GENERAL AFFAIRS AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS *

Transcription

1 6942/03 (Presse 64) PROVISIONAL VERSION GERAL AFFAIRS AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS * 2496th Council meeting - GERAL AFFAIRS - Brussels, 19 March 2003 President : Mr Giorgos PAPANDREOU Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic * The 2495th session on External Relations is the subject of a separate press release (doc. 6941/03 Presse 63) Internet: press.office@consilium.eu.int 6942/03 (Presse 64) 1

2 CONTTS 1 PARTICIPANTS... 3 ITEMS DEBATED PREPARATION OF THE SPRING EUROPEAN COUNCIL... 4 PROGRESS OF WORK IN OTHER COUNCIL CONFIGURATIONS... 5 ANNUAL POLICY STRATEGY REFORM OF THE EU STAFF REGULATIONS ? Where declarations, conclusions or resolutions have been formally adopted by the Council, this is indicated in the heading for the item concerned and the text is placed between quotation marks.? The documents whose references are given in the text are available on the Council's Internet site Acts adopted with statements for the Council minutes which may be released to the public are indicated by an asterisk; these statements are available on the above mentioned Council Internet site or may be obtained from the Press Office. 6942/03 (Presse 64) 2

3 PARTICIPANTS The Governments of the Member States and the European Commission were represented as follows: Belgium : Mr Louis MICHEL Mr Didier REYNDERS Ms Annemie NEYTS Denmark : Mr Thor PEDERS Germany : Mr Caio Kai KOCH-WESER Greece : Mr Giorgos PAPANDREOU Mr Nicos CHRISTODOULAKIS Mr Anastasios GIANNITSIS Spain : Ms Ana PALACIO VALLELERSUNDI Mr Luis DE GUINDOS JURADO France : Ms Noëlle LOIR Ireland : Mr Brian COW Italy : Mr Giulio TREMONTI Mr Roberto ANTONIONE Luxembourg : Mr Nicolas SCHMIT Netherlands : Mr Hans HOOGERVORST Austria : Ms Benita FERRERO-WALDNER Portugal : Mr António MARTINS da CRUZ Finland : Mr Sauli NIINISTÖ Mr Jari VILÉN Sweden : Mr Gunnar LUND United Kingdom : Mr Nigel SHEINWALD * * * Commission : Mr Neil KINNOCK Mr Pedro SOLBES Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Minister, attached to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, with responsibility for Agriculture State-Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance Minister for Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Minister for Foreign Affairs State Secretary for Economic Affairs Minister attached to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, with responsibility for European Affairs Minister for Foreign Affairs Minister for Economic Affairs and Finance State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Ambassador, Permanent Representative Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Minister for Foreign Affairs and Portuguese Communities Abroad Minister for Foreign Trade Minister at the Ministry of Finance, with responsibility for EMU Issues Ambassador, Permanent Representative Vice-President Member 6942/03 (Presse 64) 3

4 ITEMS DEBATED PREPARATION OF THE SPRING EUROPEAN COUNCIL The Council approved the agenda of the European Council meeting to be held on 20 and 21 March in Brussels and took note of the annotated draft agenda prepared by the Presidency as the basis for deliberations. (doc. 7415/03) The annotated draft agenda sets out the main items that the European Council is due to address in connection with the economic reform strategy that it laid down at Lisbon in March It draws on the Commission's so called Spring Report on progress made towards the Lisbon goals and suggested policy orientations. The European Council will also discuss the international situation. 6942/03 (Presse 64) 4

5 PROGRESS OF WORK IN OTHER COUNCIL CONFIGURATIONS The Council took note of a progress report from the Presidency on work underway in the Council's other configurations, covering meetings held since the last report on 24 February. The Presidency's report draws attention to: The Competitiveness Council on 3 March, where a political approach was achieved on the main elements of the Community patent, on the basis of which legal instruments necessary for the future patent system will be finalised. The Justice and Home Affairs Council on 27 and 28 February, where a general approach was agreed on the draft Directive on the right to family re unification the first-ever Community instrument on legal immigration and agreement reached on a framework Decision on attacks against information systems. The various contributions to the preparation of the European Council on 20 and 21 March. 6942/03 (Presse 64) 5

6 ANNUAL POLICY STRATEGY 2004 The Council took note of the presentation by the Commission of a communication on its Annual Policy Strategy for 2004, setting out the objectives and key initiatives to be taken and drawing the consequences in terms of the human and financial resources required. The APS constitutes the first step in the strategic planning and programming cycle introduced in This year, it also contains a multiannual dimaension, aimed at contributing to the Council's forthcoming three year programme. The political priorities identified for 2004 are accession of the new Member States, stability and security and sustainable growth. 6942/03 (Presse 64) 6

7 REFORM OF THE EU STAFF REGULATIONS The Council approved guidelines for future work on the proposal for a Regulation aimed at amending the staff regulations for European Union civil servants, with a view to facilitating agreement on an overall negotiating position. It requested the Permanent Representatives Committee to continue work with a view to concluding the dossier as soon as possible. The guidelines approved by the Council cover the key outstanding issues, in particular the pensions system, pay and allowances. The Commission's proposal is part of an overhaul of personnel policy covering all aspects from recruitment to retirement. Enlargement of the EU will require administrative changes, in particular with the integration of large numbers of staff from the new Member States. The reform is due to be concluded by June 2003, when current arrangements on pay and pensions will run out. The proposal is aimed at: Strengthening the principle of merit in the EU civil service, with a better link between performance and career development. Modernising policy on equal opportunities, social facilities and working conditions, so as to continue recruitment and to maintain highly qualified multi lingual staff; Maintaining budgetary rigour by respecting the expenditure ceiling provided for under the EU's financial perspectives and ensuring cost control in the medium term. 6942/03 (Presse 64) 7