Europe-East articles from November 2005

Europe-East archives from November 2005

WALKING THE ENLARGEMENT TIGHT-ROPE.(European Union member countries partnership agreement standards)
November 11, 2005... However sensitively the European Commission phrases its latest enlargement package, the EU is now embarked on a perilous trip along a tightrope - and maintaining its balance will preoccupy it for at least the next decade. Applicant...

INFORMAL SUMMIT: BLAIR CLAIMS oBROAD AGREEMENTo ON FUTURE OF EUROPE.(summit)
November 11, 2005... The summit was called by the UK Presidency in the wake of the rejection of the EU Constitution by French and Dutch voters and the failure to agree future financing for the Union at the summit in June this year. Mr Blair wanted (and managed) to...

EU BUDGET: GLOBALISATION FUND HITS OPPOSITION.(summit)
November 11, 2005... Schroder, attending his last summit as Chancellor, told the other EU leaders that Germany had already gone "beyond its limits" in making concessions to get a deal on the 2007-13 future financing at the summit last June. There should be "no side...

INFORMAL SUMMIT: SCHRODER BOWS OUT WITH ATTACK ON BLAIR LEADERSHIP.(summit)
November 11, 2005... The summit, organised by the UK Presidency, was designed to agree the "future direction" of Europe in response to the challenges of globalisation, and to prepare key policy initiatives, including a deal on the 2007-13 financing of the EU. ...

EU PRESIDENCY: BLAIR CALLS AGAIN FOR NEW EU STRATEGY.(European Union)
November 11, 2005... As he did in June, the UK premier expounded a vision of a Europe united around a common vision and a common project, responding to the challenges of globalisation and demographic change with a new energy and flexibility. And as in June, his...

EUROPEAN COMMISSION: PROGRESS IN 2006 "DEPENDS ON COOPERATION".(Lisbon Programme)
November 11, 2005... The principal headings the Commission has chosen in order to present its plans are: * "prosperity": under which, predominantly, the Commission will report to the Spring 2006 European Council on progress on the 25 national reform...

EU BUDGET: UK TAKES TOUGH LINE ON REFORMING EU SPENDING.(European Union)
November 11, 2005... Jack Straw and his European Affairs Minister, Douglas Alexander, continued to describe the Luxembourg compromise - which would have capped spending at 1.06% of total EU gross national income, while limiting the UK budget rebate at euro 5.5...

2006 BUDGET: PARLIAMENT REINTRODUCES FUNDING FOR LISBON PRIORITIES.
November 11, 2005... Many MEPs highlighted the exceptional nature of the 2006 budget. Symbolically, first and foremost, since it covers the final year before the introduction of a new financial perspective (2007-2013), is therefore a transitional year, and should...

ENLARGEMENT: NEW STRATEGY SAYS UNION SHOULD PROCEED WITH CARE.
November 11, 2005... Stretched to the limit. Mr Rehn's comments about future enlargement were couched in a variety of cautious terms. Consolidation of the already heavy enlargement agenda was one watchword, careful management another. The Commissioner said the...

EU/TURKEY: ANKARA GETS MIXED PROGRESS REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION.(European Union)(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... The European Commission's general evaluation of Turkey's fulfilment of political membership conditions appeared somewhat vague: "Political transition is ongoing in Turkey and the country continues to sufficiently fulfil the Copenhagen political...

ENLARGEMENT: TURKEY TO BE GIVEN JUST TWO YEARS FOR MAJOR REFORMS.(influence of the military)
November 11, 2005... Turkey. By 2007, Turkey will have to reduce the influence of the military, make sure human rights and fundamental freedoms are widely respected, implement a "zero-tolerance" plan on torture, boost access to justice, guarantee freedom of...

EU/CROATIA: COMMISSION SAYS FURTHER POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC MEASURES NEEDED.(rules and regulations of european union)
November 11, 2005... Accession negotiations with Croatia were officially launched on October 3, at the same time as those with Turkey. Any candidate country wishing to join the EU must meet political and economic criteria and has to fully transpose and implement EU...

