Vienna. The European Union has indicated that it is likely to suspend proceedings against Austria over quotas on foreign students wanting to study medicine at Austrian universities for the time being. EU Commission president Jose Manuel Durao Barroso said that a decision would likely be taken next week. The EU is holding a summit this week and it had been hoped that the question could be settled before that time. The Austrian chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer cited a letter from Barroso saying that the proceedings against Austria could be shelved for five years. The chancellor said that would give the government more time to clearly document its arguments in favour of admission quotas. Austria says unrestricted entry to medical schools would lead in the long term to a shortage of doctors in this country.
Yet another example of a full member state of the EU negotiating for its own national interest.
A Welsh Government when Wales becomes a full member state of the EU will have the same opportunity to negotiate in Wales's national interest.