Wider Europe Task Force- July 15, 2003 Europa Following the European Council in Thessaloniki, which endorsed the approach proposed by the European Commission for strengthening relations with the new neighbours of the enlarged EU, the Commission today took important decisions on the implementation of its policy for Wider Europe. Commissioner Gnter Verheugen, assisted by a Wider Europe Task Force , will be in charge of further developing the political concept of a new neighbourhood policy and of drawing up action plans with the...http://eunewsdigest.blogspot.com/2003/07/wider-europe-task-force.html New Intergovernmental Conference- July 15, 2003 New Intergovernmental Conference will start on 4 October in Rome The Intergovernmental Conference on the future EU Constitution will begin in Rome on 4 October. In the period leading up to the opening of the next Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on 4 October 2003, the Member States will continue to come forward with their observations and concerns on the draft European Constitution. Three sessions are scheduled within the sixth IGC, which is expected to be concluded before the end of...http://eunewsdigest.blogspot.com/2003/07/new-intergovernmental-conference.html Cyprus ratifies Treaty of Accession- July 15, 2003 Euractiv On 14 July, Cyprus House of Representatives voted unanimously in favour of EU membership. Only months away from EU accession, the Mediterranean island continues to stand divided, with one-third of its territory under Turkish occupation, recognised only by Ankara. Insiders say the talks over the possible reunification of the island are unlikely to continue before the Turkish Cypriot elections, scheduled for November. The European Union currently offers EU membership to the...http://eunewsdigest.blogspot.com/2003/07/cyprus-ratifies-treaty-of-accession.html Italian Presidency Programme- July 1, 2003 Opening an inter-governmental conference on the new EU constitution in October Promoting peace in the Middle East, possibly by holding a peace conference in Sicily A "New Deal" to boost big infrastructure projects in Europe financed by European Investment Bank bonds Immigration - Italy supports the idea of immigrant holding centres outside the EU Pensions - Mr Berlusconi has proposed a common approach enshrined in an EU-wide treatyhttp://eunewsdigest.blogspot.com/2003/07/italian-presidency-programme.html EU presidency: Italian portal on-line today- July 1, 2003 The web portal for the Italian presidency of the European union is on-line as from todayhttp://eunewsdigest.blogspot.com/2003/07/eu-presidency-italian-portal-on-line.html |