EU/BULGARIA/ROMANIA: DETAILS EMERGE OF LATEST ACCESSION 'WARNING LETTERS'.(European Union membership )
November 11, 2005... The latest letters point to the matters of serious concern where Sofia and Bucharest must take urgent action. Otherwise they risk not being ready for EU membership on time or missing out on EU funding such as farm or regional spending....

CYPRUS RATIFIES BULGARIA/ROMANIA ACCESSION TREATY.(terms of Bulgaria's and Romania's planned entry into the European Union)(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... The Cypriot Parliament ratified on October 27 the Accession Treaty that sets out the terms of Bulgaria's and Romania's planned entry into the European Union on January 1, 2007. Welcoming the move, the Romanian Ministry of European Integration...

GREECE RATIFIES BULGARIA/ROMANIA ACCESSION TREATY.
November 11, 2005... The Greek Parliament ratified on November 2 the Treaty fixing the conditions of Bulgarian and Romanian entry into the European Union, which all going to plan is slated for January 1, 2007. Greece is the first of the 'old' EU-15 countries to...

EU PROMISES ROMANIA AID FOR REBUILDING KEY TRANSPORT ROUTES.(management of railrpad construction)(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... The EU has promised Romania more than euro 49 million to help in rebuilding railways and roads damaged by floods this summer. The decision was announced on November 8 by EU Commissioner for Regional Policy Danuta Hubner. The money will be taken...

EU/FYROM: SKOPJE RECOMMENDED FOR CANDIDACY BUT NOT ACCESSION TALKS.(European Union)(former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia)(Olli Rehn)(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... By holding out the politically important prospect of candidate status, the Commission's decision looked to be designed not to discourage FYROM from pursuing potential EU membership. But the EU executive stressed that the country would have to...

EU/BALKANS: GOOD PROGRESS TOWARDS ASSOCIATION OR ACCESSION DESPITE SHORTCOMINGS.(European Union)
November 11, 2005... Albania. Tirana has been negotiating a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU since January 31, 2003. The Commission considers that the progress achieved so far paves the way for the closure of these negotiations. ...

EU/BOSNIA: MINISTERS LOOK TO START TALKS ON EURO-INTEGRATION ACCORD.(Stabilisation and Association Agreement)(European Union)(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... EU foreign ministers have invited the relevant Council bodies to examine the European Commission's proposed negotiating directives for talks on a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) with a view to opening...

EU/SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO STABILISATION TALKS BEGIN.(European Union)(Stabilisation and Association Agreement)(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... Negotiations between the EU and Serbia and Montenegro on a new Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) got underway in earnest on November 7 in Belgrade. Talks on the agreement that should draw the Balkan state closer to potential EU...

EU/KOSOVO: MINISTERS NAME THEIR MAN FOR KOSOVO STATUS TALKS.(European Union)(Stefan Lehne)(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... An Austrian official with the EU Council, Stefan Lehne, was named by European Union Foreign Ministers on November 7 as the EU's representative in prospective talks to resolve the question of the future status of United Nations-administered...

EU/ALBANIA RE-ADMISSION PACT APPROVED BY COUNCIL.(European Union)(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... An agreement between the EU and Albania to re-admit illegal immigrants found on one another's territory was approved by the EU Council of Ministers on November 7. The accord covers Albanian and other non-EU nationals who entered the EU via...

EU/BALKANS: NEW TREATY PAVES WAY FOR SOUTH-EAST EUROPE ENERGY COMMUNITY.(South-East Europe Stability Pact)(European Union)(European Federation of Public Service Unions)
November 11, 2005... We have come full circle: The Athens process, which began in 2002 in the Greek capital with the intention of integrating the Balkan countries in the internal electricity and subsequently gas (decision taken in 2003) markets, is now set in...

