Brussels, 16/06/2000 (Agence Europe) - The European Council in Santa Maria da Feira (near Porto) will get under way on Monday, 19 June, at 10 a.m., with the traditional exchange of views with the President of the European Parliament. Prior to the summit, however, on Sunday, will be held:
a) separate meetings of the three European political parties (European People's Party, Party of European Socialists, Party of European Liberals, Democrats and Reformers) at Head of Government level (see EUROPE of 13/14 June, p. 6);
b) an Economy/Finance Council for another attempt to iron out differences over a European system for savings taxation. The Presidency was still working on Friday (through contacts with different ministers and the European Commission) on a new draft compromise to be presented to the Council on Sunday. European Council President Antonio Guterres refused to hasard a guess about the possible content. For more on this issue, see EUROPE of 5/6 June, page 8. The announced session of the General Affairs Council on development of a common strategy for the Mediterranean for submission to the summit is no longer necessary because the Fifteen have settled their differences and the text is now ready (see below).
On Monday morning, after the meeting with Mrs Fontaine, Mr Herzog will report to the Heads of Government on work on the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the Summit participants will then discuss: i) implementation of the Lisbon Summit conclusions; ii) the "tax package", in the light of the results of the Ecofin Council; iii) Greek entry into the euro area. The lunchtime meeting will focus on the Intergovernmental Conference on institutional reform and Mr Guterres has confirmed that he will be proposing the addition of enhanced cooperation to the IGC agenda.
The afternoon session (3.00 to 5.00 p.m.) will concentrate on enlargement negotiations, strengthening of security and defence policy (ESDP), the situation in the Balkans and relations with Russia. The Belgian Prime Minister will then discuss the problem of food safety and the Summit will approve the "Action Plan for the Northern Dimension of the EU" (finalised early in the week by the General Affairs Council) and the common strategy for the Mediterranean region (see above).
At the conclusion of the afternoon session, the Heads of Government will meet South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki. Tuesday morning will be spent on finalisation of the conclusions and a ceremony marking Greek entry into the euro (the decision will meanwhile have been formally approved, with effect from 1 January 2001, by the Ecofin Council).
A considerable number of reports and other documents are being submitted to the Summit; the Heads of Government will probably not read them but they will be mentioned in the conclusions. These concern: the priorities and objectives of the EU's external relations in the area of justice; the Commission's progress report on the precautionary principle; a Council report on implementation of the common strategy for Russia.