COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN
18-month
Programme of the German, Portuguese and Slovenian Presidencies
The
18-month Programme endorsed by the GAERC on
INDEX
II. PRIORITIES
Future of the Union
The Lisbon Strategy: ensuring its
comprehensive implementation in its economic, social and environmental
dimensions
Strengthening the area of freedom,
security and justice
Enhancing the external role of the
EU in the areas of security, development and economic relations
The Constitutional Treaty
Enlargement
Schengen Area
Enlarging the Euro Area
GENERAL
ECONOMIC CONTEXT/POLICY COORDINATION
Improved economic policy
coordination
Quality of Public Finance
Stability and Growth Pact
Implementation of National Reform Programmes
The new three-year cycle of the
Lisbon Strategy (2008-2010)
Sustainable Development Strategy
Green Paper on Maritime Policy
RESEARCH,
KNOWLEDGE AND INNOVATION
Research
Innovation
Education
Telecommunications and Information
Society
Internal Market
Better Regulation
Statistics
Competition Policy
Industrial Policy
SMEs
Financial services
Taxation
Company law
Customs
Tourism
Maritime and inland water transport
Land transport
Aviation
Horizontal issues
Intermodal issues
Employment
Labour law
SOCIAL
POLICY, HEALTH AND CONSUMERS
Social Policy
Youth
Demographic Change
Health
Consumers
Culture and audiovisual
Sport
STRUCTURAL AND
COHESION POLICY
COMMON
AGRICULTURAL POLICY / FISHERIES
Agriculture
Fisheries
Climate change
Biodiversity
Environmental
technologies
International environmental governance
AREA OF
FREEDOM, SECURITY AND JUSTICE
Asylum, migration, visa policy and
borders
Fighting trafficking of Human Beings
Integration and Intercultural
dialogue
Exchange of information
Fighting terrorism
Fighting drugs
Law enforcement cooperation
Police and Customs Cooperation
Strengthening civil rights
Increasing legal certainty for
citizens and the business sector
Strengthening the justice system and
practical cooperation
External
Relations
Civil Protection
ESDP/Crisis management
Counter-terrorism
Non-proliferation and Disarmament
Extending the area of security and
peace
Western Balkans
Neighbourhood Policy and Barcelona
Process
Middle East
Iraq
Iran
Afghanistan
North Korea
Relations
with strategic partners and regions
Transatlantic relations
Russia
Central Asia
Asia
Gulf countries
Africa
Latin America
This document
sets out the combined programme of the German, Portuguese and Slovenian
Presidencies covering the period January 2007 to June 2008. It is presented in
three parts. The first part contains the strategic framework for
the programme, setting it in a wider context, and specifically within the
perspective of more long-term objectives running into the subsequent three
Presidencies. For this reason, in accordance with the revised Council rules of
procedure, the future French, Czech and Swedish Presidencies have been
consulted on this section. The second part contains a list of specific
priorities for the three Presidencies in each policy area, and the third
part is a comprehensive programme setting out the issues which are
expected to be covered during the 18 month period.
The three
Presidencies will work closely with each other with a view to best achieving
the objectives set out in the programme. To this end they will also cooperate
with the other institutions of the European Union and in particular with the
Commission and the European Parliament on the basis of their respective
competences.
PART I
The European
Council meeting of June 2006 agreed on a two-track approach to the development
of the
In March 2007 the
A report will be
submitted by the Presidency to the June 2007 European Council containing an
assessment of the state of discussions with regard to the Constitutional Treaty
and explore possible future developments, as well as set out how this work
could be taken forward.
The report will
be subsequently examined by the European Council. The outcome of this
examination will serve as the basis for further decisions on how to continue
the reform process. The future Presidencies are committed to ensuring that the
necessary steps to that effect will have been taken during the second half of
2008 at the latest, as agreed by the European Council. This is also important
given the need to prepare for the European parliamentary elections, as well as
to pave the way for the Commission's mandate in 2009.
Enlargement has brought considerable benefits through
its contribution to peace, stability and prosperity in
The future
Presidencies will work to achieve progress in the accession negotiations
already underway, as well as to build on the wider commitments already entered
into by the
The Presidencies
will continue their efforts to strengthen cooperation within the framework of
the Northern Dimension as well as with
Economic growth can
only deliver long-term prosperity if it is sustainable. So the renewed EU Strategy
for Sustainable Development adopted in 2006 will remain key to future
policy-making. The Strategy itself will be monitored closely throughout this
period and followed up on a regular basis. In this context the future
Presidencies will give particular emphasis to climate change and to halting
biodiversity loss by 2010.
An important
aspect of the
The Presidencies
aim at pushing forward the process of simplification of existing legislation
and will foster efforts towards better regulation and the elimination of
unnecessary administrative burdens.
