"telón de fondo" in English

At bottom is the threat of the hold-back of government grant from the colleges.

Unemployment continues to rise in the European Union – by 1.5 million between 2002 and 2003.

Mr President-in-Office, you assume the leadership of the Union at a crucial period.

Before I focus on the individual amendments in more detail, I should like to make a number of more general comments.

We must keep the spotlight on conflict prevention and on the eradication of poverty and disease, particularly in Africa.

longer at home that most people die: older people in particular,

against the backdrop of the civil war

It is with this in mind that the Russian efforts to build a rule of law and a market economy must be evaluated.

Indeed, Europe's economy is faced with a marked decline in investment in both the public and private sectors.

We are in the process of renewing and modernising these agreements, making them more relevant and increasing the focus on social development.

In this context, finally, it is extremely regrettable that a minor issue such as falconry should receive so much misplaced attention in such a vital debate.

Of course, this is all set against the continuing crisis in the eurozone, as each day goes by evidencing the folly of the single currency model.

The common attitude of the Council, the result of which the extra funding required by Parliament is rejected, is totally incomprehensible in the light of the issue.

The main objective is to help the farmers concerned to adjust to the provisions of EU legislation, by compensating them for the operating costs involved in complying with that legislation.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I believe it is clear that, in the medium term, the budgetary landscape is full of uncertainties which are of concern to hundreds of thousands of citizens.