EU/RUSSIA: VISA AND READMISSION AGREEMENTS - AN OVERVIEW.(European Union)
November 11, 2005... In principle, the rights and obligations laid down are reciprocal. In practice, the deal essentially involves cheaper and easier visas for Russian and EU citizens in return for Russia agreeing to take back illegal immigrants - including...

EU/RUSSIA: EUROPEAN NUCLEAR SAFETY STRATEGY GOES OFF COURSE.(international relations)
November 11, 2005... The EU-Russia working group set up in 2001 by former External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten and the then Russian Minister for Atomic Energy, Yevgeni Adamov, did not last long. Founded on G7 concerns about the safety of Soviet-type...

EU/RUSSIA STEEL TRADE AGREEMENT FOR 2006 SIGNED.(European Union)(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... The European Union and Russia signed on November 3 a steel trade agreement for 2006. The deal fixes quantities for exports of Russian steel products to the 25-member bloc until the end of 2006 or the date of Russian accession to the World Trade...

EU/RUSSIA: EUROPEAN STUDIES INSTITUTE SET FOR LIFT-OFF.(finance for post-graduate training )(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... The EU and Russia are to create a European Studies Institute in Moscow. From as soon as September 2006, it could be providing post-graduate training on EU-related matters, within the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. The...

EU/BELARUS: MINISTERS MAINTAIN THREATS OVER DEMOCRACY DEFECTS.(European Union)(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... The ministers' move came against a backdrop of concerns about increasing repression in the East European country and a deteriorating political climate in the run-up to next year's elections. Opposition groups in Belarus have chosen a united...

EU/UKRAINE: KIEV 'NEEDS HELP' WITH DANGEROUS MUNITIONS STOCKPILES.(Parliamentary Cooperation Committee)(European Union-Ukraine Parliamentary Cooperation Committee)
November 11, 2005... The eighth EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Cooperation Committee (PCC), which met on October 26-27 in Strasbourg, welcomed the fact that the European Commission and Kiev had concluded the terms of reference for a euro 6 million scheme to destroy...

EU/UKRAINE: WAY CLEARED FOR 'VISA FACILITATION' TALKS.(European Union)(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... The Commission announced in September that it had in mind an agreement on the 'facilitation of issuance of short-stay visas' for Ukrainians paying visits of up to three months in the Schengen border-free travel zone. Talks on the agreement,...

NEW EURO INFO CENTRE OPENED IN UKRAINE.(Euro Info Correspondence Centre)(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... A new Euro Info Correspondence Centre opened on November 1 in Ukraine at the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The centre - the first of its kind in ex-Soviet Commonwealth of Independent States members - will be part of a network of...

EU/AZERBAIJAN: OBSERVERS CRITICISE ELECTIONS.(International Election Observation Mission)(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner made a clear link on November 7 between standards in Azerbaijan's November 6 parliamentary election and progress in closer links with the EU. She said that while all elements were not...

EU/AZERBAIJAN: BAKU URGED TO ADDRESS ELECTION CONCERNS.
November 11, 2005... Campaign concerns. Mrs Ferrero-Waldner told MEPs that the Commission had been following the preparations for the elections with great attention and some concern. A string of Azeri officials have reportedly been arrested or sacked in...

EU/MOLDOVA: EUROPEANS AND AMERICANS INVITED TO TAKE PART IN TRANSDNISTRIA TALKS.
November 11, 2005... Negotiations on the long-standing conflict should from now on be taking place in a so-called "5+2" format after the European Union and the United States were invited to take part as observers. The OSCE chairman-in-office, Slovenian Foreign...

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT BACKS POST-ANDIJAN SANCTIONS AGAINST UZBEKISTAN.(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... MEPs backed on October 27 moves by EU member states to penalise the authorities in Uzbekistan for using violence against demonstrators and for refusing to allow an independent international inquiry into events in the Uzbek town of Andijan in...

EU/AFGHANISTAN: A 'NEW PARTNERSHIP' WITH KABUL IN VIEW.(European Union)(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... The European Union and Afghanistan are looking to form a "new partnership", according to a draft joint declaration seen by Europe Information. The six-page text contains EU promises of continued support "wherever possible", and commitments from...

