Brussels, 13/11/2003 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission is looking at possibilities of presenting its communication on the next financial perspectives to the European Council on 12-13 December. The Summit will already be focusing on another delicate and more urgent subject, the constitutional treaty. Some Commissioners would like the presentation of the communication to be postponed till the beginning of 2004 in order to avoid any interference between the two debates. The six European Commissioners concentrating on financial perspectives will be discussing the results of their work on Tuesday at a fringe meeting of the Council.
The European Commission has said that it intends to adopt its communication this year but is not ruling out the possibility that it is discussed later by the European Council. The Commission's Deputy Spokesperson, Gerassimos Thomas declared on Thursday that the Commission would continue to work in the perspective of presenting the proposal at the end of November or beginning December, as expected but added that the decision could only be taken when the Heads of State discussed it and that it was not the Commission's decision. He explained that the possibility for discussing the matter also depended on time and other subjects. It is usually the Presidency that determines the agenda for the European Councils. In the most recent draft agenda for the European Council, Heads of State and Government are "taking note" of the Commission's presentation of its communication on financial perspectives, indicated a Presidential source.
During is most recent seminary on financial perspectives at the end of October, the Commission had not yet defined clear directions for the spending ceiling, the exact structure for the next financial framework (beginning in 2007) or its length (5 or 7 years). The previous seminary had obtained a certain consensus on the continuation of the regional policy aspect for reconversion and jobs throughout the regions (objective 2 remodelled), together with aid to the poorest regions (objective 1). (EUROPE 31 October p 5 and October p 13). Commission proposals on the next regional policy, are also expected for the beginning of December but are not expected to be presented till the week after the communication on the financial perspectives whatever the date in which it is presented. The two subjects are closely linked, given that cohesion policy constitutes the second post of the Community budget, after Common Agricultural Policy.
The Commissioner chairing the workgroups on the future of EU finances are Pascal Lamy (work group on peace), David Byrne (freedom and European citizenship), Mario Monti (sustainable prosperity), Michel Barnier (solidarity), Neil Kinnock (administration) and Michaele Schreyer (resources).