Italy is happy with a list of five projects to be funded by the European Union in a new infrastructure package, Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said Monday.
''We're satisfied as long as the list of projects does not change,'' Frattini said on his arrival at a EU foreign ministers' meeting, where the package will be one of the topics on the agenda.
The projects to boost infrastructures, build cleaner energy plants and widen broadband links were framed last month but there has been squabbling among EU members as to how the package should be split.
Italy was initially allotted 220 million euros but has since managed to raise that to 450 million for five projects: the Galsi gas pipeline between Algeria and Sardinia; an underwater cable between Calabria and Sicily; the ITGI gas line from Azerbaijan to Italy via Turkey and Greece; a new electrical power link between Italy and Malta; and a CO2 capture plant at Porto Tolle near Venice.
Spain and Portugal are particularly unhappy with how the money is being split but several other EU members - Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, Cyprus, Romania and Greece - also have continued reservations.
A final decision will be taken at an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday and Friday.
''We're fine with the package as it is,'' Frattini said.
''If there are modifications, everything will have to be rediscussed, (causing) serious problems''.
