Plannen voor oprichting van een Europese denktank voor economische zaken (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - A Franco-German initiative to set up a European economic think-tank will be launched officially in the near future, the EUobserver has learned.

The idea was discussed this afternoon by EU finance ministers and sources close to the debate said that an official announcement would be made shortly.

Jean Pisanu-Ferry, a French economist widely tipped to head the new body, was present at the discussion.

EU diplomats say that six member states have already signed up to the plan (France, Germany, Spain, Greece, Hungary and Poland).

And others - such as the Netherlands - are soon ready to join.

British objections

But objections to the plan remain.

The UK and Italy are thought to want more involvement from the corporate sector. Sources close to the British camp say that much more fleshing out of the plan needs to be done before they can agree to it.

When the project gets off the ground, around 25 staff will be employed at the centre, which may be based in Brussels.

Funding will be provided partly by the member states involved and partly by corporate interests.

And the centre will give "a European perspective on global economic issues", according to one diplomat, not just focus on EU issues. The intention is to feed ideas into the Commission and Council, taking the model of US think-tanks such as the Cato institute or the Heritage foundation.