Europe-East articles from October 2002

Europe-East archives from October 2002

COMMISSION RECOMMENDS TEN NEW MEMBER STATES FOR MEMBERSHIP.
October 10, 2002... The European Commission asserted on October 9 that all the ten "Laeken" candidates should be ready to conclude their accession negotiations this year. This key conclusion from the 2002 regular report on the candidates' progress towards...

ENVIRONMENTMEETING THE CHALLENGES OF ENVIRONMENT AND ENLARGEMENT.
October 10, 2002... "The journey has at times been rocky. But, looking back a lot has been achieved since the accession negotiations on environment were launched", said European Environment Commissioner Margot Wallstrom, speaking at the UK Labour Party Conference...

STRUCTURAL FUNDS ENLARGING STRUCTURAL FUNDS AS THE EU ENLARGES.
October 10, 2002... "Will the current levels of Structural Fund resources really allow us to tackle the problems and challenges we face in an enlarged Union?", asked European Employment and Social Affairs Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou in a speech in Brussels on...

MALTA AND SLOVENIA WIN EU ENVIRONMENT BUSINESS AWARDS.(European Union)
October 10, 2002... Two companies from the EU candidate countries received European Business Awards for the Environment from Environment Commissioner Margot Wallstrom at a ceremony in Budapest on October 3. ST-Microelectronic Ltd of Malta was one of the winners in...

ROMANIA SPEEDS UP ITS PLANNING FOR THE AGRICULTURE ACQUIS.(agriculture sector, Romania's possible membership into European Union)
October 10, 2002... Romania has submitted a new position paper to the EU on its approach to parts of the agriculture chapter of the enlargement negotiations, covering in particular the institutional framework for sanitary and veterinary questions, and...

POLAND'S VIEWS ON REGIONAL, JUSTICE AND HOME AFFAIRS AND AGRICULTURE TALKS.
October 10, 2002... "I hope that the EU Brussels summit will open the way to the conclusion of talks in Copenhagen. Poland is ready to work out a reasonable and fair compromise towards that end", said Danuta Hubner, state secretary in the Polish ministry of...

MAZOVIA OPENS A BRUSSELS OFFICE.(region around Warsaw, Poland; European Union representative office)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2002... The latest candidate country initiative to forge closer links with the EU is Mazovia, the region around the Polish capital of Warsaw. "Setting up a representative office in Brussels is a major step by Mazovia's regional authority to strengthen...

EBRD LOAN TO IMPROVE SEWAGE SYSTEMS IN POLISH CITY.(European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; Gliwice, Poland)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2002... More efficient waste-water collection, fewer public health hazards and less pollution in local rivers - these are some of the aims for the inhabitants of the city of Gliwice, in the Upper Silesia region in southern Poland, from a Euro 5 million...

SLOVAKIA EXPLAINS STATE AID ISSUE.(integration plans for European Union, North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
October 10, 2002... Eduard Kukan, Foreign Affairs Minister in the outgoing Slovak government, insisted the recent election result there was "a clear vote for continuity and for an early integration into the EU and NATO". He told the October 1 accession...

"NO LINK BETWEEN BENES DECREES AND CZECH ACCESSION".(Czech Republic, European Union membership )(Brief Article)
October 10, 2002... The Benes decrees have no relation to the accession of the Czech Republic to the EU, according to an independent expert legal opinion for the European Parliament. The study was carried out following the political decision taken by European...

CZECHS STILL ON COURSE DESPITE FLOODS.(Czech Republic, European Union membership talks)
October 10, 2002... The Czech Republic is still on course for completing EU accession negotiations this year, despite the additional problems created by the summer floods, according to the Danish Presidency of the EU. But nothing can yet be taken for granted,...

MALTESE CITIZENS BACK EU ACCESSION, SAYS PM.(Malta, European Union membership)
October 10, 2002... Eddie Fenech-Adami, prime minister of Malta, said in Brussels in September that Malta was fully committed to embracing the EU acquis in its entirety, without ducking any of its new responsibilities. EU membership was a "natural and logical"...

ESTONIA SEEKS BETTER AGRICULTURE DEAL.(European Union membership talks)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2002... Estonia is focusing its attention in the accession negotiations on agriculture on increasing its permitted production quotas, especially the milk quota, and on the reference years used as the basis for calculating quotas, said Estonian foreign...

