AFR European Council meeting in Brussels on 24-25 October 2002

23.10.02

In his capacity as EU President, Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen will participate in the meeting of the European Council in Brussels on 24-25 October. On the agenda for the meeting are enlargement and Kaliningrad. In addition, Chairman of the European Convention Valéry Giscard D’Estaing will present an oral progress report on the work of the Con-vention. On the occasion of the European Council meeting, Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen states: ”The European Council meeting in Brussels will be crucial to the EU’s ambition of completing the negotiations with up to ten candidate countries by the end of this year. We must come to a decision regarding which candidate countries are ready to complete the negotiations in Copenhagen in December. Fur-thermore, we must reach agreement on all the financial elements relat-ing to the enlargement. This concerns in particular the question of phasing in the candidate countries in the EU’s direct support schemes in the area of agriculture. I anticipate tough and difficult negotiations in Brussels. However, I remain optimistic. We have prepared ourselves thoroughly. All ques-tions of a technical nature have been clarified in advance. What re-main are the final political issues, which the EU Heads of State or Government must solve so that delays in the enlargement process can be avoided.”

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Further information, including a handbook for press officers and on-going updates on Presidency press conference times, may be found at www.eu2002.dk.

Contact information Head of Section, Michael Christian Helbo, phone: +45 3392-2222, mobile: +45 4080-3685, and Head of Section, Jesper Fersløv Ander-sen, phone: +45 3392-2235, mobile: +45 40803688