DEBATE ON FUTURE EU FINANCIAL FRAMEWORK STALLS.

Discussions on the 2007-2013 medium-term financial perspective have stalled already. The debate among EU Foreign Ministers at the General Affairs Council in Luxembourg on October 11 yielded no substantial progress, the Member States merely repeating the positions they have held since the start of the negotiations. The Dutch Presidency is nevertheless keen to secure "guidelines" by the December 17 European Council for use by subsequent Presidencies (Luxembourg over the first half year and the United Kingdom over the second) with a view to securing a political agreement in 2006.

France and Sweden once again called for a Budget of 1% of GNI instead of the...