The European Commission will not make many proposals in 2019, as it still has plenty on its plate: this emerged from declarations made by the Commission in Strasbourg on Tuesday 23 October addressing the MEPs concerning the working programme for next year. The MEPs called for results on the migrant crisis, Eurozone reform, climate change and the forthcoming multiannual financial framework (MFF) of the EU for 2021-2027.
The next six months will be crucial for the EU; the citizens will be going to the polls, they want to see concrete improvements, said the First Vice-President of the Commission, Frans Timmermans, presenting the programme of work for 2019. He confirmed that there was very little time left to reach agreement on the many proposals submitted. He said that the EU needs to show that it can bring solutions to problems that cannot be resolved by the member states alone (climate change, management of resources, job creation, immigration, fighting terrorism and cyber-attacks, etc.).
The programme of work reflects Jean-Claude Juncker's state of the union speech last month and debates with the Council and MEPs. An agreement has been reached on half of the priority legislative initiatives proposed and 20% are at an advanced stage in the legislative progress, Timmermans noted.
He stressed that he was open to create a dynamic to support agreements on 'shared priority' dossiers, such as migration management, the common asylum system, the digital single market, a deeper economic and monetary union and the pillar of social rights, he said.
New initiatives. We “will present a limited number of new initiatives”, said the First Vice-President. The Commission will take stock of the investment plan for Europe and present a reflection document on ways of ensuring a sustainable Europe for future generations. It will present: - a coordinated plan on the development of artificial intelligence in Europe; - an action plan on disinformation; - a recommendation to establish a European electronic health record. A strategy on endocrine disruptors will be tabled, along with a strategy for the long-term reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (and an action plan on batteries).
Qualified majority. The Commission will make the case for qualified majority decision-making in the fields of energy and climate, taxation and social policy. It intends to reinforce the rule of law framework and the international role of the euro, report on progress on visa reciprocity and present ideas for 'Communicating Europe'. Finally, certain measures will be necessary to adapt the EU acquis in the context of Brexit. The Commission will make proposals on the visa status of UK nationals after Brexit.
Sibiu. The programme of work faces towards the European summit on the future of the EU of 27, to be held in Sibiu on 9 May, Timmermans concluded, referring to the progress hoped for on reinforcing the rule of law, the EMU and an agreement on the future MFF. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)