JOINT EU/AFGHANISTAN 'PARTNERSHIP' DECLARATION IN THE OFFING.(European Union)(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... The European Union and Afghanistan are discussing a joint declaration on an EU-Afghan partnership that would be "an important political signal" of the 25-member bloc's continuing commitment to the country, EU External Relations Commissioner...

EU/MIDDLE EAST: MINISTERS GIVE GO-AHEAD FOR MISSION TO RAFAH.(political aspects of border crossing at Rafah)(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... Marc Otte, the EU's special Middle East peace process representative and a team from the European Commission recently visited Rafah to discuss the EU's role in Rafah with Palestinians, Israelis and Egyptians. Israel would like the EU to have...

EU REFUSES TO BUDGE DESPITE REQUESTS TO RE-OPEN NUCLEAR TALKS WITH IRAN.(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... Despite a request from Tehran to re-open negotiations on the Iranian nuclear programme, the EU is sticking to its guns. Foreign Ministers, meeting in Council in Brussels on November 7, "took note" without debate of the letter sent on November 6...

EU/IRAN: EU LOOKING TO RUSSIA FOR WAY OUT OF NUCLEAR DEAD-END.
November 11, 2005... Since negotiations with Iran were broken off in August, the EU has entered a phase of "reflection and contacts", according to one diplomat. However, in view of the increasingly hard line taken by Iran's leaders, the Europeans are now putting...

EU/IRAN: EU LEADERS CONDEMN IRANIAN PRESIDENT'S COMMENTS ON ISRAEL.
November 11, 2005... The EU's High Representative Javier Solana and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso have described the comments as "unacceptable". Javier Solana highlighted the particularly bad timing of the declaration given current progress in...

MINISTERS LEND SUPPORT TO LEBANON AND IRAQ, BUT PILE PRESSURE ON SYRIA.(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... EU Foreign Ministers reaffirmed their support for the Lebanese government and the transition process in Iraq and sought to apply further pressure on Syria at the External Relations Council on November 7 in Brussels. They welcomed the unanimous...

UN SECURITY COUNCIL PUTS PRESSURE ON DAMASCUS.(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... Meeting in New York on October 31, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution calling on Syria to cooperate fully with the international investigation into the assassination of Lebanon's former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri....

YES VOTE ON IRAQI CONSTITUTION WELCOMED.
November 11, 2005... The EU was cautious in congratulating the Iraqis' Yes vote on the new Constitution in the referendum on October 15, and for which the results were published on October 25. Jack Straw, British Foreign Secretary and Minister-in-office for the EU...

EU/MEDITERRANEAN STATES: UK PRESIDENCY WANTS "CONCRETE RESULTS" FROM BARCELONA SUMMIT.
November 11, 2005... The UK Presidency is hoping for results in the four most important domains. On the trade front, it is hoping for a commitment to begin regional negotiations on liberalising agriculture and services before the end of the year, with the aim of...

EU KEEN TO SIGN READMISSION PACT WITH MOROCCO AT BARCELONA SUMMIT.
November 11, 2005... The European Commission is keen to take the opportunity of the Euromed summit in Barcelona on November 27-28 to sign a readmission agreement with Rabat, as part of a wider drive to combat illegal immigration. This was confirmed by EU External...

EU/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL: SPLITS EMERGE ON SERVICES IN TRADE TALKS.
November 11, 2005... The GCC and the EU signed a framework economic cooperation agreement in 1989 but have so far failed to agree a free trade deal. However, in April the two sides held talks in Bahrain after which officials said they expected the deal to be...

HUMAN RIGHTS: COMMISSION LOOKS INTO CIA EUROPEAN PRISON CLAIMS.
November 11, 2005... Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Bulgaria have all denied hosting secret prisons. "There are no CIA bases in Romania", Romanian Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu said. Former Polish Defence Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski also denied the report as did a...