LATVIA WANTS AGRICULTURE CONCESSIONS TOO.(European Union membership talks)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2002... Latvia's state secretary of the foreign ministry, Maris Riekstins, made clear at the 1 October EU accession negotiations in Brussels that Latvia needs better terms on agriculture. He said that losses had been suffered by Latvia's agriculture,...

PRELIMINARY LATVIAN ELECTION RESULTS SUGGEST CHANGE.(Brief Article)
October 10, 2002... A change of government looks likely in Latvia - with the probable departure from office of the largely pro-EU coalition. According to preliminary and provisional results of the October 5 election in Latvia, the New Time party of former central...

NEW DIRECTOR FOR FRY/FYROM RECONSTRUCTION AGENCY.(new Director of the European Agency for Reconstruction)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2002... Richard Zink has been appointed as new Director of the European Agency for Reconstruction, which delivers EU assistance to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, as part of the EU's process of...

SOLANA DESCRIBES "WIDER EUROPE" CHALLENGE.(Javier Solana; view on EU enlargement in Eastern Europe)
October 10, 2002... EU enlargement with up to ten new countries will throw up new opportunities and challenges for us and for our Eastern neighbours, said Javier Solana, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, addressing the Permanent...

SUPPORT RISING TO EASTERN FARMERS, BUT NOT TO EU LEVELS.(Eastern Europe, European Union; government support)
October 10, 2002... The proportion of government support in farmers' revenues rose last year in Russia, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovenia, says the OECD in a new report, Agricultural Policies in Transition Economies 2002. The level of...

THE EU SIDE OF THE ENLARGEMENT EQUATION.(European Union)
October 10, 2002... It is the EU member states that decide which other countries are to join the EU - but throughout this long process of preparation and negotiation between the EU and the candidates, the EU institutions have been heavily involved too. ENLARGEMENT...

PRESIDENCY REVEALS ITS HAND ON ENLARGEMENT PLANS.(European Union)
October 24, 2002... The Danish Presidency of the EU has revealed its hand on its enlargement plans in advance of the Brussels summit. It has released draft conclusions of the upcoming European Council on 24-25 October - and they show that the Presidency is...

DUTCH CONFUSION SEEPS INTO ENLARGEMENT NEGOTIATIONS.(European Union)
October 24, 2002... The Danish Presidency's bid to clear the decks for the final stages of the EU accession negotiations ran into trouble again at the special October 18 session, as the agenda for talks was reduced and deferred, and results anticipated failed to...

NETHERLANDS NIGHTMARE FOR ENLARGEMENT DENOUEMENT.(European Union)
October 24, 2002... The collapse of the Dutch coalition government on October 16 is certain to complicate the already complex final stages of the EU enlargement process. It means that Dutch prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende - who has agreed to call a new...

COMMISSION DEFENDS ITS "BIG BANG" APPROACH TO ENLARGEMENT.(European Commission)
October 24, 2002... The European Commission "has done its job and kept its promise", said European Commission President Romano Prodi when he announced the Commission's recommendations on enlargement on October 9 (see previous issue of ENLARGEMENT WATCH); "I am...

ENLARGEMENT WILL LEAD TO INCREASE IN ECB CAPITAL RESERVES.(European Central Bank)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... The Member States are considering two options. The first would involve maintaining capital and reserves at current levels whilst modifying the allocation formula to reflect 27 Member States instead of 15. The second, the ECB's preferred option,...

ENLARGEMENT: OLAF SAVES MILLIONS FROM CORRUPTION IN CANDIDATES.(European Commission)
October 24, 2002... At a sensitive moment for the enlargement process - concern over corruption is a leitmotif of the European Commission's reports on the candidate countries - the EU's anti-fraud office, OLAF, has given some details of its work to reinforce...

CONSUMERS GAINING FROM ENLARGEMENT, SAYS BYRNE.(David Byrne, European Commission)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... The "Single Market promise" is being delivered for the candidate countries, David Byrne, European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection told the Annual Assembly of Consumer Associations in Brussels on October 8. The chapter has been...

