Hungary's chief negotiator with the EU, Endre Juhasz, has submitted his country's new proposals for accession to Brussels. Budapest says it is ready to accept the Danish Presidency's proposals for 2004 but seeks clarification for 2005-06. Juhasz told journalists that differences between the sides' positions on direct agricultural subsidies are narrowing, since the EU, according to the latest Danish proposals, is now recommending that subsidies be paid from the state budget to farmers, potentially offsetting some disadvantages.

Napi Gazdasag reported that Denmark gave a positive response to the Hungarian request for an increase in agricultural quotas, including milk and beef. However, Juhasz said the Danish Presidency has stated that a concrete agreement on agricultural funding can only be expected at the Copenhagen summit itself. The dispute concerning Budapest's intention to remove tax breaks for foreign investors also remains to be solved.

(NewsBase 05.xii.02)