Det Udenrigspolitiske Nævn 2004-05 (2. samling), Udenrigsudvalget 2004-05 (2. samling), Forsvarsudvalget 2004-05 (2. samling)
UPN Alm.del Bilag 56, URU Alm.del Bilag 169, FOU Alm.del Bilag 92
Offentligt
UK PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL JULY-DECEMBER 2005
The United Kingdom assumes the Presidency of the Council on 1 July 2005.We have worked closely with other Presidencies, particularly theLuxembourg and Austrian Presidencies, and with the European Commissionto ensure continuity. As President of the Council, we are conscious of theneed to work in partnership with the European Parliament, the Commissionand the other Member States.The main priorities for the UK Presidency are set out below. These reflectthe issues identified in the cross-Presidency Multiannual StrategicProgramme for 2004-06, published in December 2003, and the Luxembourg-UK work programme published in December 2004.The list which follows is by no means a comprehensive account of all thePresidency work – there are many other dossiers and issues on which wewill seek to make progress.
EUROPE’S ROLE IN THE WORLD
Doha
Development
Agenda
The WTO Ministerial meeting in Hong Kong inDecember will aim to take forward the current round oftrade talks (the Doha Development Agenda). We willwant to work with our EU partners, the Commission andthe European Parliament to achieve the best possibleresult at that meeting. We want an outcome which leadsto global economic growth, including through betteraccess to markets for developing countries, in particularfor the poorest nations in the world. We want anoutcome which reflects the Millennium DevelopmentGoals, and which allows the DDA to be completedduring 2006.The Presidency will represent the EU at the UNMillennium Summit in September. We will continue towork with our European partners, including theParliament, to ensure that the EU provides theleadership and the quantity and quality of aid needed totackle global poverty and achieve the MillenniumDevelopment Goals, building on the decision to settargets for 2010 to double EU aid and to achieve the UN0.7 target by 2015. Africa is also a key priority forBritain’s G8 Presidency, and will receive at least 50% ofthe EU's additional resources. We will develop acomprehensive and long-term global strategy towardsAfrica in the light of the Millennium Summit's outcome.We want to make progress on Climate Change throughthe EU and G8 Presidencies. We will work with EUpartners to reinvigorate the international negotiations onclimate change by exploring options for a post-2012strategy and developing stronger co-operation and realdialogue with key international partners on ways ofsecuring low-cost emissions reductions. There is also anopportunity to begin the work of extending the EUemissions trading scheme to cover aircraft emissions.The EU’s sugar regime is an important element ofreform of the Common Agricultural Policy. We willwant to achieve a consensus amongst partners on amarket-based, liberalising reform. Reforms on theselines will strengthen our wider trade and developmentobjectives, putting the EU in a better position tocontribute to an ambitious outcome in the world tradetalks. Integral to reform are good, timely, transitionalarrangements, which are acceptable to the African,Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries and whicheffectively help them adjust to the reform.We will want to continue to build the EU’s partnershipwith Russia following the summit during theLuxembourg Presidency. We will take this forwardbased on common European values, and reflecting theEU’s interests in the common neighbourhood. Events inUkraine last year marked a watershed for democracy inUkraine. We will continue to develop the EU’srelationship with Ukraine on the basis of the stepsagreed earlier this year, reflecting progress inimplementing reform in Ukraine.Building on President Bush’s visit to Europe, we willwant the EU to continue to work with the US and otherinternational partners in order to play a major role in theMiddle East, in particular as a member of the Quartet forthe MEPP. The MEPP continues to present one of themost important international challenges. The EU willcontinue to play a vital role, supporting the work of JimWolfensohn (the Quartet's Special Envoy fordisengagement), monitoring Palestinian LegislativeCouncil elections, and reforming donor structures. Wewant to take forward the role the EU is developing insupporting the transition in Iraq, building on thesuccessful EU-US sponsored conference on Iraq. Andwe will work with the European Parliament to use thetenth anniversary of the Barcelona Process to deepen theEU’s partnership with the region, supporting reformefforts.
