CHALLENGES 2004-2005:  More Difficult Days Ahead for Europe
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BRUSSELS , Dec 27  (IPS) - European Union officials will undoubtedly breathe a  sigh of relief when the final clock  chimes to mark the end of  2004. It certainly has been a tough year for the bloc. But  they  should not sit back and relax too soon - 2005 could be even  tougher.
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Swiss farmers have warned that, while 2004 was economically stable, there are tough times ahead for a sector that is already struggling.
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Most EU countries are failing to put in place policies aimed at making Europe the world's most competitive economy, a report says.
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Â· Some states 'in denial' over constitution  Â· Barroso rejects Ã  la carte Europe of exemptions
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Comment is free: Timothy Garton Ash: An interdependent world faces many challenges. Britain should promote a coalition of democracies to tackle them.
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European Union leaders are failing to deliver on economic reform promises made at the beginning of the decade,  a high level report warns.
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InfoWorld - Demand for software and IT services will continue to grow steadily in Europe this year, but sluggish performance in the telecommunications sector will dampen the reasons to celebrate, according to a forecast released Thursday ahead of the Cebit trade show.
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It&#039;s that time of year again when Europeans pack up the kids and pets and embark on an annual vacation exodus &amp;#151; jamming highways that are no celebration of European unity. The highway headaches are rooted largely in European governments&#039; inability to craft a sensibly numbered, well-maintained and uniformly sign-posted highway grid.
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Analysis: Even as its effort to join the European Union faces growing obstacles, Turkey's economy is making it more European than ever
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Forging the legal framework for the European Union has not been without its problems. But 27 member states agreeing to sign a new document will help
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ATHENS, Sep 17 (IPS) - The challenge of distributing and managing aid is  inevitably controversial. And with the EU the largest aid donor  in the world, the decisions it takes are hugely significant.
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Several European dailies today focus on the role of international troops in Afghanistan as clashes with the Taleban intensify. Elsewhere, French presidential hopeful Nicolas Sarkozy comes under fire, EU expansion comes under scrutiny and an Austrian daily fears that Muslim schools in Europe could be forced underground.
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2004 turned out to be a tough year for the predictors
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Big battles await the EU constitution in many of the 25 countries where it must be ratified, writes the BBC's William Horsley.
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Its plan may be flawed, but at least Europe is taking action. What is the US willing to do?
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Â· East Europeans 'pose integration challenge'Â· Councils urged to rethink strategies on diversity
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Europe is struggling to kick the Windows habit. Eurocrats make a lot of noise about moving to Linux, but the actual migrations are few and far between. Bruce Gain reports from Paris.