Ministers agree on terms for common EU patentEU ministers have agreed to introduce a community-wide patent by 2010, ending 30 years of squabbling over the issueTue Mar 04 2003 - 00:00
Giscard suggests mutual defence pact within EUEU: The chairman of the Convention on the Future of Europe, Mr Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, has suggested that some EU member-states…Sat Mar 01 2003 - 00:00
'Ringleader' in trafficking case falls illA man accused of being a ringleader in the gang that organised a human smuggling operation to Co Wexford which led to the deaths…Fri Feb 28 2003 - 00:00
Jail urged in fatal trafficking caseA Belgian prosecutor has called for eight men alleged to have been involved in the fatal smuggling of 13 illegal immigrants in…Thu Feb 27 2003 - 00:00
Gardai testify at people-trafficking trialA Belgian court has heard about the harrowing four-day journey from Belgium to Ireland of 13 illegal immigrants, eight of whom…Wed Feb 26 2003 - 00:00
EU disunity showcased in BrusselsEU: The European Union's rift over Iraq has reappeared, with France and Germany dismissing as premature a UN Security Council…Tue Feb 25 2003 - 00:00
Government proposes changes to draft treatyBRUSSELS: The Government has proposed amendments to all 16 draft articles of a constitutional treaty being discussed at the …Sat Feb 22 2003 - 00:00
McCreevy says pact may lead to cutbacksThe Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, has warned that he may have to choose between trimming current expenditure and shelving…Wed Feb 19 2003 - 00:00
Minister warns Iraq war risk to economyThe Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, has said that all countries consider economic factors such as foreign investment when …Wed Feb 19 2003 - 00:00
EU says Iraq must disarm peacefully or it risks warEU leaders have issued a strong warning to Iraq to disarm peacefully or risk war, stating that UN weapons inspections cannot …Tue Feb 18 2003 - 00:00
50,000 marchers transform grey streetsBELGIUM: The European Union may be unable to agree a common foreign policy or to harmonise rules on such sensitive issues of…Mon Feb 17 2003 - 00:00
McCreevy's programme set to win Ecofin nodEU finance ministers will discuss Ireland's Stability Programme for 2003 when they meet in Brussels tomorrowMon Feb 17 2003 - 00:00
Austria refuses to allow US troops pass throughAUSTRIA: Austria has refused to drop its ban on US soldiers and military equipment passing through its territory, despite complaints…Mon Feb 17 2003 - 00:00
NATO ambassadors to meet through critical weekendNATO: NATO ambassadors are expected to meet through the weekend in an effort to resolve their dispute about preparations for…Fri Feb 14 2003 - 00:00
EU might suspend euro zone budget deficit rules in event of warThe European Union could suspend strict budget rules governing members of the euro zone if war starts against Iraq, the Commission…Wed Feb 12 2003 - 00:00
'Heated' NATO fails to reach agreement on TurkeyBELGIUM: NATO is facing one of the worst crises in its 54-year history after France, Germany and Belgium blocked a proposal …Tue Feb 11 2003 - 00:00
Prospects of war impede ECB cutThe President of the European Central Bank (ECB), Mr Wim Duisenberg, has blamed uncertainty, particularly over the prospect of…Fri Feb 07 2003 - 00:00
ECB set to leave interest rates unchangedThe European Central Bank (ECB) is expected to leave interest rates unchanged at 2Thu Feb 06 2003 - 00:00
EU tells Iraq it must disarm or face 'all consequences'The European Union has warned Iraq that it must disarm without delay or bear responsibility for "all consequences"Thu Feb 06 2003 - 00:00
Greek presidency suggests EU join Arab peace missionUN: Greece has suggested that the European Union could join an Arab League delegation to Baghdad in an effort to persuade Iraq…Wed Feb 05 2003 - 00:00
Economic forum ends in gloomMany of the 1,000 business leaders who attended the World Economic Forum left the picturesque Swiss town of Davos yesterday after…Tue Jan 28 2003 - 00:00
Powell tells allies US is ready to go it alone in IraqTHE US: The US Secretary of State, Mr Colin Powell, has told Washington's allies that the US remains prepared to go to war against…Mon Jan 27 2003 - 00:00
Germany calls for less restrictive monetary policy to revive economyGermany has blamed high inflation in some euro-zone states for the European Central Bank's (ECB) reluctance to cut interest rates…Sat Jan 25 2003 - 00:00
Inflation too high, admits HarneyThe Tánaiste has acknowledged that Ireland's persistently high inflation is damaging the economy's competitivenessSat Jan 25 2003 - 00:00
Walsh to launch resistance to CAP reformsThe Minister for Agriculture and Food, Mr Walsh, will this morning meet farm leaders to plan concerted opposition to the reforms…Thu Jan 23 2003 - 00:00
