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EU News Flashes and Events for 97-03-25
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS
[01] Troops for Albania aid
[02] GAC to let South Africa join Lome
[03] GAC approves high-tech trade deal
[04] EU ends Burma's trade privileges
[05] Long term peace process for Zaire
[06] No Easterners at EU summit
[07] Romania urges EU-CEECs talks
[08] EU cool to Russia membership talk
[09] EU-US talks progress on Cuba row
[10] EU use of anti-dumping weapon
[11] Santer confident on EMU start
[12] Waigel draws anger on EMU
[13] European defence initiative
[14] Proposal on WEU/EU merger
[15] EU competition powers
[16] Insurance agents want EU passport
[17] EU to clear Belgian scheme
[18] Dutch BSE cow offspring destroyed
[19] Main EU events for March 25
[01] Troops for Albania aid
BRUSSELS - The European Union said on Monday it would not object to individual
countries sending troops to Albania to act as military escorts for
humanitarian aid convoys.
[02] GAC to let South Africa join Lome
BRUSSELS - European Union foreign ministers agreed on Monday to let South
Africa join the Lome Convention, opening Pretoria's way into the bloc's main
trade arrangement with the developing world next month.
[03] GAC approves high-tech trade deal
BRUSSELS - European Union foreign ministers formally approved on Monday the
global Information Technology Agreement, which will phase out tariffs on a
range of computer and telecoms equipment by the year 2000.
[04] EU ends Burma's trade privileges
BRUSSELS - The European Union stripped Burma of special trading privileges on
Monday because of reports that it uses forced labour to boost exports.
[05] Long term peace process for Zaire
BRUSSELS - European Union foreign ministers urged all parties in Zaire on
Monday to work for a ceasefire and start negotiations on a long-term peace
process through the United Nations and Organisation for African Unity.
[06] No Easterners at EU summit
BRUSSELS - The European Union has decided to break with custom and not invite
candidates from eastern Europe to the European Council in Amsterdam, diplomats
said on Monday.
[07] Romania urges EU-CEECs talks
BRUSSELS - Romania urged the European Union on Monday to open talks with all
the central and eastern European countries queueing up for membership at the
same time.
[08] EU cool to Russia membership talk
BRUSSELS - The European Union, eager not to offend Russia but with no
intention of building hopes for eventual EU membership, struck a non-commital
stance on Monday to comments from President Boris Yeltsin about joining the
bloc.
[09] EU-US talks progress on Cuba row
BRUSSELS - Progress was made in talks between the EU and the United States
on Monday on the transatlantic row over the Helms-Burton Act but several
hurdles remain before a solution can be found, an EU official said.
[10] EU use of anti-dumping weapon
BRUSSELS - Free-trade enthusiast Sweden criticised the European Union's
anti-dumping policies on Monday, saying the 15- nation bloc slapped import
duties on cheaper foreign products too often.
[11] Santer confident on EMU start
LONDON - European Commission President Jacques Santer said on Monday he was
confident European monetary union would begin as planned in January 1999 and
that a significant number of countries would join at the start.
[12] Waigel draws anger on EMU
BONN - Finance Minister Theo Waigel came under fire from opponents and
coalition allies alike on Monday for saying the price of Germany joining
European economic and monetary union could be welfare cuts and even tax hikes.
[13] European defence initiative
PARIS - France and Italy, on the eve of the 40th anniversary of the European
Union's founding Treaty of Rome, set out on Monday a joint initiative by six
EU members to build a common European defence in stages.
[14] Proposal on WEU/EU merger
BRUSSELS - A six-country proposal to merge the Western European Union and the
European Union could threaten EU plans to admit up to 10 members from eastern
Europe, Swedish Foreign Minister Lena-Hjelm Wallen was quoted as saying on
Monday.
[15] EU competition powers
BRUSSELS - European Union heavyweights France and Germany have put forward
proposals which some independent experts fear would weaken the European
Commission's wide powers to ensure free competition.
[16] Insurance agents want EU passport
BRUSSELS - Insurance agents and brokers urged the European Commission on
Monday to abolish national obstacles to the profession saying they were not
getting their fair share of the EU's single market.
[17] EU to clear Belgian scheme
BRUSSELS - The European Commission is set to clear on Tuesday a Belgian
scheme to cut social security charges on manual workers' wages after
banning a previous scheme which gave tax breaks to export- led companies
only.
[18] Dutch BSE cow offspring destroyed
THE HAGUE - The Netherlands said on Monday all offspring of the first Dutch
cow found to have been infected with Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, or mad
cow disease, had been traced and destroyed.
[19] Main EU events for March 25
ROME - EU foreign ministers special meeting to commemorate the 40th
anniversary of the 1957 Treaty of Rome begins at 0800 GMT; exchange of views
with EP President Jose Maria Gil-Robles and MEPs Elisabeth Guigou and Elmar
Brok on the state of the inter-governmental conference; commemoration ceremony
at 1500 GMT; Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi and European Commission
President Santer hold joint news conference at 1600 GMT.
ROME - European Commission regular weekly meeting begins at 1630 GMT;
discussion topics include support for structural adjustments and reduction of
ACP countries' debt.
BRUSSELS - EU Monetary Committee meeting begins at 0900 GMT; preparation
for April 5 informal ECOFIN Council, stability pact, legal framework for
the euro and ERM 2.
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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