[romania_eu_list] East Europe Finance Ministers Push for EU Budget Pact This Year

[Mihai Zodian]

East Europe Finance Ministers Push for EU Budget Pact This Year 
 
Sept. 10 (Bloomberg) -- Eastern European countries urged the European Union to agree on new seven-year budget this year, warning that a delay would set back their economic progress as they strive to adopt the euro. 
``Late or no agreement would have negative consequences, both at European and national level,'' finance ministers of Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia said in a joint statement today at a meeting of EU finance officials in Manchester, England. ``The lack of predictable medium-term financial framework implies serious risks for the implementation of'' euro-adoption plans. 
EU leaders missed a June deadline to agree on the 2007-2013 budget when U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair challenged France's farm subsidies and French President Jacques Chirac attacked Britain's
 annual refund. 
The 10 mostly former-communist nations that joined the EU in 2004 are counting on EU funds for agriculture, environmental protection and construction projects to help bridge the economic divide with richer western European countries. 
Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia are struggling to cut spending enough to bring their deficits below the 3 percent of gross domestic product threshold required for switching to the euro. They are relying on EU subsidies to build roads, upgrade hospitals and raise living standards. 
Britain, as EU president until December, is now in charge of steering the budget talks. A failure during Britain's term would hand the job to Austria at the start of 2006.
 
 
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=aE0WLRQYbmbQ&refer=top_world_news
 
		 
Appel audio GRATUIT partout dans le monde avec le nouveau Yahoo! Messenger 
Téléchargez le ici ! 
 






*** sustineti [romania_eu_list] prin 1% din impozitul pe 2005 -
detalii la http://www.europe.org.ro/euroatlantic_club/unulasuta.php ***

 









  




  
  
  YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS



   Visit your group "romania_eu_list" on the web. 
   To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
   Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.