Brussels, 22/03/2000 (Agence Europe) - In the traditional letter to his colleagues Heads of State or Government, the President of the European Council Antonio Guterres has set out the programme of the European Council to be held in Lisbon on Thursday and Friday. This programme contains no surprises; it confirms that the Extraordinary Summit will devoted the best part of its debates to the new goals to allocate to the EU regarding employment, economic reforms, the creation of a Europe based on innovation and knowledge. However, the situation in the Balkans and progress in European Security and Defence Policy (Esdp) will also be raised. Worth stressing that:
Here is the text of Mr. Guterres' letter:
"As you know, the special session of the Council is to be devoted to: employment, economic reforms and social cohesion - towards a Europe based on innovation and knowledge.
Our aim is to make the European Union the world's most dynamic and competitive area, based on innovation and knowledge, able to boost economic growth levels and create more and better jobs and greater social cohesion.
During our recent working meetings, I stressed our intention to take as our starting point the Cologne, Cardiff and Luxembourg processes and to ensure greater coherence and interaction between them. I also said that we wished to add new dimensions in areas such as the information society, innovation and knowledge, the fight against exclusion and the modernisation of social protection.
By exploiting fully all the means at our disposal, what methodology should we follow in order to create new momentum for strengthening employment, economic reform and social cohesion? Based on the Cologne, Cardiff and Luxembourg processes, a European growth and employment strategy requires better coordination between macroeconomic policies, structural policies and reforms and active employment policies. No new process needs to be created. But we should discuss how, in cooperation with the European Commission, we can put into place decisions which were in some cases taken a long time ago, but which have never been implemented.
Our meeting will start at 09.45 on Thursday, 23 March with an exchange of views with the President of the European Parliament on the major themes on our agenda.
The first working session of the European Council with Heads of State and Government and Foreign Affairs Ministers will take place from 10.30 to 12.15.
Our work has been well prepared by the General Affairs, Social Affairs, EcoFin, Internal Market, Research and Education Councils. I therefore think that we should begin our first session with a general discussion on a new strategic goal for the next decade. I suggest that we then cover the following issues:
At 12.40 our ministers of Foreign Affairs will attend a meeting of the "EU-Mexico Joint Council" in order to prepare for the signing ceremony of the "EU-Mexico Declaration" which is due to take place at 13.00. I would like to invite the members of the European Council to a group photo and then to lunch with President Zedillo at "Gare Maritima de Alcantara". In parallel, the President of the EcoFin Council will host a working lunch, also at 13.45, for Finance Ministers at the "Centro Cultural de Belem".
The second session of the European Council will begin at 15.30. With ministers of Finance present we will focus our debate on:
In a third session later in the afternoon, our discussions will continue, focusing on:
At 19.00, we will suspend the session in order to participate in a joint working dinner with our Ministers for Foreign Affairs at Mosteiro dos Jerónimos at 20.30. During the dinner, our intention is to hold a detailed discussion on our strategy towards the Balkans, based on the report drafted by the Secretary General/High Representative together with the European Commission. We should also examine and assess the interim report on Common European Security and Defence Policy (CESDP) requested by the Helsinki European Council: "Strengthening the Common European Security and Defence Policy".
On Friday 24 March we will meet again at 8.45 in order to approve the Conclusions. I expect this session to end at around 12.45."
For a more detailed view of what the Presidency expects of the Lisbon Summit and the questions to which the Heads of Government are expected to provide detailed answers to make for a successful summit, see in pages 7-8 of this issue the statements by Mrs Maria Joao Rodrigues, special aide to the Portuguese Prime Minister.