Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-11-17-Speech-3-009"
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"en.20041117.3.3-009"2
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".
Mr President, as you know the European Council focused its work primarily on the Lisbon Strategy and the launch of a new programme for freedom, security and justice – the Hague Programme. It also held an exchange of views on a topic of particular relevance to citizens: communication on Europe. It heard a presentation on enlargement by the President of the Commission, Mr Prodi, and adopted conclusions on a number of foreign policy issues, notably Sudan, Iraq, the Middle East and Iran. Finally, the Heads of State and Government met the Prime Minister of Iraq, Mr Allawi, over lunch. Also on that occasion, the President-designate of the Commission, Mr Barroso, presented an amended list for his team of Commissioners, to be approved by the Council and submitted to the European Parliament for a vote.
On enlargement, at the European Council President Prodi presented the progress report, the strategy paper and recommendations, as well as the study of issues arising from Turkey's membership, produced by the Commission on 6 October. As you know, the European Council will address these enlargement issues at its meeting in December.
When he met the members of the European Council on 4 November, the President of the European Parliament, Mr Borrell, underlined the role played by the European Parliament in this process. I shall briefly highlight the main points discussed at the European Council.
Concerning the Lisbon Strategy, the European Council confirmed the validity and relevance of the process it set in motion in 2000, aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of European economies through a balanced strategy with an economic, social and environmental dimension. It encouraged the Council to maintain the momentum of this work. It reiterated the importance of the implementation of agreed measures by the Member States.
The European Council welcomed the presentation by Mr Wim Kok of the report of the high-level group he chaired. On the basis of the Kok report, the Commission will prepare proposals for the European Council next March for the mid-term review of the Lisbon Strategy. It is clear that progress has been made over the past five years but, as President Prodi said, we have not done enough and Member States still have to deliver on their commitments. I am tempted to repeat that: Member States still have to deliver on their commitments!
The President-designate, Mr Barroso, has already indicated that the Commission's key priority will be to promote a competitive Europe through more growth and jobs and that it will remain fully committed to the implementation of the Lisbon Strategy in all its components. In this context, the Commission also remains committed to better regulation. The presidency has focused work on actions for simplification, impact assessment and measuring the administrative burden. We support these actions and welcome the work of the high-level technical group on better regulation between Parliament, the Commission and the Council.
Concerning the area of freedom, security and justice, the European Council adopted an ambitious multiannual programme – the Hague Programme – that follows on from the Tampere Agenda, and that will guide the action of the Union in those areas over the next five years.
European citizens rightly expect that the EU, while guaranteeing respect for fundamental freedoms and rights, will take more effective joint action on cross-border problems such as illegal migration and trafficking in human beings, as well as on terrorism and organised crime.
The Hague Programme reflects the ambitions as expressed in the Constitutional Treaty. It puts the emphasis on delivery and implementation; it takes account of the evaluation by the Commission of the Tampere Agenda, as well as of the recommendation on the use of qualified majority voting and the codecision procedure adopted by the European Parliament on 14 October 2004. The Commission will present an action plan in 2005 to translate the aims and priorities of The Hague Programme into concrete actions.
On 'communicating Europe', the European Council reiterated the need to increase public awareness of the importance of the work of the Union. Politicians at both national and international level have a responsibility to communicate the relevance of the European project, to involve Europeans through public debate and active citizenship in decision-making. European institutions also have a role to play in this regard. The Commission, for its part, intends to present a communication strategy in good time before the June 2005 European Council. The ratification of the Constitution in all Member States will also represent an unprecedented opportunity for discussing European issues with our citizens. That is the responsibility of each Member State, but it is very important that we hold an EU-wide debate, rather than leaving it to individual Member States."@en1
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