Reduced budget will hinder EU goals, says Prodi

European Commission President Romano Prodi has hit back at the six EU member states who want to see overall contributions to the budget reduced.

Speaking in Dublin at the launch of the Irish Presidency, Mr Prodi said that it would simply not be possible to achieve the goals given to the European Commission with a reduced budget.

He said these goals are in the areas of justice and home affairs, external politics and the Lisbon Agenda - the EU's self-set target of turning itself in...