Brussels, 18/02/2002 (Agence Europe) - When, as usual, discussing the work of the other Council formations, the European Union's General Affairs Council agreed on Monday to follow the work of the Convention on the future of Europe, in the framework of the General Affairs Council, Convention that is to begin on 28 February and in which several Ministers for European Affairs will be taking part.
The Spanish Presidency presented a preliminary draft agenda for the Barcelona Summit, preparations for which will be the subject of on an-depth examination at the next General Affairs Council. As we already mentioned (see EUROPE of 16 February, p.4), the European Spring Council, devoted to the Lisbon Process, will be preceded, on 14 March, by a Social Summit. The ministers of the Economy and Finance should take part in all working sessions. On 14 March, after a meeting (at 0.900 hrs.) of the members of the European Council with the President of the European Parliament, the first working session should begin at 9.30 hrs.. At 11.45 hrs., the European Council will welcome the Heads of State or Government from candidate countries for accession in which the Foreign Ministers will receive their counterparts from these same countries. The second working session will begin at 16.30 hrs., after a lunch offered by the King, and continue until 19.30. the summit will end at around 13.00 hrs., on Saturday, after a third working session.
Ministers briefly raised enlargement and its financial framework, widely discussed at their recent informal meeting in Caceres. The Council asked the Commission to hand it as soon as possible draft common positions on negotiating chapters relating to the financial and budgetary aspects, agriculture, regional policy and the structural instruments. In that context, the Council also reaffirmed that negotiations must be based on the acquis communautaire and on the financial framework set by the European Council of Berlin.
Commissioner Michel Barnier presented ministers with the second report on cohesion policy (see EUROPE of 31 January, p.11) and several ministers, especially from Portugal, Spain and Greece, referred to their concerns at the fact that solidarity must continue for all. For them, it is essential to judge objectively developments in each region and not simply take account of statistics in relation to a Community average that would fall due to enlargement. The Finnish Minister suggested introducing a criterion of distance for peripheral regions that are lagging behind in development. For Finland, it is a question of preserving aid for its eastern region that currently benefits from Objective 1 but should lose that status if the sole criteria of 75% of Community GDP is applied. Austria and the Netherlands also pleaded in favour of solidarity but considering that this had in future to be foremost directed at the new Member States. For Germany too, it is a question of focusing efforts on those that need it the most while remaining within the financial framework set in Berlin. Mr. Barnier, who placed emphasis on balances to be found within structural policy as a whole, stressed that the debate had hardly begun. The Council instructed the Committee of Permanent Representatives to examine the Commission report.
The Council, moreover (1) adopted regulation prohibiting the import of diamonds from Sierra Leone, except for those covered by certificates of origin issued by the national authorities of the country, (2) approved the sending of a letter to the Ivory Coast Prime Minister informing him of to total resumption of co-operation.