Italy is ready to veto an agreement on the next longterm EU budget during this week's summit should it go against the country's interests, its European Affairs Minister Enzo Moavero said Tuesday. "Italy is ready to use its veto if the agreement is unfair and contrary to the interests" of Italian citizens, he said. "Our impression as of today is negative and would induce us to refuse an agreement," he added.
European Union president Herman Van Rompuy is to make a new proposal on the bloc's contested trillion-euro budget for 2014-2020 at the start of the two-day summit on Thursday evening in hopes of staving off a damaging breakdown in talks between the bloc's 27 leaders.