In Brussels on Tuesday 20 September, the member states of the EU were by and large happy with the ten priorities listed by the European Commission in the speech given by President Jean-Claude Juncker on the state of the Union to be included in the forthcoming working programme for 2017: growth, jobs and investment, a connected digital single market, an Energy Union and a visionary climate change policy, a deeper and fairer single market, a deeper and fairer Economic and Monetary Union, a balanced and reasonable free-trade agreement with the United States, a space of justice and fundamental rights based on mutual trust, new migration policy, a stronger Europe on the international scene and a Union of democratic change (see EUROPE 11624).
Tuesday's General Affairs Council held an exchange of views on the Commission's letter of intent regarding its working programme for 2017.
During this discussion, Hungary and Poland stressed that the reform of the Dublin system on asylum rules was a sensitive issue. In particular, Hungary stressed the need to make progress on the roadmap (presented in March of this year) aiming to return to the Schengen spirit (a reinstatement of the free movement of people). Germany stressed that the two issues (the Schengen roadmap and the reform of the asylum procedures) should go hand in hand.
Poland and Hungary also hinted that no more should be done in the field of the harmonisation of social standards, a reference to Juncker's ambition for more social Europe.
Spain and the Baltic countries stressed the importance of the Energy Union. In this context, Sweden made particular reference to bio-energy (energy stored by biomass).
France and Italy stressed the need for the EU and its member states swiftly to ratify the Paris agreement on climate change.
Germany stressed the opportunities related to the trade negotiations and the Franco-German defence proposals (see EUROPE 11623). Michael Roth, the deputy German minister, said that he was open to the extension (in terms of both budget and time) of the European Fund for Strategic Investments, as long as this instrument, which aims to stimulate growth and jobs, is properly assessed.
The opinions expressed by the General Affairs Council will be summed up in a letter of the Slovak Presidency to the Commission, so that it can take it into account before it adopts its working programme for 2017, which it will do in October. The Council, the European Parliament and the Commission will then adopt a common statement at the end of the year regarding the EU's priorities for 2017. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)