EU JUSTICE AND HOME AFFAIRS COUNCIL DISCUSS IF CANDIDATES ARE "SAFE".(European Commission)
October 24, 2002... At the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg on October 15, there was moderate progress made on the European Commission's proposed asylum package. Among other matters that were decided, the Council declared that from the moment...

CANDIDATES JOIN IN LIFE III.(environmental financial instrument, European Union)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... Five Decisions on the financial contribution that Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Slovenia and Romania should make to the LIFE financial instrument for the environment, plus a Decision on the procedures for Slovakia's participation in the programme...

CANDIDATES IN THE EU RESEARCH PROGRAMME.(European Union)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... On 29 October the European Commission is organising an informal meeting to discuss with candidate countries' representatives their integration in the European Research Area and the possibilities offered by the EU's Sixth Framework Programme for...

ROAD HAULIERS ISSUE A WARNING ON ENLARGEMENT.(International Road Trasport Union on European Union accession plans)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... "Practical measures will be needed to ensure that the political 'big bang' enlargement of the EU is not immediately followed by a damaging economic free-for-all." This is the warning the International Road Transport Union (IRU) has issued, as a...

"ENLARGEMENT COSTS WILL COME AFTER 2006", SAYS SWEDISH STUDY.(European Union)
October 24, 2002... "The significant share of the enlargement costs will come in the period after 2006", claims a new report from the Expert Group on Public Finance, an ad hoc independent government commission attached to the Swedish Ministry of Finance. But "the...

HEALTHY FOOD CAMPAIGN IN CANDIDATE COUNTRIES.(Friends of the Earth, European Union, sustainable agriculture)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... Candidate countries are participating in a Europe-wide Friends of the Earth campaign for choice in food and farming in late October - geared at promoting sustainable agriculture, healthy food and local diversity. The campaign seeks reform of...

"THINK OF THE CHILDREN IN THE NEW MEMBER STATES", SAY PES MEPS.(Party of European Socialists, European Union)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... The European Union and the European governments to give absolute priority to the rights and opportunities of the children of central and eastern Europe, according to PES Members of the European Parliament Jan Marinus Wiersma (Netherlands)and...

EPP FOCUS ON ENLARGEMENT.(European People's Party, Portugal and the European Union)
October 24, 2002... Enlargement was high on the agenda of the congress of the European People's Party on 17-18 October in Portugal. The congress adopted a resolution on enlargement, which supported the recommendations made by the European Commission on 9 October,...

"MORE CIVIL SOCIETY NEEDED IN ENLARGEMENT PROCESS".(European Union)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... Civil society should play a larger role in shaping the future health and social welfare systems of candidate countries, according to Caritas Europa, one of the biggest non-governmental social services providers. Putting its point at the...

POLAND SEES FULFILMENT OF A DREAM.(accession to the European Union)
October 24, 2002... Poland's Prime Minister Leszlek Miller seized upon the Commission's October 9 confirmation that Poland is fulfilling the legal and political criteria for accession, and will be able to fulfil the economic criteria within the time frame set by...

SOLANA ENCOURAGES POLAND.(Javier Solana, European Union)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... "It is normal that discussions about milk quotas or the administrative requirements of an Objective 1 region do not foster enthusiasm", admitted Javier Solana, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, speaking in...

EBRD LOAN FOR ROADS IN POLAND.(European Bank for Reconstruction and Development)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is providing a Euro 12.7 million loan to the Polish city of Lcentsdz to help reduce traffic congestion and improve environmental and safety standards along important streets that run through...

LATVIA WELCOMES REGULAR REPORT.(European Commission)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... Latvia's Foreign Ministry welcomed the Commission's October 9 regular report and strategy paper wholeheartedly: "We are especially glad that the Commission considers that Latvia has a functioning market economy, which will be able to cope with...

KALININGRAD AND IGNALINA WORRY LITHUANIA IN REGULAR REPORT.(European Union)
October 24, 2002... The Commission's October 9 regular report on Lithuania was "welcome news, also an evaluation of efforts of all Lithuania's people", said Lithuanian Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis. But he acknowledged that in order to complete accession...

STILL SEEKING THE KALINGRAD KEY FOR LITHUANIA.(European Union)
October 24, 2002... Danish foreign minister Per Stig Moller held talks in Copenhagen on October 16 with Antonis Valionis, the Lithuanian foreign minister and European Enlargement Commissioner Gunter Verheugen, in a bid to find common ground on how Russian citizens...

