EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT/COMMISSION: MEPS GIVE INDIFFERENT RECEPTION TO 2004 ANNUAL POLICY STRATEGY.

Against all expectations, the debate on the 2004 Annual Policy Strategy (APS) on March 11 at the European Parliament's plenary session in Strasbourg, did not focus on Romano Prodi's star turn - planning the financial perspective for the period after 2006 (see European Report 2757 for further details) - but on disparate elements of the Commission's work programme and on the preparation of the 2004 Preliminary Draft Budget, in respect of which Parliament adopted broad guidelines outlined in the joint report by Jan Mulder (ELDR, Netherlands) and Neena Gill (PES, United Kingdom - see European Report 2753 for further details).

Speaking for the EPP-ED group, Tory MEP James Elles was alone in responding to the Commission's intention to begin preparations for the next medium-term financial perspective, calling for "prudence". Turning to the Iraqi crisis, Mr Elles said he hoped the 2004 APS might launch an "in-depth debate on the transatlantic partnership". Austrian Socialist Johannes Swoboda suggested "the United States' influence is manifest in the candidate countries, where it counts for more than the European project". He therefore welcomed the priority accorded to enlargement in the 2004 APS. Alluding to French President Jacques Chirac's recent outburst, Nicholas Clegg (ELDR, United Kingdom) condemned "condescending comments" that have led to "a crisis with the candidate countries". He reminded the House that "the EU is not a temple where only the High...