ECONOMIC MIGRATION: EASTERN EUROPEANS GO WEST.
November 11, 2005... The discussion paper, referred to by UK Prime Minister Tony Blair in his pre-summit speech to MEPs on October 26, was written by Partick Weil, an expert form the Paris-based National Center for Scientific Research. It emphasises the economic...

JUSTICE AND HOME AFFAIRS: BORDER AGENCY TOLD TO FOCUS MORE ON MEDITERRANEAN.
November 11, 2005... The Commission notes that preventing and combating illegal immigration in the Mediterranean is a priority in the EU's 'Hague Programme' - the long-term policy blueprint for justice and home affairs. The Warsaw-based agency mentions the...

MIGRATION: MEPS DEMAND EXPLANATION OVER LAMPEDUSA 'HUMILIATION'.(physical violence on migrants)
November 11, 2005... The same day in Strasbourg, the four MEPs organised the screening a television documentary from the Italian channel LA7. The programme charted how hundreds of migrants, many handcuffed, were flown out of the centre in the days preceding the...

FRATTINI PREPARES PLAN TO ALLEVIATE MEDITERRANEAN MIGRATION CRISIS.(trend of illegal migration)(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... Franco Frattini, EU Justice, Freedom and Security Commissioner, has embarked on a tour of European capitals to find out what to do to solve the ongoing problem of managing illegal migration in the Mediterranean region. Rome marked the first...

EU CONFIRMS GLOBAL SMALL ARMS TREATY.(European Union)(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... European Union Foreign Ministers have confirmed demands for a global treaty regulating the sale of small arms, and called on the United Nations to take the lead. Meeting in Brussels on November 8, the ministers endorsed "an EU strategy to...

SATELLITE NAVIGATION: ESA ROLLS OUT ITS 'PLAN B' TO KEEP GALILEO PROGRAMME AFLOAT.(European Space Agency )
November 11, 2005... This seems to be a temporary way around the political blockage that has put the whole Galileo adventure at risk. oTemporaryo insofar as new money is still not approved and will eventually have to be found. But the main thing has been achieved:...

MOROCCO JOINS GALILEO SATELLITE NAVIGATION PROGRAMME.(European satellite navigation system)(Rabat)(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... Negotiations on Morocco's participation in the Galileo programme, the European satellite navigation system, are finally over. On November 8, the European Commission announced that an agreement with Rabat had been signed. The agreement will...

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ANNOUNCES THREE WINNERS FOR 2005 SAKHAROV PRIZE.(Ladies in White)(Reporters without Frontiers)(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... The Cuban anti-Castro group Ladies in White (Damas de blanco), the Nigerian Human Rights lawyer, Hauwa Ibrahim, and the international organisation campaigning for press freedom, Reporters without Frontiers, are the three winners of the 2005...

BALTIC REGION ENERGY COOPERATION INITIATIVE EXTENDED FOR 3 YEARS.(Northern Dimension Action Plan, 2006)(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... During their meeting in Reykjavik (Iceland) on October 27-28, Energy Ministers from the 11 BASREC countries (Baltic Sea Region Energy Cooperation) decided to renew the organisation's mandate for a further three years. A working group is...

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: INTERNET "MAINLY USED TO GET ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION".
November 11, 2005... In the first quarter of 2004, among those people who used the Internet, the highest levels of access to public authorities websites to obtain information in the EU were recorded in Finland and Denmark. For downloading forms, the EU average was...

EMU: HOW THE NEW MEMBER STATES ARE PREPARING TO TAKE ON THE EURO.
November 11, 2005... Three states are leading the pack. As paradoxical as it might seem, the countries aspiring to join the euro club less than three years after their entry into the EU are precisely the poorest of the ten new member states (Estonia, Lithuania and...

GREECE AGAIN CALLS FOR SMALL-DENOMINATION EURO BANKNOTES.(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... Greece has come forward and called for the European Central Bank to issue banknotes in 1 and 2 euro denominations to replace the present coins oin order to better fight inflationo. Under repeated pressure from Greece since 2002, the ECB still...

