Economic and Finance Council: Trans-European networks, energy taxation, Central and Eastern Europe and EHLASS At its meeting of 22 May 1995, the Economic and Finance Council dealt with a number of issues of relevance to the research and development area. - Trans-European networks: The Council took note of the information supplied by Mr. Kinnock, Commissioner for transport, on the pr... At its meeting of 22 May 1995, the Economic and Finance Council dealt with a number of issues of relevance to the research and development area. - Trans-European networks: The Council took note of the information supplied by Mr. Kinnock, Commissioner for transport, on the progress of the priority projects defined at the European Council meeting in Essen last December. It agreed to return to this question at its June session, in the lead-up to the Cannes European Council. For this purpose, the Council asked the Commission to draw up a detailed agenda for project-by-project financing. - Energy taxation: The Council heard a presentation by Mr. Monti, Commissioner for the internal market and financial affairs, on the amended proposal for a Directive on a tax on CO2/energy. A brief exchange of views took place, enabling a number of delegations to give their first reactions to the amendments, prior to in-depth examination. - Central and Eastern Europe: The Ministers held a meeting with their counterparts from Central and Eastern Europe which have signed Europe Agreements and from the Baltic States, which are due to sign Agreements on 12 June. This was the first formal meeting between the Economic and Finance Ministers from both sides within the new structured dialogue framework agreed at Essen as part of the pre-accession strategy for the Central and Eastern European countries. The meeting dealt with two subjects. Firstly, the ministers discussed the economic and financial issues involved in preparing the Central and Eastern European countries for integration with the internal market and the progress made so far in aligning their legislation with that of the European Union. An exchange of views took place on the Commission's new White Paper, drafted as a follow-up to the Essen initiative and designed to help the countries adapt their legislation in line with that of the European Union's internal market. The second discussion concentrated on macroeconomic issues, involving exchanges of information on the recent economic forecasts prepared by the Commission and the economic situation of each Central and Eastern European country participating. - Community information system on domestic and leisure-time accidents (EHLASS): The Decision adapting EHLASS to take account of the accession of the three new Member States to the European Union was adopted by qualified majority. In view of the amendment, the estimated amount needed to implement the system now stands at ECU 2.8 million annually for 1995-1998. A total of 65 hospitals will participate in the system, including four from Austria, three from Finland and four from Sweden. Countries Albania, Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia
