Brussels, 16/06/2009 (Agence Europe) - There has to be real progress on five points a the European Council on 18-19 June, says Commission President José Manuel Barroso in a letter sent on Tuesday 15 June to EU leaders: the response to the economic crisis (which has says has been “positive” but with potential for further joint action); reform of financial supervision (with the Council being called to provide “a political signal of strong consensus” on the Commission proposals, said a spokesman); protecting jobs; climate (progress on the EU contribution to measures on climate change are hoped for); and illegal immigration (the conclusions should recognise are EU problems requiring solidarity and cooperation from all member states. Over and above the institutional issue with regard to Ireland, Barroso will seek to persuade the European Council to re-install him at the head of the Commission for a further five years. He will set the main thrust of his priorities for a second term of office, aware that the second phase of consultation, with the EP, will allow him to flesh out his priorities. On Tuesday, his spokesman said that Barroso had not called for a specific date for his re-appointment, but wanted a solution that complied with the Treaties. He is expected to be given political support is expected, pushing back until later the formal legal decision.
On Thursday, the European Council will open with the traditional meeting with the president of the European Parliament, to be followed by a discussion on legal guarantees to be given to Ireland with a view to a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. The first working session (from 6 p.m.) will be devoted to climate change and to developments in the economic and financial situation (mainly the principles for a refashioned financial supervision architecture in Europe). Over dinner, discussion will mainly concern the designation of the next Commission president (“We will initiate the process of the designation”, states the letter sent to his counterparts by the president-in-office of the European Council, Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer), while foreign ministers, for their part, will examine the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan. (A.B./transl.rt/jl)