Brussels - The European Union's institutions in Brussels have been accused of squandering millions of euros of European taxpayers' money by paying for their employees' Christmas travel expenses at a time of economic crisis.

Hans-Peter Martin, an independent member of the European Parliament from Austria, wrote to the press Wednesday denouncing this "shocking privilege."

"The money would be better spent financing meaningful social projects," Martin wrote.

Ljubljana  - Croatia is due to pass a major milestone on its way to European Union membership Friday - but, as foreign diplomats watch in disbelief, a long-running border dispute with its neighbour Slovenia may scupper its ambition.

Croatia and the EU are to declare five chapters of pre-accession negotiations closed and open 10 new chapters on Friday. Zagreb hopes this will put Croatia on track for EU membership in 2010. Slovenia joined the EU in 2004.

Brussels - Some 34 million counterfeit pills have been seized by European Union customs officials over the past two months alone, officials in Brussels said Tuesday.

Faked versions of the male anti-impotence drug Viagra were among the most frequently-seized items, along with painkillers, antibiotics, anti-cancer, anti-malaria and anti-cholesterol medicines.

The seizures were part of stepped-p efforts by the EU to prevent such products from entering the 27-member bloc. Most of the fake drugs were produced in India, Pakistan and China, officials said.

Geneva  - A ruling body of the World Trade Organization has issued a recommendation Monday that China change its tariffs on importing car parts into the country, so that policy falls more in the line with free trade principles.

The United States, European Union and Canada had appealed against China's laws, saying they were unfair according to WTO rules since they taxed imported parts by
25 per cent in certain cases.

The US said the practice ended up deterring automobile manufacturers in China from using imported auto parts in the assembly of vehicles

Paris  - Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovich on Monday handed over his country's official EU membership application to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, the current EU president.

Also present at the meeting was EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, who said, "the European perspective given to the Balkan countries is essential for the stability and prosperity of the region and the EU."

Brussels  - Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen confirmed on Friday that Ireland will hold a second referendum on the EU reform, or Lisbon, treaty in 2009, having received assurances at the EU summit in Brussels that Ireland will retain its commissioner.

Ireland, which rejected the Lisbon treaty in a referendum in June, has been under pressure to hold a second vote, and has held that the country must retain its EU commissioner despite a plan to reduce the size of the Brussels commission, in exchange for a second referendum.