Peace, stability
and reform in
the Middle East
ECONOMIC REFORM AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
Better Regulation
The Inter-Institutional Agreement on Better Law-Making demonstrated the commitment of theParliament, Commission and Council to improvingthe regulatory environment in Europe. We will wantto work with the EP and others to implement theAgreement fully. Together with Ireland, theNetherlands, Luxembourg, Austria and Finland wedeveloped the six-Presidency Better Regulationinitiative, which aims to ensure that policy-makingand legislation in the EU is more effective, takesaccount of European competitiveness and does notimpose unnecessary burdens on business or on jobcreation. During our Presidency we will work withthe Commission to implement the agenda set out inits Communication on Better Regulation. We want tosee action in three areas. First, improving the policymaking process by better consultation and ImpactAssessments (which should include measuring theburden on business and testing the impact on the EU’sinternational competitiveness). Second, reducing thevolume and complexity of EU legislation. Third,reviewing the impact and outcomes of existinglegislation.We will want to build upon the work done by theDutch and Luxembourg Presidencies, as well asforthcoming European Parliament proposals on theServices Directive. The proposal aims to open uptrade in services across the EU. As services accountfor around two-thirds of EU GDP, this measure is anopportunity to make one of the biggest improvementsto the Single Market since its original creation,potentially generating hundreds of thousands of jobsand billions of euros for the EU economy. Europe hasa strong service sector and businesses and consumersthroughout the EU would be well-placed to takeadvantage of increased trading opportunities.Post-Financial
Services Action
Plan:
implementation
and enforcement
We will work to ensure that the remaining dossiers inthe Financial Services Action Plan are adoptedefficiently. We will take forward the debate on theCommission's recent Green Paper on the post-FSAPagenda, which is in line with the views of the Counciland European Parliament. In financial services wewill work to deliver the commitments made by theCommission on: the use of better regulation principlesin all policymaking; placing a greater emphasis onimplementation and enforcement; giving an increasedrecognition of the need to maintain thecompetitiveness of the EU financial services sector;using a range of policy responses to single marketissues, not just legislation.The EU needs growth which does not compromise thequality of life of future generations. Discussions onthe review of the EU's sustainable developmentstrategy will start under the UK Presidency. We willmake progress on all three dimensions of the strategy– social, environmental and economic – with the aimof producing a balanced and forward-lookingstrategy. Work on continuing improvement of theenvironment for all Europeans should include takingforward proposals on air quality standards, with theaim of reducing pollution and improving lifeexpectancy.We particularly want to make significant progress indiscussions on the Chemicals Regulation (REACH),working closely with the Parliament, to ensure thatthe Regulation promotes public health, theenvironment and competitiveness.We will want to add value on the transatlantic agenda,in particular seeking areas for concrete cooperationand action with the US. Strengthening the economicpartnership will be a particular priority. We will wantto build on the achievements of the EU-US Summit
Environment and
sustainable
development
The Chemicals
Regulation
(REACH)
during the Luxembourg Presidency and demonstrateclear progress in breaking down barriers to trade andinvestment in priority areas.SECURITY AND STABILITY
Counter Terrorism
It is in the interests of all Member States to worktogether, and with countries outside the EU, to fightterrorism. We will work towards the commitmentsmade in the Hague Work Programme and the EUCounter Terrorism Action Plan. We aim to makeprogress on the European Evidence Warrant and EU-wide rules on the retention of telecommunicationsdata, where we will engage in thorough dialogue withthe Parliament. We also want to make progress onenhancing the security of the EU’s external borders,and work to improve the security of EU traveldocuments.Enlargement
We will work to deliver the EU's commitment to openaccession negotiations with Turkey on 3 October.This will be an important step for the EU – beginningthe process which should lead to EU membership forTurkey. We will also prepare for Bulgarian andRomanian entry in January 2007, and be ready toopen accession negotiations with Croatia as soon asthe conditions have been met.
FUTURE FINANCING
Future financing
The UK Presidency will take forward the discussionson future financing, drawing on progress made todate, and with a view to resolving all the elementsnecessary for an overall agreement as soon aspossible. The Presidency will first consult allinterested partners on the way forward.Further information about the UK Presidency can be found on the UKPresidency website at:
www.eu2005.gov.ukThe website will become live on 27 June.
