If we take a close look at where, over the past few decades, there have been the greatest increases in growth and employment, they have occurred precisely in those sectors that Mr Langen listed earlier, namely in sustainable development and in the protection of the environment.

After several years of low inflation, a sharp rise occurred in the spring 2001 and it has remained relatively high since. Inflationary pressures are, nevertheless, expected to be lower in 2002 and beyond, underpinned by the expected subdued economic activity and continued wage moderation.

There has been an agreement between the different parties, which has been implemented and universally respected, even if security in the country is still subject to caution due to the presence of warlords and the powerful wave of Wahabi fundamentalism in Afghanistan.

Furthermore, the flat tax case is compelling based on its simplicity and, more important, its effect on investment. By reducing the tax on investment to zero, the flat tax would produce a large surge in investment in capital formation.

The large increase in fertilizer prices can be traced back to the late fall of 1994.

- The experts particularly recommend: * that a body of basic principles be worked out for immigrant integration; this would help in finding common ground between differing national rationales and would serve to discover ways and means of eliminating obvious disparities; * that more careful consideration be given to migration in agreements and relations between the Community and countries where a tide of emigration is being compounded by a population explosion; * that the Member States and the Community institutions continue and strengthen their concentration on the problems of immigration and integration.