"Every member state is entitled to use the energy mix they prefer, including nuclear energy". The energy issue marked the first work day of the EU Council, which met in Brussels yesterday; the same topic was taken up again this morning by some heads of state and heads of government of the 25 member states. The Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel, president on duty of the EU Council, at the press conference held yesterday, late in the evening, specified that the issue of energy supplies and sources was the focus of discussion "and established itself as a big European issue". Schüssel also added that "The High representative for foreign policy, Javier Solana, was appointed to work until June at the external dimension of the energy policies" to report about that at the summer meeting. The work of the Executive Committee should end at about 1 pm: the leaders are drawing up the final document of the meeting, a text of about thirty pages with a few annexes about operating resolutions. The discussion under way is mostly about the Lisbon Agenda, that is, economic competitiveness and employment. (to be continued)
