Brussels, 03/03/2005 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday the European Commission adopted “its annual political strategy for 2006”, which highlights the need to push forward the Lisbon strategies and the Social Agenda 2006-10, revise The Hague Programme (freedom, security and justice), guarantee immediate application of the Constitution (as soon as it enters into force on 1 November 2006) and prepare the new programmes (structural funds, rural development, research, competitiveness for the financial framework for 2007-13. At an international level, the Commission hopes to advance on settling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, implementation of the Doha programme (liberalisation of trade), setting up practical measures for getting rid of poverty (after revision in 2005 of the Millennium development objectives), carrying out the EU action plan strengthening the crisis management capacity and the major projects of reconstruction in Iraq, Afghanistan and South-East Asia after the Tsunami. The annual political strategy for 2006 reflects the priorities in the “Partnership for a Europe Renewed” proposed in the five-yearly objectives (prosperity, solidarity, security and external influence). In 2006, the Commission will continue to concentrate on “the most urgent of its priorities”: restoring dynamitic and sustainable growth in Europe and to offer its citizens more and better quality jobs. Initiatives include:
Prosperity: drafting a report for the European Spring Council on progress towards the Lisbon objectives (on the basis of national action programmes expected at the end of the year); proposing measures for strengthening the solvability of insurance companies and revising directives in the insurance sector (apart from life assurance); propose measures for developing the internal market for postal services; propose simplification of legislation in the car sector; launch initiatives on defence procurement markets; consolidate the internal market in goods and services by strengthening mutual recognition; revision of electronic communication regulation; kick-start “i2010”, European information society at the service of growth and jobs; completion of the internal natural gas and electricity markets; launch of action plan on “knowledge for growth” (aim of 3% of GDP towards R&D); begin exhaustive fight against tax fraud; start industrial “Sesame” project for modernising air traffic control (single sky initiative); launch “ERTMS” the technological and industrial project guaranteeing interoperability of the rail sector.
Solidarity: finish reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for wine, fruit and vegetable sectors; submit Green Paper on EU maritime policy; establish programme to help SMEs respect environmental legislation; activate work on preparing start in January 2007 of activities by European Agency for Fundamental Rights; adopt a proposal setting up an agency or European immigration observatory; preparation or creation of a European support structure in the area of asylum, facilitation of the life of citizens confronting family problems in the European area for civil legal matters, presentation of a strategy for sexual equality; propose a new health and safety at work strategy; adopt the Green Paper on developing work legislation; apply the European initiative on youth; ensure the application of the linguistic action plan and pursue the development of European linguistic competency indicators; elaborate a new strategy in health (increased protection against infectious diseases); setting up of a European public health portal); begin to elaborate legislative measures on climate change.
Security: adopt proposals on obstacles that police forces have to surmount in the territory of another Member State and the use of data bases for controlling the external borders for coercitive objectives; establishing of computerised information exchange system based on legal records; setting up of a Community action plan for developing public-private partnership against organised crime and terrorism; increase in EU's defence capabilities; launch new action plan to promote security of information networks (cyber-crime, identity and respect for private life); setting up of security inspections at ports and airports; develop strategy for dealing with flu pandemics and bioterrorist threats; present action plan on energy efficiency; elaborate a Community system for managing risks to external border security; to pursue the development of safe methods for stockpiling nuclear waste and strengthening nuclear safety control policies; propose new series of measures reinforcing maritime security.
External influence: Guaranteeing a follow-up before Bulgaria and Romania join; ensuring monitoring of accession negotiations with Croatia, Turkey and possibly the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (once the opinion has been returned on its accession request); possibly start negotiations on an association agreement with Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia-Montenegro; proposing a communication and an action plan on competitiveness and trade policy promoting the access of European industry to the markets; -negotiating agreements on aviation agreements with third countries; -including the fight against drugs trafficking in agreements with third countries; -presenting two new communications on weapons of mass destruction, light and small-calibre weapons and explosive remnants of war.
The Commission also gave indications on human resources: after requests in 2004 and 2005 for 1280 and 700 posts respectively, a clear increase of 700 posts was requested for 2006, over 100 external staff posts in view of the accession of Bulgaria and Romania. Various budgetary estimations have been provided for 2006, including for external actions: 200million EUR for reconstruction in Iraq (as in 2005-, around half of the 350 million EUR in two years (2005 and 2006) to rebuild parts of Asia hit by the tsunami and 40 million EUR to help the ACP countries whose exports could suffer from the effects of the reform of the European sugar sector. These financial needs will exceed the margin of the external actions heading by over 160 million EUR. The Commission will, therefore, call for the flexibility instrument to be mobilised to cover some of the funding, when it presents its preliminary draft budget for 2006 in a few weeks' time.