Brussels, 31/01/2001 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday the European Commission adopted is working programme for 2001. President Prodi will make the political presentation of this document to the European Parliament at its next plenary session in Strasbourg, so that MEPs meanwhile have time to analyse it. The working programme comprises four major chapters:
1. Promoting new forms of governance. It is foremost the question of the White Paper on Governance, that will set out how EU institutions (and not only the Commission) should improve the way they are run, and this in three directions: clarity, responsibility, decentralisation. This exercise will contribute to the wide-ranging debate on the future of Europe, in which the European Commission intends fully contributing. It will, moreover, pursue its administrative reform and define a new information policy.
2. Stabilising the Continent and increasing Europe's voice at world level. This chapter covers the enlargement strategy, the reform of external aid, international aid and development cooperation, as well as certain aspects of CFSP and ESDP.
3. Towards a new economic and social agenda. Employment, economic and social cohesion, tax, competition, the information and knowledge-based society, energy, agricultural policy, etc.., come within this vast chapter.
4. A better quality of life for all. The essential elements of this chapter are the environment, sustainable development, the area of freedom, security and justice, and food safety.