SOBER ESTONIAN WELCOME FOR COMMISSION REPORT.(European Union)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... Estonian Prime Minister Siim Kallas said the Commission's October 9 recommendation on the endgame for EU enlargement - including the closure of negotiations with Estonia, and its accession in 2004 - was gratifying. "We deserve it," said Mr...

CZECH REPUBLIC TAKES NOTE OF CORRUPTION CONCERNS.(European Commission report)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... Czech Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda described the European Commission's October 9 regular report on his country as "a ticket for EU membership". It was important that the Czech Republic had been formally recognised as fit for EU membership by...

CZECH PREPARATIONS FOR EU RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH.(Czech Republic and the European Union)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... Czech Minister of Agriculture Jaroslav Palas launched a new twinning project on October 17 to help prepare for his country's participation in EU-financed rural development after accession. The project, with a budget of Euro 900,000 from the...

"BENES DECREES NO OBSTACLE TO CZECH ACCESSION".(European Union)
October 24, 2002... The Czechoslovak Presidential decrees - commonly known as the "Benes decrees" - do not represent any obstacles to the Czech Republic's accession to the EU, according to the findings of the European Commission's Legal Service and the Enlargement...

HUNGARY SEES FINAL LAP STARTING.(accession to the European Union)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... Hungary's Foreign Minister Laszlo Kovacs greeted the release of the European Commission's regular report on his country on October 9 with the observation that: "The final marathon is just beginning". The Hungarian Central Bank agreed with the...

SLOVAKIA CELEBRATES REGULAR REPORT AND NEW GOVERNMENT.(European Commission)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... Slovakia has had a good week, with a largely complimentary regular report from the European Commission on October 9, and the installation of a new government on October 16. Mikulas Dzurinda has returned as prime minister at the head of a new...

SLOVENIA FINDS MORE GOOD THAN BAD IN COMMISSION REPORT.(European Commission)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... Slovenia's foreign affairs minister Dmitrij Rupel expressed satisfaction at the European Commission's October 9 regular report, claiming it put his country "on the doorstep of the EU". And Europe minister Janez Potocnik welcomed the evaluation...

BULGARIA DELIGHTED WITH MARKET ECONOMY STATUS, WORRIED BY KOZLODUY.(European Union)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... Bulgarian officials were quick to welcome the finding in the European Commission's October 9 regular report that their country can now be considered a functioning market economy. Foreign minister Solomon Passy said the report was "the best...

ROMANIA ACKNOWLEDGES MUCH WORK AHEAD.(European Union)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... Romania accepted the European Commission's October 9 evaluation of its EU accession preparations with a mixture of resignation and determination to improve. Prime minister Adrian Nastase said it was "balanced", and inevitably contained...

NEW PLAN TO FREE UP EU-ROMANIAN FARM TRADE.(European Union)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... The European Commission has approved a proposal which would substantially free up farm trade between the EU and Romania from the start of next year. The proposal, adopted on October 10, should lead to an increase in trade in farm products...

TURKEY INSISTS ON DATE FOR THE OPENING ACCESSION TALKS.(European Union)
October 24, 2002... "This is simply a technical document assessing Turkey's progress towards EU accession. The political decision on Turkey's accession to the EU will be taken at the Copenhagen European Council in December." That was the gist of the Turkish...

TURKEY URGED TO WORK HARD TO SATISFY EUROPEAN CRITERIA.(European Union)
October 24, 2002... In spite of recent progress on human rights and civil liberties, Turkey has still not met all of the political criteria for entering into the European fold. This in substance is the European Commission's conclusion in its regular report on the...

CYPRUS "FULLY SATISFIED" ON REGULAR REPORT.(European Union)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... The Cyprus Government spokesman Michalis Papapetrou expressed satisfaction on a "historic" and "particularly important" day for Cyprus and its people as a formal response to the Commission's regular report published on October 9. "These...

EU-CYPRUS JOINT CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE FOR REGIONS.(European Union)
October 24, 2002... The inaugural meeting of the Joint Consultative Committee between the EU Committee of the Regions and the Cypriot Republic took place on 14 October in Nicosia. "Cyprus has always been a part of the European family. Its application to join the...

