EU and candidate countries hopeful of completing talks in Copenhagen

The European Union and candidate countries voiced confidence yesterday that disputes over funding the EU's eastern enlargement would not derail plans to complete accession talks at a Copenhagen summit in mid-December. The candidates had expressed disappointment with the financial package offered by EU leaders at a Brussels summit on October 24-25. But, after bilateral negotiations last week, the candidates said on Monday they were optimistic the EU would improve accession terms on farm aid and budgetary contributions. "Our arguments that, in terms of revenues and competitiveness our farming sector must not suffer from accession, are well understood," said Jan Truszczynski, Poland's chief EU membership negotiator. Echoing the remarks of diplomats from other candidate countries, Truszczynski said the EU appeared increasingly flexible on agricultural production quotas for new members. On the contentious issue of direct payments for farmers in the new member states, EU leaders agreed that these would be phased in over a decade from an initial level of 25% of the amount received in the current EU countries. (Reuters)