Perhaps, as Mr Chirac says, that veto could be circumvented by countries breezily deciding to act outside the Union's formal framework.

ECONOMIST: What kind of Europe?

Further, this project aims to help create a formal framework for consultation and exchange between actors in the field of cultural industries.

UNESCO: Fondo Internacional para la Diversidad Cultural

But after decades of internal conflict, the mere fact that the two sides have agreed on a formal framework for their efforts has been a source of optimism for war-weary Colombians.

ECONOMIST: Colombians dream of peace

As the Commonwealth is a voluntary association with no formal constitutional framework, members work in the understanding that they fully commit to its values.

BBC: Commonwealth of Nations: 'The club of the 21st Century'

In this respect, while current policy initiatives are broadly correct, inadequate attention is being given to changing the formal rules and framework for corporate governance.

ECONOMIST: Economic reasoning

Programme participants who were examined by district education officials in the framework of formal literacy standards have achieved higher literacy results than learners from conventional adult literacy programmes.

UNESCO: Literacy and Community Development Programme (LCDP)

In this framework the purpose of the Amigos de la Patagonia Association is to promote water protection and awareness through formal and non-formal education programmes in Argentina.

UNESCO: Activities 2009