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Friday, 22 November 2024
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Cyprus News Agency: News in English, 07-06-21Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus News Agency at <http://www.cyna.org.cy>CONTENTS
[01] EU SUMMIT - BRUSSELSEuropean Union Heads of State and Government, who meet in Brussels Thursday and Friday, will decide on the accession of Cyprus and Malta to the euro area. Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos represents the country at the European Council.In her invitation to the EU leaders to attend the European Council, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country holds the EU rotating presidency, said the central issue will be reform of the Treaties. Over the past few months, under the German Council Presidency, we have together made significant progress for Europe. Only together will we succeed in resolving the issues before us at this European Council meeting, she added. She noted that In the Berlin Declaration of 25 March 2007, we reaffirmed together that we wished to place the European Union on a new treaty basis before the European Parliament elections in 2009. The important challenges that lie ahead demand capacity to act and legitimacy on the part of the European Union. Merkel said that after a two year pause for reflection, the European public now expects us to put the necessary reforms of the Union in hand. Following our consultations over the past few months the time has now come to set out the roadmap for the impending reform of the Treaties. In addition we need to take practical measures that will have an immediate and positive influence on the everyday lives of our citizens. In this regard our conclusions will give important impetus in various areas, Merkel concluded. [02] EUROBAROMETER - CYPRIOTS - EUCypriots are, in their overwhelming majority, 70%, optimistic about the future of the EU, according to the EU-wide Eurobarometer, carried out between April and May 2007. The Eurobarometer also showed that Cypriots favour further EU enlargement amd are very sensitive to climate change, seeking measures from the EU to this effect.Cypriots support, by 69%, the European Constitution, but 17% of them oppose it. A 44% of Cypriots consider Cyprus` EU membership ``a good thing``, 17% considered it ``bad``, while 37% are neither for nor against. Cypriots are divided on EU benefits for their country, with 44% saying Cyprus has benefited from accession and 46% advocating the opposite view. Crime is, according to the survey, the first concern among Cypriots and rising prices was the second. Furthermore, 87% of Cypriots believe that climate change demands an urgent shift in EU policy so that carbon dioxide emissions should be reduced by 2020. The EU image in Cyprus is good to very good for 53% of those questioned, while 29% were neutral to this and 11% said it was negative to very negative. Over 60% trust the European Parliament and 58% the European Commission. [03] CYPRUS PRESIDENT - EUROZONECypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos has described as very significant Cyprus entry into the euro area in January next year, saying that this confirms that the government fiscal policy has been a success and the local economy sound enough to meet EU criteria for the euro area.This is an important landmark for Cyprus and I believe that once we adopt the euro, prices will be rounded up downwards as opposed to upwards, he said on departure for the European Council meeting which will deal with Cyprus and Malas accession to the euro area. He reiterated that this was achieved with the concerted effort of all the social partners, adding that government services will monitor the change of currency to ensure that there is no exploitation of prices. Papadopoulos recalled that the Cyprus pound will be locked to the euro in early July and the exchange rate will not be known before that. Referring to the EU summit that starts Thursday, he said this was very important as it will review reforms in the European Treaties. We hope that it will be possible to reach an agreement that will facilitate the smoother running of the EU, which so far has been governed by the provisions of the Treaty of Nice, he said. Papadopoulos also said that the current trend among the 27 members seems to indicate that existing Treaties are set to be promoted but no new treaty is likely to be approved. There are several differences and everybody understands that if the current German EU presidency does not succeed in clinching such an agreement, then things will be more difficult in the future, he concluded. Earlier today the European [04] OIL RESERVES - AGREEMENTThe Cyprus Council of Ministers has approved the draft of an interstate agreement between Cyprus and the Kingdom of the Netherlands on the Holding of Oil Reserves, under the title Agreement between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Republic of Cyprus on the Reciprocal Holding of Stocks of Crude Il and/or Petroleum Products.The Council of Minister has authorised Commerce, Industry and Tourism Minister to sign the agreement on behalf of the Republic. Cyprus, as an EU member, has an obligation to maintain certain amounts of crude oil and/or petroleum products in stoke, in line with European regulations. Cyprus News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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