Over the coming
years the
The demographic
challenge is well known. Over the next few years this will be a key issue
requiring action on a number of fronts. It is an obvious area where,
independent of possible action at the Community level, Member States can learn
from each other's experiences. The future Presidencies will work closely with
each other and with the Commission to examine how best to facilitate this
process.
The future
Presidencies will focus on developing the area of freedom, security and
justice in line with The Hague Programme, and taking into account the
outcome of the stocktaking of the Action Plan due by the end of 2006.
Particular attention will have to be devoted to the issue of migration,
and notably the problems of illegal immigration and trafficking of human
beings. This is likely to become an ever more important issue for the
The future
Presidencies will devote special attention to promoting intercultural
dialogue in order to foster mutual understanding between people of
different background and cultures (complementary with the events which will
take place in 2008, the year of intercultural dialogue).
The future
Presidencies will ensure that the EU continues to work effectively in support
of global peace and stability, in particular through cooperation with
the UN. To this end the
The future
Presidencies will continue to support a rules-based system of international
trade and will take forward work on the trade policy agenda, emphasising in
this context the urgency of a successful conclusion of the Doha Development
Agenda negotiations.
1.
The
three Presidencies attach particular priority to the reform process of the EU.
The German Presidency will present a report to the European Council during the
first half of 2007, based on extensive consultations with the Member States.
This report should contain an assessment of the state of discussion with regard
to the Constitutional Treaty and
explore possible future developments. The report will subsequently be examined
by the European Council. The outcome of this examination will serve as the
basis for further decisions on how to continue the reform process, it being understood
that the necessary steps to that effect will have been taken during the second
semester of 2008 at the latest.
2.
Work
following the recent enlargement
will focus on consolidating the basis of the existing
The three Presidencies will work to
achieve progress in the accession negotiations already underway, as well as to
build on the wider commitments already entered into by the Union.
Implementing the revised Lisbon Strategy on Growth and Jobs is a key
element to strengthen EU competitiveness, job creation and growth in a sound
environment. The three Presidencies will work towards this end.
3.
The completion of the Internal Market, which
is key to implementing the Lisbon Strategy, requires continued efforts.
Thorough implementation of the National Reform Programmes will also be of
crucial importance in the context of the renewed Lisbon Strategy. The three
Presidencies will make every effort to advance or conclude work on a number of
priority issues. These include the follow-up of the Internal Market Strategy in
the first half of 2007 and improving framework conditions for European
businesses, in particular SMEs. The liberalisation of the European market for
postal services, the revision of the European legal framework for telecommunications
and the implementation of the Action Plan on Financial Services are expected to
boost economic activity in these specific areas. The further harmonisation of
company law, improving the European patent system, the comprehensive revision
of community customs legislation through a modernised Customs Code, the ongoing
preparatory work for the common consolidated tax base for company taxation as
well as the fight against tax evasion and fraud will be other important issues.
Priority will also be given to the "new approach" for technical
standardisation and mutual recognition on the basis of Commission proposals
expected by the end of 2006, to promoting clusters and innovation poles, to
public procurement and to the follow-up of the Commission's communication on e‑Government.
The three Presidencies are determined to make every effort to further promote
consumers' interests, to guarantee a high level of consumer protection and to
strengthen consumer confidence.
4.
The
overall aim of an EU industrial policy is to strengthen competitiveness and the innovation capacity of European companies
and to improve the framework conditions for manufacturing in the EU, especially
for SMEs The three Presidencies will continue to implement the
cross-sector and sector-specific industrial policy initiatives announced in the
Commission communication of October 2005.
5.
As
far as external aspects of
competitiveness are concerned, the three Presidencies will pay particular attention
to public procurement markets, to developing an effective legal framework for
the protection of intellectual property rights and to trade related aspects as
well as to the improvement of market access conditions to third countries.
6.
The
three Presidencies will continue to promote financial and economic policies oriented towards growth and stability.
To this end priorities will focus on ensuring the efficient and effective
management of economic policy, namely through continuing to apply the Stability
and Growth Pact in an economically sound manner, with an increased focus on the
long term sustainability of Member States’ public finances, and through
improving the quality of public finances.
7.
Further developing the European social
model, promoting equal opportunities
and a European policy of gender mainstreaming,
as well as improving education and training systems will be key objectives. In this area emphasis will be put on
addressing the demographic challenge, the intensification of social dialogue,
the social impact assessment and the further development of
minimal social standards.
Health policy plays a crucial role as better prevention and cross-border health
care bring direct benefit to European citizens. The three Presidencies consider
the implementation of the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All (2007)
as a good opportunity to highlight achievements and further work to be done in
this area.
8.
In
the field of employment, the
evaluation of the 10th anniversary of the European Employment Strategy in 2007
as well as the review of the Employment Guidelines in 2008 will offer the
opportunity to identify the elements for the revision of the Employment
Strategy.