COMPANY TAX: WHY THE SLOVAKIAN SYSTEM IS BEING HELD UP AS A SHINING EXAMPLE.
November 11, 2005... Cited as a good example, the current Slovakian system is primarily characterised by a very broad tax base but mainly because there are "no exceptions, no exemptions and no special cases", explained Mr Kovacs. Prior to the reform of its...

LASZLO KOVACS IMPRESSED BY SLOVAK CORPORATION TAX SYSTEM.(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... The European Commission's final position on the common consolidated corporate tax base being called for by France and Germany may finally be "very similar to the Slovak system", Lazlo Kovacs indicated on October 26. The Hungarian Commissioner...

EU EARMARKS EURO 13 MILLION TO PROMOTE LOCAL FOOD AND DRINK ABROAD.(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... The European Commission earmarked euro 13 million on October 26 to promote a range of European food products and drinks in seven selected countries across the globe. The money will fund advertising campaigns for various products ranging from...

SWISS STILL NOT RULING OUT EU MEMBERSHIP, CONSIDER COOPERATION IDEAS.(European Economic Area Agreement)(European Union)(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... The Swiss government confirmed on October 26 that it considers EU accession an option in the long run and that it is not withdrawing its suspended membership application. That was the result of a special session of the Swiss Federal Council on...

EIB BOOSTS EFTA LOAN FACILITY TO EURO 2.5 BILLION.(European Investment Bank)(European Free Trade Association)(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... The European Investment Bank has added euro 800 million to its loan facility for the European Free Trade Association member countries, boosting the overall facility to euro 2.5 billion, and extending it until December 31, 2009. Set up by the...

EUROPOL, EUROJUST INVOLVED IN SWOOP ON ALBANIAN DRUG GANG.(Brief article)
November 11, 2005... A joint operation involving European police office Europol and the EU unit of prosecutors, Eurojust, has led to the arrest of 28 people suspected of drug-trafficking. Spearheaded by Italian law enforcement authorities, the joint bust of what is...

EXTERNAL RELATIONS IN BRIEF.(austrian international relations)
November 30, 2005... The upcoming Austrian Presidency of the EU is planning to hold a high-level event on the Western Balkans to look at how to enhance political cooperation, economic development and citizens issues such as visa facilitation, it emerged from a...

A VALUABLE NEW ROLE FOR THE EU.(European Union)(economy of Gaza)(Brief article)
November 30, 2005... The European Union agreed on a bold initiative that takes it into new territory - both literally and metaphorically - as foreign affairs ministers gave their backing to a plan to help ease access to Gaza. Meeting the immediate challenges of...

EU BUDGET: UK PROMISES FINANCING COMPROMISE WITH MAJOR CHANGES.
November 30, 2005... Luxembourg legacy. At the meeting, an overwhelming majority of ministers had urged the British Presidency to table a new compromise as soon as possible and warned the UK not to deviate too far from the Luxembourg package. French Foreign...

COUNCIL OF MINISTERS: NEW GERMAN GOVERNMENT PROMISES CONTINUITY WTH SCHRODER POLICIES.
November 30, 2005... Overhaul chemicals proposal. On the proposed legislation for the testing, registration and authorisation of chemicals (REACH), the agreement says that the shape of the policy will be an important "test" for the EU's goal of improving...

EUROPEAN COMMISSION: BARROSO TELLS NEW POLISH PM TO RESPECT EUROPEAN VALUES.(Brief article)
November 30, 2005... Recent statements and actions by Mr Marcinkiewicz's Justice and Law Party (PiS) government suggest its politicians do not conform to the EU's standard position on issues such as gay and lesbian rights and the death penalty. Poland's new...

EUROPEAN COMMISSION: BARROSO RESHUFFLES TOP OFFICIALS IN BID TO PUT HIS STAMP ON EU EXECUTIVE.(European Union. European Commission reshuffles Catherine Day, David O'Sullivan and Carlo Trojan )
November 30, 2005... The final elements of the reshuffle were only decided late on the evening of November 8 with one of the last decisions to fall into place being the switch of Environment Director-General Catherine Day (Ireland) to be Commission...

