Brussels, 06/03/2007 (Agence Europe) - Seldom has a European Council been focused on such a restricted - but very important - range of issues as the Spring Summit which heads of state and government will hold in Brussels this Thursday and Friday, 8-9 March, under the chairmanship of Angela Merkel. The conclusions which leaders will adopt on Friday will only have three main chapters: EU integrated energy and climate policy, better regulation and the strategy for growth and jobs. Although foreign ministers will discuss international issues (Iraq, Lebanon, Somalia) on Thursday evening, there will be no mention of these discussions in the European Council conclusions, presidency sources said on Tuesday.
“We want to concentrate on issues which are really important for European citizens and not publish long conclusions which everyone knows contain a host of issues not even discussed by heads of state and government in their meeting,” said the same sources. “Energy, tackling climate change and the creation of jobs (the Lisbon Strategy) are matters which directly affect citizens. By producing concrete results on these issues, we hope to create an atmosphere and a positive dynamic which will allow the Presidency to make progress in preparing the Berlin Declaration (which will be approved on 25 March) and on the future debate on the European Constitution,” they went on. Commission President José Manuel Barroso also stressed the importance of this Summit for the “Europe of results” so dear to the Commission. “This is a decisive Summit for future generations, equipping Europe for globalisation. Our decisions will have an impact far beyond Europe and far beyond this generation,” he told press on Tuesday. “This Summit is more important than many others in the past. It will not speak about 'internal jiggery-pokery', but about energy and climate change. The eyes of Washington, Moscow and Beijing will be on us to see if we are credible” in these areas, Mr Barroso went on.
The European Council, which will be preceded on Thursday morning by the tri-partite Social Summit (during which energy, the climate, innovation and flexicurity will be the main topics for discussion), will begin in late afternoon on Thursday with the traditional meeting of leaders with the president of the European Parliament (this will be the first time Hans-Gert Pöttering will have been involved in his new capacity).
Energy/climate change. The first working session on Thursday evening will then be devoted to energy and climate change. The EU's targets for CO2 emission targets (20% unilaterally by 2020 and 30% if other developed countries join in) “are not contested”, explain Presidency sources, recognising that the exact burden sharing between member states - that will not be covered at this European Council - could take time, “two years rather than two months”. On the other hand, as discussions at the General Affairs Council confirmed on Monday (EUROPE 9379), the question of the binding or non-binding character of the 20% target for renewable energies remains unanswered and should be settled by the European leaders themselves. On Tuesday, the German Presidency toned down hopes of reaching an agreement on the matter. “We are opposite two major camps (of member states) that are opposed over the binding nature of the 20% target. One should not have too much hope of reaching an agreement”, sources said. What matters for the Presidency is that “for the very first time there is an integrated concept” on energy and on combating climate change which fixes not only the objectives but which also describes ways to achieve them. “Although the objective is not binding, it would nonetheless create a dynamic”, they said. Commission President José Manuel Barroso restated his call on Tuesday for a binding objective for renewable energies. “It is important to have a target; it should be binding. It's a question of credibility. Business asks for binding targets to make long term plans irrespective of whether it is 18.20 or 22%”. On the subject of separating production activity from distribution (“unbundling”), “we do not expect there to be major changes compared to the draft conclusions”, which put off till a later date a decision on the need to go further towards unbundling, as proposed by the Commission, the Presidency explains.
Declaration of Berlin (50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome). On Thursday evening over dinner, Chancellor Angela Merkel will be presenting to her colleagues the first results of consultations that the German presidency has held over recent weeks, mainly in the “sherpas” group, on the preparations for the Declaration of Berlin. “We are very pleased with the outcome of the consultations and echos from different capitals, not only with regard to our ideas but also concerning the method of work chosen”, the presidency said, recognising the existence of “different sensitivities” among the 27 members although it refused to speak of “divergence”. Thus, Berlin is not aware of British opposition against mentioning the euro as one of the main successes of European integration. For now, there is still no draft text, the German presidency states, and it is not planned that drafting will begin on Thursday evening, but the chancellor nonetheless hopes to hear the opinions of her colleagues and gain a “mandate” for drafting a final text. “Putting the text on paper will be the presidency's responsibility”, our sources say. The presidency wants a simple, clear text that can be understood by all European citizens. “The declaration will not be written by European officials”, she added. It will no doubt also be “difficult” to speak of a future Constitution, said the presidency, who hopes to avoid a “battle of words” at all costs. José Manuel Barroso said it is “obvious” that the declaration should also speak of the euro, as of enlargement. “I think there will be one [a reference to these two subjects]. I heard nobody opposing it”, he said on Tuesday.
Transatlantic market. On Thursday evening, the heads of state and government will also briefly speak of Angela Merkel's initiative to create a Transatlantic Single Market by 2015 without non-tariff barriers (see EUROPE 9353 and 9360). The subject was briefly mentioned at Coreper. “Now, we hope to hear the opinion of the leaders on the project's general direction”, mainly with a view to preparing decisions that should be taken on this subject during the EU/US summit on 30 April this year in Washington, explain presidency sources.
Lisbon Strategy/Better Regulation. On Friday morning, the leaders will discuss implementation of the revised Lisbon Strategy for growth and employment and the Better Regulation initiative (see EUROPE 9379 for the results of the discussions of Monday's General Affairs Council on these points), before adopting conclusions of the European Council. (hb)