PRODI REASSURES MALTA ON NEUTRALITY AND ENLARGEMENT.(Romano Prodi, European Union)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... Former Maltese prime minister Don Mintoff received reassurances from European Commission President Romano Prodi on October 16 that the Nice Treaty holds no threats to neutrality. Mr Mintoff, still the leader of the opposition, and a strong...

MALTA'S "IMPERFECT" IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACQUIS.(European Union)
October 24, 2002... Although Malta is judged by the European Commission's October 9 regular report to be out of line on the administrative implementation of the EU acquis, EU officials have indicated that "the Maltese have pledged to implement measures in the...

EU NARROWING DIFFERENCES ON KALININGRAD WITH RUSSIA?(European Union)
October 24, 2002... There have been hints of possible compromise over recent days between the EU and Russia over the disputed transit arrangements for the Kaliningrad enclave after the prospective enlargement of the EU. Positive signals emerged from an EU 'Troika'...

PROBE INTO RUSSIAN SILICON METAL DUMPING.(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... The European Commission is due to open an investigation into claims that Russia is dumping silicon metal exports on the European Union market. The probe was prompted by a complaint from Euroalliages, representing the EU ferro-alloy industry,...

QUERIES ON EU FOOD DELIVERY PROGRAMME TO RUSSIA.(European Union)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... The vexed EU food delivery programme for Russia, agreed in 1998, and initiated and then suspended in 1999, is still stalled. The European Commission says the Russian Government has not yet fully respected its obligations, especially in dealing...

EURO 20.5 MILLION EU AID FOR CHECHNYA WAR VICTIMS.(European Union)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... The European Commission announced on October 16 a Euro 20.5 million grant to help the victims of the conflict that has raged in the Russian region of Chechnya for almost a decade. The aim is to help internally displaced people (IDPs) and other...

RUSSIA - BUT NOT UKRAINE - TAKEN OFF OECD MONEY-LAUNDERING BLACKLIST.(Organization for Economic Construction and Development)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... Russia has been taken off the OECD's blacklist of money-laundering havens, it was announced October 11. The Financial Action Task Force on Money-Laundering (FATF), which is housed in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's...

RUSSIAN AND UKRAINE GRAIN CONCERNS FOR EU LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY.(European Union)
October 24, 2002... Animal feed manufacturers have slated the European Commission's bid to limit cereal imports from Ukraine and Russia, saying it will destroy European livestock farmers. The European Feed Manufacturers' Federation (FEFAC) has sent an open letter...

UKRAINE UNDER SCRUTINY ON ARMS SALES TO IRAQ.(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... Allegations that Ukraine has breached UN sanctions by selling weapons - and particularly advanced radar air defence systems - to Iraq have sent renewed tremors through the already strained links between Ukraine and the EU. The Ukraine President...

UKRAINE MUST DO MORE TO ATTRACT INVESTMENT, SAYS EBRD.(European Bank for Reconstruction and Development)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... Improvements in the climate for foreign and local investors are 'urgently needed' in Ukraine, according to President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Jean Lemierre, during a three-day trip to Ukraine on October...

EU WARNS BELARUS AGAIN OVER MEDIA FREEDOM.(European Union )(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... The EU has said that it is "alarmed by the deterioration of the situation regarding freedom of the media and freedom of expression in Belarus", in a statement issued by the Danish EU Presidency on October 16. The EU underlines that it needs to...

EU PUTS DUTY ON BELARUS POLYESTER FIBRES.(European Union)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... The European Union has set anti-dumping duties of 21% on imports of synthetic polyester staple fibres from Belarus, halving the 43.5% duties set in 1996. The measure was backed by ten EU Member States, with Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands,...

"RAPID RESPONSE NEEDED" TO FAILED SERB ELECTIONS.
October 24, 2002... The European Commission has urged the Serbian authorities to move swiftly to hold fresh Presidential elections after the failure of the October 13 poll due to insufficient voter turnout. Only 45.5% of the 6.5 million people eligible cast a vote...

SOLANA WELCOMES BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA VOTE.(Javier Solana)
October 24, 2002... Although the elections held on October 5 in Bosnia and Herzegovina produced mixed results for the EU, with strong backing emerging for opposition forces with a nationalist streak, Javier Solana, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and...

