Brussels, 13/11/2009 (Agence Europe) - A real marathon of meetings awaits EU foreign, defence and development ministers meeting on Monday 16 and Tuesday 17 November in Brussels for their customary autumn Jumbo Council.
Foreign affairs ministers will start the work in the afternoon in the “general affairs” part of the Council where they will debate the renewed Lisbon strategy and agenda for the December European Council. They will then be joined by their defence colleagues for a meeting with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen. A foreign affairs ministers' dinner on preparation for the EU-Russia summit will close proceedings on Monday.
On Tuesday 17 November, the External Relations Council, attended by defence and development ministers to begin with, will discuss the state of European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) and development cooperation. Foreign affairs ministers will then exclusively continue the meeting to discuss Russia, Ukraine, Somalia and Belarus. They will then meet with development ministers afterwards to discuss Afghanistan.
At the end of Tuesday morning, defence ministers will meet without their counterparts to debate ESDP operations and military capability. During dinner they will also discuss the implications of the Lisbon Treaty on ESDP. In the afternoon, foreign affairs and defence ministers will discuss Bosnia and the EUFOR Althea operation, as well as recent developments in ESDP (for details of the “Defence” agenda, see other article).
EU development ministers will hold a meeting at the Council on Tuesday afternoon, mainly to discuss development aid efficiency, climate change and development, as well as development policy coherency. Development ministers will also take part in a working breakfast on Tuesday morning with foreign affairs ministers (before the Council) to discuss development aid to overseas territories (for details of the “development” agenda, see other article).
As if this was not enough, the Swedish Presidency has also programmed other events in a backdrop to the Jumbo Council: a European Economic Area Council (EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway); an EU Troika meeting with the OSCE; an EU-Jordan Association Council (these three meetings will take place in the morning of 16 November); a Troika meeting with defence ministers from non-EU European allies and candidate countries and an EU-Kazakhstan Cooperation Council (these two final meetings will take place in the afternoon of 17 November).
The agenda for the “General Affairs” and “External Relations” part of the Council is as follows:
European Council (10-11 December). Ministers will hold a first exchange of views on the provisional agenda for the summit, which so far includes the following subjects: climate change (depending on developments at the Copenhagen conference, which will still be ongoing at that time); institutional questions (only if all the decisions on implementation of the Lisbon Treaty have not yet been taken by then); the economic, financial and employment situation; the “Stockholm programme” on justice and home affairs; implementation of the EU sustainable development strategy. The Swedish Presidency does not exclude enlargement (at the request of Iceland if the Commission's “opinion” is already ready, Turkey, FYROM etc), which could become a subject for the “heads” this December. These questions will, in any case, be on the agenda of the General Affairs/External Relations on 7-8 December, explains the Swedish Presidency.
Lisbon strategy (growth/employment). Ministers will debate the renewed strategy for post-2010 in view of the spring summit in March next year in Madrid. The Commission is currently preparing its communication on this subject and discussions are taking place at the Ecofin and Competitiveness Councils. On Monday, ministers will debate the question of where we are going and where we are, more specifically in the area of governance. The post-2010 Lisbon strategy and social and employment questions will also be on the December European Council agenda.
Russia. Ministers will put the final touch to preparations for the summit on Wednesday 18 November in Stockholm (see other article below)
Ukraine. The Council is preparing the EU-Ukraine summit (4 December in Kiev). EUROPE will be returning to this subject.
Belarus. Ministers will decide whether to extend the suspension of restrictive measures (freezing of assets, visa bans) against a group of leaders from the country, including President Lukashenko.
Somalia. The Council will discuss the situation in the country and adopt conclusions.
The Council will also adopt conclusions on the freedom of religion and belief. (H.B./G.B./transl.fl)