04/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 21 April, the European Commission made a formal proposal to the EU Council that €5 billion be granted to Romania under the Community balance of payments support mechanism. The decision to allocate this aid, part of a €20 billion international macro-financial package, was announced at the end of March (see EUROPE 9869). EU finance ministers will have to make a decision on this proposal at the Ecofin Council meeting on 5 May. On the same day, they are expected also to approve raising the balance of payments facility ceiling to €50 billion (from the current €25 billion). The proposal to revise regulation 332/2002 was adopted by the College of Commissioners on 8 April. (A.B./transl.rt)