BRUSSELS, March 19 (RIA Novosti) - European Union
leaders will gather for a two-day summit in Brussels on
Thursday which will focus on the global economic slump, aid to
non-eurozone states and energy issues.
The 27 countries are due to hammer out a common position
on the issues ahead of a Group of 20 summit on April 2 in
London, where major economies are expected to focus on boosting
the global economy and steering the world out of recession.
The EU, criticized by the U.S. for its reluctance in
giving more support to economies within the alliance and
measures to curb growing unemployment, may reach an agreement
on increasing the earlier announced 25-billion euro ($33.6
billion) stimulus package for EU member states that do not use
the euro and that have been badly-hit by the global downturn.
European states have cautioned on the dangers of focusing
too much on rescue plans, and have instead opted for reform of
financial markets and lending organizations.
European leaders will also discuss allocating 3.5 billion
euros ($4.7 billion) on energy projects and decide on the
future of the Nabucco gas pipeline, an alternative to supplies
from Russia where disputes with neighboring transit nations
have led to brief cutoffs in supplies. Germany, Italy and
France have raised concerns on the feasibility of the project
in the current climate.
The summit agenda also includes the EU's ties with
ex-Soviet states under the Eastern Partnership project and the
Lisbon Treaty, a replacement for the EU Constitution that has
been ratified by 23 of the 27 member states.
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