EUobserver.com

EUOBSERVER / WEEKLY AGENDA (28 April - 4th May) - On Monday 28 April, the commission will publish its spring economic forecasts for 2007-2009, including on economic growth, inflation, employment and government debts and deficits. Previously, the commission had forecast economic growth of 1.8 percent for the euro area and 2.0 percent for the broader EU.

Given the evolving global financial concerns and fall-out from the American sub-prime crisis, along with the effects of skyrocketing commodity prices, all eyes will certainly be on economy commissioner Joaquin Almunia when he delivers the forecast.

Monday will also see European foreign ministers meet in Luxembourg. The focus of discussions will be the negotiation of a negotiating mandate for its long-delayed partnership talks with Russia.

The mandate - something that outlines precisely what the European Commission's manoeuvring space will be during the EU-Russia talks – is expected to be approved at the meeting without complaint.

Negotiations with Russia would then subsequently be launched at the June EU-Russia summit in Siberia.

Serbia and its future relations with the EU will also be discussed in Luxembourg. The EU wants to keep Belgrade interested in the bloc, particularly ahead of what is seen as make or break elections on 11 May in the former Yugoslav nation. But the EU can only offer limited political concessions to Serbia as it first needs to see it fully cooperate with the UN war crimes tribunal in the Hague.

The ministers also have the ongoing unresolved situation in Zimbabwe on their agenda for discussion. They are expected to express concern over the delay in announcing the result of the presidential elections held on 29 March, as well as at reports of intimidation, human rights abuses and violence. Specifically, the ministers will consider the role to be played by other countries in the region, as well as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union, in resolving the crisis.

The council will also review the situation regarding Iraq, following the international conference in Kuwait on 22 April to promote Iraq's economy, security and diplomatic ties. The ministers will make preparations for a second "international compact with Iraq" meeting in Stockholm on 29 May.

Pakistan and Burma are also on the agenda, along with Georgia, which the ministers will discuss at lunch. Following the alleged downing of a Georgian drone by Russia and the latter's extension of links with institutions in the Georgian break-away republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Georgia has called on Europe to robustly support the small Caucasian nation in its tussle with Russia, with the deputy prime minister, Giorgi Baramidze, recently saying that the EU was facing "a moment of truth" in relation to the crisis in their ability "to protect democracies, no matter how small and fragile they are."

On Tuesday, the European Commission will have one its regular 'reflection' days, where commissioners leave their Brussels headquarters to brainstorm on upcoming issues in a different setting. A spokeperson said social Europe will be one of the topics on the agenda.

The following day, the commission is due to announce reformed rules on citizens' access to documents produced by the institutions.

The week is a short one, with all the European institutions closed from 1-2 May for Mayday.

The next sitting of the European Parliament will be held on 7 May 2008, although the centre-right European Peoples' Party is holding a policy debate in Brussels on 28 April on how to save energy efficiently in the housing and building sectors, and the Greens are hosting a meeting of Turkish students on the following day.

This WEEK in the European Union