Brussels, 07/03/2013 (Agence Europe) - Every year, the Spring Summit looks at the economic situation across the European Union and this year's will examine implementation of European measures to encourage growth in the light of the European Commission's gloomy economic forecasts (see EUROPE 10792) and the political controversy about the right mix of austerity and growth policies.
The European Summit will confirm the five priorities announced by the European Commission in its Annual Growth Survey, namely the pursuit of differentiated budget consolidation, restoring finance to the real economy, promoting growth and competitiveness, tackling unemployment and the social consequences of the crisis and updating the civil service (see EUROPE 10740). These five priorities will be addressed by the member states in their national Stability and Reform Programmes, to be unveiled in mid-April as part of the European Semester process.
Heads of state will stress the role of taxation in filling state coffers. A draft summit conclusions document that this newsletter has seen says that, in a difficult context of budget consolidation, it is important to ensure that companies pay their fair share of taxes. The European Council calls for renewed efforts to improve the efficiency of tax collection and deal with tax evasion, including by means of agreements with non-EU countries. Progress should be made on energy tax, harmonising company tax, taxes on private savings and the financial transactions tax.
The summit will call for results in specific areas. The adoption of all the measures contained in the Single Market Act (updating the public procurement directive and the professional qualifications directive) is described as an “essential priority”. Likewise the fourth rail package and the market surveillance and product safety rules. When it comes to jobs, the European Council will focus on rapid introduction of the Youth Guarantee to provide under 25-year-olds with a job or training within four months of the end of their studies (see EUROPE 10796).
Ahead of detailed debate on the EUROPE 2020 Strategy in March 2014, the next summits will cover the following policy areas: energy (May 2013), innovation, research and the digital agenda (October 2013) and industrial competitiveness (February 2014). (MB/transl.fl)