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The
proposal does not, however, have the backing of most heads of
state and government attending a summit in Brussels, but a
majority of states feels some action on fuel prices should be
taken and there are a variety of suggestions.
Public
anger at record oil prices has grown in recent weeks,
prompting protests by truckers, fishermen and others from
Spain to India, South Korea and Nepal. Cushioning the blow to
European consumers will be a top priority at the summit.
The
French official, who briefed reporters on the summit, said he
expected the EU executive, the European Commission, would be
asked to examine the various measures suggested by member
states and report back to them.
"What
we want is not to resolve the problem in one hour, naturally,
but to give the Commission a mandate so that within a month it
can have the possibility to study in full each of the
proposals and to come back to the heads of state and
government with a judgment and, if possible, concrete
proposals," he said.
The
other expected proposals included Austria's suggestion of a
tax on speculators in the energy and raw materials sector, the
official said, adding that Britain would have its own ideas.
EU
leaders are set to express concern at the oil price surge but
will say any measures should be "short-term and
targeted", according to a draft summit communique.
The
French official repeated, however, that Thursday's discussion
would not reach a definitive conclusion.
"I
think a majority believes that we cannot do nothing. This
majority can be reached by adding the various proposals, each
member supporting one proposal or the other," he said.
"That
is why I think it is reasonable, on the eve of this event, to
think that the conclusion will be to give the commission a
mandate to look at this subject thoroughly and come back to
the heads of state and government in a month or a few
weeks," he added.
Source
: Reuters UK - UK, dated 18/06/2008
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