CAP review keeps key Fischler proposalsThe European Commission's proposed mid-term review of the Common Agricultural Policy unveiled yesterday retains the essential…Thu Jan 23 2003 - 00:00
Big states back plans for two EU presidentsEU PRESIDENCY: Europe's big countries have sought to rally support for a Franco-German proposal to give the EU two presidents…Wed Jan 22 2003 - 00:00
France threatens to ignore rebuke over budget deficitFrance has threatened to ignore a rebuke from Brussels over its budget deficit, saying that promoting economic growth was more…Wed Jan 22 2003 - 00:00
McCreevy warns of downturn damageThe Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, has warned that the downturn in Europe's biggest economies could damage Ireland's growth…Wed Jan 22 2003 - 00:00
Brussels sues over groundwater lapsesThe European Commission has initiated legal action against the Government for failing to comply with EU rules on water quality…Wed Jan 22 2003 - 00:00
Roche rejects Franco German proposal for EUFRANCO-GERMAN RELATIONS: The Minister for Europe, Mr Roche, has rejected as unnecessary a Franco-German proposal to appoint …Tue Jan 21 2003 - 00:00
Germany, France say Europe needs a presidentEU: Germany and France have proposed a new form of leadership for the EU, under which the Commission President would be joined…Thu Jan 16 2003 - 00:00
War with Saddam is not inevitable, says EU, warning against hasty attackIRAQ: The European Union has stepped up its opposition to a hasty attack on Iraq, saying war is not inevitable and that more…Sat Jan 11 2003 - 00:00
EU insists CAP reforms do not necessarily mean incomes will dropThe European Commission has insisted that proposals to reform the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will not necessarily lead …Thu Jan 09 2003 - 00:00
Germany gets May deadline to fix deficitThe European Commission has given Germany until May 21st to take action to bring its budget deficit below the 3 per cent limit…Thu Jan 09 2003 - 00:00
Merger of EU foreign posts backedMembers of the Convention on the Future of Europe have overwhelmingly backed a proposal to merge the EU's two senior foreign …Sat Dec 21 2002 - 00:00
McDowell says his views on EU policy represent the GovernmentThe Minister for Justice has insisted that his views on Europe are representative of those of the Government as a whole and he…Fri Dec 20 2002 - 00:00
Deal is elusive at EU talks on fisheriesTalks about the future of Europe's fishing industry remained deadlocked in Brussels last night as fisheries ministers prepared…Fri Dec 20 2002 - 00:00
Fisheries ministers resume talks todayEU fisheries ministers enter their fourth day of talks in Brussels today with no sign of agreement on proposals to cut fish quotas…Thu Dec 19 2002 - 00:00
EU states split over mutual defence clauseEU: Most European Union member-states are backing a "solidarity clause" committing themselves to assist one another in tackling…Wed Dec 18 2002 - 00:00
'Little ground for optimism' in fisheries talksEU fisheries talks remained deadlocked last night after a group of countries, including Ireland, rejected the Commission's latest…Wed Dec 18 2002 - 00:00
Drastic fish measures threatenedThe European Commission has threatened to impose drastic fishing bans unless EU fisheries ministers agree this week on measures…Tue Dec 17 2002 - 00:00
Cox tells leaders of more tasks aheadCOPENHAGEN: The President of the European parliament, Mr Pat Cox, welcomed the decision to admit 10 new member-states to the…Sat Dec 14 2002 - 00:00
Turks in grudging acceptance of terms set by EUEU SUMMIT: Turkey has grudgingly accepted the EU's decision to assess Ankara's record on democracy and human rights in December…Sat Dec 14 2002 - 00:00
Summit of EU leaders opens with warning to PolandCOPENHAGEN: The European Union has opened a history-making summit in Copenhagen with a stark warning to Poland against pressing…Fri Dec 13 2002 - 00:00
New EU states set for green light by FridayEU: European Union foreign ministers have expressed confidence that 10 new member-states will be invited to join the EU this…Wed Dec 11 2002 - 00:00
Commission admits official may have sent letter to EsatThe European Commission has acknowledged that one of its officials may have passed a letter described at the Moriarty tribunal…Tue Dec 10 2002 - 00:00
Two old men edge painfully towards a kind of unity for CyprusEUROPEAN DIARY: In Copenhagen this week the European Union hopes to complete negotiations that will lead to the organisation…Tue Dec 10 2002 - 00:00
'Tax competition in the best interest of EU'The news that France and Germany are to press for the abolition of national vetoes on some tax issues has revived one of the …Mon Dec 09 2002 - 00:00
Solbes warns Italy's optimistic forecasts may need reviewThe Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner, Mr Pedro Solbes, has warned Italy that some of its economic forecasts could be…Sat Dec 07 2002 - 00:00
