EUROPEAN DIARY.

* Second annual preparing for REACH conference: To be held on May 24-25 in Brussels by Agra Europe to assess the impact of the REACH draft Directive (proposed system for the registration, evaluation and authorisation of chemicals) on several industries. Information: Katrina Ray: www.agra-net.com

* Does Europe have a gas strategy?: dinner-debate to be held in Brussels (European Parliament) on May 25. The event is organised by Friends of Europe in association with Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE). Speakers will be Geert Joosten, President of GIE, Dominique Ristori, Director at DG TREN, and Claude Turmes, MEP. Info: http://www.friendsofeurope.org - email: info@friendsofeurope.org - tel: +32 (0)2 737 9145

* The future of the shifting transatlantic defence market: new trends and realities and strategies in the US and Europe: seminar organised by McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP with the support of the New Defence Agenda (NDA) on May 26, in Brussels at the Bibliotheque Solvay. Info: http://www.forum-europe.com/download/NDA/McKenna_Long_&_Aldridge_Programme+RegForm.pdf or http://www.newdefenceagenda.org

* Achieving the MDGs: The Need for Urgent Action: is a seminar on May 26, from 10am-12pm, hosted at The Centre (Avenue Marnix 22, B-1000 Brussels) with the support of the World Bank. The meeting will gather Zia Qureshi, World Bank Focal Point on MDGs; Bernard Petit, Director, DG Development, European Commission; .E. Fernando Whanon Ferreira - Ambassador of Cape Verde and Chair of the ACP Committee of Ambassadors (TBC); and Christiane Overkamp, Director, CIDSE. Registration by email to meet@thecentre.eu.com or click on www.thecentre.eu.com/directions

* "French in Brussels: discovering the face of professional lobbying" is the theme of a conference to be held on May 31 at the European Parliament in...