Amidst a series of downgrades to the euro zone economic forecasts by the European Commission, the governing body of the European Union on Wednesday actually raised its forecast for Poland's economic growth in 2008, to 5.4%, from 5.3%.
For if the so-called stability and growth pact is indeed held to be the bible of the European Union, Mr Prodi as head of the commission, whose duty it is to enforce European law, is meant to be worshipper-in-chief.
Last month the Commission wrote to 24 of the European Union's 27 member states, spelling out how each is infringing European railway directives and threatening proceedings.
In a statement, Catherine Ashton, the high representative of the European Union for foreign affairs and security policy and vice president of the European Commission, said she was "saddened by the tragic news" of the incident.
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Also speaking were the representatives of China, Libya, Viet Nam, Costa Rica, Indonesia, Panama, Russian Federation, Japan (in his capacity and as Chairperson of the Peacebuilding Commission), Liechtenstein, Ghana, Slovenia (on behalf of the European Union), Australia, Spain, New Zealand, Bangladesh, Netherlands, Israel, Iceland (also on behalf of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden), Nigeria, Brazil, Switzerland, Ireland, Canada, Ecuador, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Austria, Argentina, Colombia, United Republic of Tanzania, Germany, Kazakhstan, Iraq, Rwanda, Philippines, Afghanistan, El Salvador, Tonga (on behalf of the Pacific Small Island Developing States), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Myanmar, Tunisia, Benin, Mauritania and San Marino.
The thing about a formal banking union for the eurozone, of the sort recommended by Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, is that it is a covert or backdoor form of fiscal union (see today's FT for more on this).
The Commission agreed and the European Union's Council of Finance Ministers adopted the proposal in January 2013.
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Campaigners say that a tenth of primary schools now take advantage of the scheme, with numbers rising, but the European Commission is considering ending the subsidies because of a low take-up of the offer across the European Union.
European Commission spokesman Jonathan Todd said the European Union executive would soon adopt a decision to allow the transfer of data to the United States under the agreed framework.
Recently he suggested that Jacques Delors, the former (French) head of the European Commission, should find a way to reform the Union's institutions.
The rest of the European Union has accepted new guidelines from the European Commission, but these are what the profession calls sensible.
The Commission will present its paper on cybercrime to the Council of Ministers of the European Union (EU) and to the European Parliament.
The deal, which is expected to be completed early next year, is conditional upon successful completion of a bond offer, European Union approval and Kansas State Commission consent.
Lord Kinnock, a former vice-president of the European Commission, said the public had not been properly informed about the European Union by their governments.
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The commission also heard evidence from one of the top UK financial regulators, who criticised the planned European Union cap on banker's bonuses.
On Ms. Merkel's insistence, much of this week's summit will be taken up with discussions of proposals by the presidents of the European Council, European Commission, ECB and Eurogroup for banking, fiscal and political union.
Some of the problems with the commission's financial controls, however, are unique to the European Union.
The commission has devised its forecasting model is an attempt to improve the European Union's understanding of its economy, and to help ensure a more nimble response to events.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso warned on Wednesday that a lack of convergence towards a closer union was "nourishing populist debates ultimately to put an end to this project".
The Unite union has urged the government to press the European Commission to lift its requirement because of uncertainty over bank workers' jobs.
"We're studying the compatibility of these decisions with the international laws of competition, together with our concerned partners, especially the European Union and the European Commission, " a spokesman said.
"The rule of law, the democratic checks and balances and the independence of the judiciary are cornerstones of the European democracy and indispensable for mutual trust within the European Union, " the Commission warned.
Later this year the European Commission is expected to begin negotiating 'open skies' deals with non-European Union countries on behalf of all EU governments.
"The European Commission, the European Parliament, the European clubs, leagues and players' union have all been fully supportive of FFP and have on many occasions commented positively on this UEFA initiative, " said the European governing body in a statement to CNN.
This is the president who attacks the European Central Bank at almost every opportunity for its rigid monetary policy, criticises the European Commission for its promotion of competition and is seeking to undermine the Doha world trade talks because they threaten to cut European Union farm subsidies.
European governments need to agree urgently on steps to forge a closer union because of the eurozone's "systemic problem", the head of the European Commission says.
The European Commission had brought the case on the grounds that such shares were a restriction on the free movement of capital within the European Union.
In years past, the European Commission used to accuse well-known firms of colluding with smugglers by slipping them merchandise that was destined to enter the European Union illegally.
There are some vague commitments to pursue fiscal consolidation by having countries submit certain aspects of their budgets to the European Commission, but there is no suggestion that there is going to be a meaningful fiscal union anytime soon.
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