Since then, the flag has been used, with varying but growing degrees of success, at both European and national, regional and local public buildings, at public institutions and ceremonies (in some Member States it is even unfurled alongside the national flag in the national parliaments), as a symbol identifying Community programmes and actions (for example, at internal borders between Member States, symbolising the abolition of controls at internal borders, or on information for the public on public works programmes co-financed by the Union, etc.).

Even though, as I have said, the Council has not yet defined its position as regards the Commission’s work programme, it will, of course, take it into account in drawing up its own work programme.

During the five year programme period work will progress in the following areas:

[17] As a practical consequence, the Commission has issued a mandate for programming of standardisation work in the field of eco- design of energy- using products; this mandate has been accepted by the European Standards Organisations and work is expected to start soon

For these reasons, which were also set out in writing by Mrs Fontaine on 10 September, we have replaced the catalogue with the much more reliable instrument of quarterly programming, which is what the College uses to plan its work and of which you will be informed at regular intervals.

There is not enough money in the action programme to replace that work which takes place in the fifth framework which will hopefully continue in any other framework programmes, but we need to make sure they work together.