HOPES RISE OF EU-NATO DEAL ON MACEDONIA BY END OF NOVEMBER.
October 24, 2002... EU diplomats are expressing increasing confidence that a landmark deal between the European Union and NATO could be reached by the end of November, clearing the way for the EU to launch its first peace-keeping mission in Macedonia early next...

CROATIAN JOURNALIST WINS "ERHARD BUSEK" AWARD.(Denis Latin)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... The South East Europe Media Organisation and its international jury have chosen the Croatian journalist Denis Latin as the recipient of the 2002 "Dr. Erhard Busek - SEEMO Award for Better Understanding in South East Europe", in recognition for...

GREEN LIGHT EXPECTED FOR EU-ALBANIA TALKS.(European Union)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... Talks between the EU and Albania towards a bilateral Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) are expected to get under way by the end of the year, according to Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Miller, in an interview in the Albanian daily...

SOLANA REVIEWS EU FOREIGN POLICY.(Javier Solano, European Union)
October 24, 2002... European Common Foreign and Security Policy is the EU policy with the highest popular support, even in countries which sometimes may hesitate on further steps of European integration, claimed Javier Solana, EU High Representative for the Common...

PRESIDENCY REVIEWS CFSP TOO.(European Union presidency, candidate states)
October 24, 2002... The EU Presidency has also been setting its views on EU foreign policy. Danish foreign affairs minister Per Stig Moller addressed a meeting of the chairmen of the foreign policy committees of the EU member states and candidates on 11 October on...

BALTIC EXPECTATIONS TOO OVER IMPENDING ACCESSIONS.
October 24, 2002... The Baltic Region must be more closely united, politically and commercially, after EU enlargement, according to longtime Danish foreign affairs minister Uffe Ellemann-Jensen. Speaking on the margins of the annual Summit of the Baltic...

STABILITY PACT FOR SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE STILL HAS WORK TO DO.
October 24, 2002... The 1999 Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe still has much to achieve, but progress in the areas of infrastructure, trade and organised crime has already been "substantial", especially given that certain initial expectations were...

ROAD TRANSPORT TRAINING ORGANISATIONS WIN ACCREDITATION.(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... The International Road Transport Union (IRU) has agreed to the accreditation of five new training bodies: ASMAP (Ukraine), Bilimintertrans (Ouzbekistan), DTC-U (Denmark), FATII-ATII (Romania) and ZMPD (Poland). The IRU accreditation committee...

CORPORATE NEWS.(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... The national railway companies of the three Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are ready to take a common position in solving issues before and after EU accession. The heads of all three national railway companies met in Riga in...

CANDIDATE COUNTRIES "POORLY INFORMED" ON EU PROGRAMMES.(European Union)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... EU programmes and funds provide opportunities in the candidate countries for the corporate sector - which is "interested in participating but is still poorly informed", according to the Slovenian Business and Research Association. "Application...

RECENT TENDERS FROM THE EU'S EUROPEAID AGENCY.(European Union)
October 24, 2002... In Bulgaria a tender for assisting in meeting the environmental acquis and institution building is open until November 25 Lithuania has published a tender for creating a framework for economic restructuring in the Ignalina, Visaginas and...

ESTONIA'S EUROPEAN INTEGRATION OFFICE.
October 24, 2002... Each candidate country organises itself for EU accession negotiations and preparations in a different manner. This issue of ENLARGEMENT WATCH highlights the Estonian Office of European Integration, set up in 1996 as part of the State...

NEWSWATCH - NEWS IN BRIEF.(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... Poland's parliament has been adjourned for a week - until after the October 27 regional elections - following lively scenes including an overnight occupation of the speaker's podium by Gabriel Janowski of the nationalist League of Polish...

THE ENLARGEMENT CALENDAR.(European Union)
October 24, 2002... October 24-25 European Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy visits Russia October 24-25 European Council, Brussels: the EU Presidency draft agenda currently envisages discussion of enlargement and of Kaliningrad. On enlargement,...

UNICE WANTS BRUSSELS SUMMIT TO ENSURE CHECKS ON NEW MEMBER STATES.(European Union industry lobby)(Brief Article)
October 24, 2002... The European industry lobby, UNICE, is urging the EU summit in Brussels this week to adopt the European Commission's proposals on enlargement "taking account of comments made by European business". The ten leading countries "may indeed be ready...