EU/BULGARIA/ROMANIA: MEPS SET TO BACK 2007 ENTRY, GIVEN FURTHER ACCESSION EFFORTS.
November 30, 2005... The committee discussed draft EP reports on Bulgaria's and Romania's readiness, to follow up on the European Commission's progress reports published on October 25. The EU executive said there was more work to do, pointing to a number of...

EU/ROMANIA/BULGARIA: MEPS BACK 2007 MEMBERSHIP WITH REFORM CONDITIONS.
November 30, 2005... Romania. The report on Romania underlines the progress made by Romania until now, but also insists that there is more work to accomplish on the fight against corruption, border controls and other areas such as agriculture, environment and...

ESTONIA RATIFIES BULGARIA/ROMANIA ACCESSION TREATY.(Brief article)
November 30, 2005... Estonia became the latest European Union member state to formally endorse Bulgaria's and Romania's Accession Treaty as its Parliament ratified the text on November 16. Five countries - Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Cyprus and Greece - had...

REHN CALLS FOR REVISION OF TURKEY'S PENAL CODE.(Olli Rehn)(Brief article)
November 30, 2005... The Turkish government should take action to amend the country's new penal code to close loopholes that leave too much room for anti-European interpretations of freedom of expression, according to EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn....

EU AND CROATIA TO STEP UP RESEARCH COOPERATION.(European Union)(Brief article)
November 30, 2005... Croatia's participation in the EU's Sixth Research Framework Programme (FP6) is to be opened up under a memorandum of understanding due to be signed during European Science and Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik's November 18 visit to the...

EU/BOSNIA: NEGOTIATIONS ON NEW EURO-ACCORD LAUNCHED.
November 30, 2005... War. Ten years on from the Dayton peace accord, BiH is still scarred by its brutal 1992-1995 war which left two million refugees and displaced persons - nearly half the population. Over one million of them have now returned to their homes....

EU/BOSNIA: GERMAN TIPPED TO TAKE OVER AS INTERNATIONAL ENVOY.(European Union)(Brief article)
November 30, 2005... A number of other candidates have also been mentioned in connection with the post that Mr Ashdown is set to vacate at the end of January 2006: an Italian (Laura Marachian), a Czech (Alexander Vondra), and a Dutchman (Michiel Patyn). But...

POLICE MISSION IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA EXTENDED.(Brief article)
November 30, 2005... The Police Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUPM) has been extended until the end of 2007, with an adjusted mandate and size. The Joint Action on this subject, formally adopted by the EU Council of Ministers on November 24, aims at...

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: TALKS CAN START ON CLOSER LINKS WITH EU.(Brief article)
November 30, 2005... Ministers congratulated Bosnia and Herzegovina on the progress it had made in the ten years since the end of the Balkans conflict. The prospect of a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) which will ease the country's trade with the EU,...

FOREIGN MINISTER FLAGS UP FYROM'S PROGRESS TOWARDS EU ACCESSION.(Republic of Macedonia)(European Union)(Brief article)
November 30, 2005... The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) has made significant progress over the past few years towards its goal of EU membership and therefore has reason to be pleased with the Commission's November 9 recommendation that it should...

TEAM OF POLICE ADVISORS TO LEAVE FOR FYROM IN MID-DECEMBER.(European Union)(Brief article)
November 30, 2005... A team of EU police advisors (EUPAT) will be deployed in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) from December 15, 2005 to June 14, 2006, a Joint Action rubber-stamped by the EU Council of Ministers on November 24 confirms. The aim is...

EIB LOAN FOR MOTORWAY SECTION IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA.(European Union. European Investment Bank to provide finance for motorway construction)(Brief article)
November 30, 2005... The European Investment Bank announced on November 18 that it is to provide euro 65 million to build the motorway section between Banja Luka and Gradiska and for a new bridge over the Sava River. The 29 kilometre-long four-lane motorway will...