9.
Better regulation and elimination of
unnecessary administrative burdens will be a cross-cutting priority of the three
Presidencies. Building on the initiative of the six preceding Presidencies,
they will step up efforts in this area with a clear focus on reducing
administrative burdens and costs for SMEs. Pushing forward the process of simplification
of existing legislation and making use of comprehensive impact assessments for
new legislative proposals will play a key role in this regard. The three
Presidencies expect the external evaluation of the impact assessment system and
the Commission's proposals for reducing administrative burdens to provide
valuable input for making significant progress in this field.
10.
Secure, sustainable and competitive energy
supply will be high on
the agenda of the three Presidencies. The centre piece of action in this policy
field will be the adoption and implementation of the Energy Action Plan which
will address all the aspects ensuring a future-oriented energy policy which is
conducive to sustainable development:: continued liberalisation of energy
markets, reduction of import dependency and greenhouse gas emissions by
improving energy efficiency and strengthening the role of renewable energies,
diversification of energy sources and supply routes as well as the
intensification and diversification of external relations in the field of
energy.
11.
Promoting research, knowledge and
innovation is key to
stimulating growth, competitiveness and creating jobs. The three Presidencies
will strive for an innovative
12.
The protection of the environment will be another priority concern where the
three Presidencies will dedicate considerable effort to developing a EU
position with a view to a balanced and fair post-2012 regime in line with the
EU's objective to limit the temperature increase to 2 degrees above pre‑industrial
levels. In this context, the further development of the European Climate Change
Programme and its mitigation measures across sectors and the emission trading
scheme will be of the utmost importance. The protection and sustainable use of
biodiversity both in the light of the 9th Conference of the Parties of the Convention on
Biological Diversity and through incorporating biodiversity decisions
into the market ("business and biodiversity") will also be high on the agenda of the
Presidencies. The follow‑up to the Commission report on water policy,
with a particular focus on water scarcity and drought and further improvements
of air quality and waste policy will be other important priorities.
13.
The
three Presidencies will pay particular attention to the development of an integrated maritime policy which aims at
enhancing positive synergies between the various policy fields concerned.
14.
A
particular priority during this period will be asylum and immigration policy. Apart from the strengthening of
cooperation between asylum services and the evaluation of the first phase of
asylum legislation, the three Presidencies will implement the Global Approach
to Migration. This includes extending and deepening the dialogue between
countries of origin, transit and destination and negotiating effective
readmission agreements, as well as ensuring proper follow-up to the Commission
report on legal migration within a coherent approach to migration and
integration policy in the European Union.
15.
A
high priority will also be given to the effective
protection of the
16.
On police cooperation, a high priority
will be given to strengthening Europol and further developing the EU
information system. In the fight against international organised crime,
emphasis should be placed on the trafficking of human beings. Work in the area
of judicial cooperation will focus
on the removal of obstacles to cross-border activities and on making progress
on the mutual recognition of judicial decisions. A particular priority will be
the development of a European Civil
Protection Policy, whilst respecting the responsibilities of Member States.
The external relations aspects of
Justice and Home Affairs will also be developed and strengthened.
17.
The
three Presidencies will work to ensure the continued development of a European area of security and stability.
They will continue to develop the European perspective of the countries
of the Western Balkans in particular through a further development of the
Stabilisation and Association process.
Relations with the Union's neighbours to the east and the south will
also be strengthened: this will be achieved through an enhancement of the mechanisms
of the ENP and developing cooperation in the economic, cultural and social
areas with the partners of the Barcelona Process.
Efforts will continue to be devoted to helping to solve the Middle East
Crisis.
Strengthening the strategic partnership with
18.
The
development of ESDP will continue
through further work on military and civilian capabilities and effective
civil-military coordination.
19.
The
three Presidencies attach particular importance to strengthening transatlantic relations as well as with
other strategic partners such as
20.
A key
priority will be the strengthening of trade
relations in the light of the outcome of the Doha Round, and continuing work on
the integration of the ACP countries into the world economy. The conclusion of
the Economic Partnership Agreements as conducive tools for development will be
high on the agenda.
Work will also focus on improving policy
coherence in the interest of development.
There will be continued effort to achieve better complementarity between donors.
21.
The
future Presidencies will work on improving cooperation between the EU and international organisations, in
particular the UN and NATO.
1.
The
three Presidencies will take forward the two-track approach agreed at the June 2006
European Council. This means focussing on the one hand on making best use of
the possibilities offered by the existing treaties in order to deliver concrete
results that citizens expect, and on the other hand, to take forward work on
the basis of the mandate set by the European Council. In particular, the German
Presidency will during the first half of 2007 present a report to the European
Council, based on extensive consultations with the