Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-03-13-Speech-2-014"
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"Mr President, Honourable Members, I am indeed very pleased to present you with the Commission’s annual policy strategy for 2008 and I am of course looking forward to a valuable political discussion.
Thirdly, migration in its various facets is a key challenge for the European Union. Properly managed labour migration can make a positive contribution to our economies and to our societies and we will present two draft directives in this field. We also plan to propose further measures to achieve a common European asylum system by 2010. We will also need further action on preventing illegal migration, combating the ruthless business of human trafficking and protecting our common external borders.
Let me now come back to the strategic objectives and give you a few examples of other key initiatives. As concerns prosperity beyond the continuing consolidation of the internal market, ‘greening’ the transport sector will be a key theme, with action on urban transport, legislation on nitrogen oxide emissions from aviation and on emissions from ships. The Commission will also take preparatory action to ensure the European Institute for Technology is operational as from 2009. In the field of solidarity, the Commission will present a health check of the common agricultural policy, which will pave the way for the future CAP.
Based on social stocktaking and the mid-term review of the implementation of the social agenda, the Commission will propose initiatives to promote solidarity and access of citizens to rights and opportunities as well as action to tackle discrimination outside the labour market.
We also intend to propose a new EU action plan on drugs and initiatives to tackle child poverty and protect children using the internet.
To promote security and freedom, we plan to propose new measures for managing our external borders and to set up a European surveillance system to help Member States to deal with growing flows of illegal immigrants. To support the fight against organised crime and terrorism, we expect to see a centralised data base of fingerprints becoming operational and the Commission will also launch a policy to tackle violent radicalisation.
Ensuring internal and external coherence and fighting for a Europe with a strong voice in the world will be another key area for action. We are ready to play a strong role following a status settlement for Kosovo and we will continue the accession negotiations with Croatia and Turkey. We will pursue negotiations on new agreements with Russia and Ukraine and develop our ties with key partners.
As regards trade policy, alongside continued efforts to deliver the Doha Development Round, action will centre on the Global Europe external competitiveness agenda. The Commission will also work closely with Member States and partner countries to make sure that the European consensus on development makes good progress and strengthens our partnership with the African Union.
I would like to say a few words on better regulation, which, as you know, informs all the Commission’s work. I am convinced that the Commission and Parliament have a mutual interest in cooperating even more closely than today in this area. Cooperation means agreeing on common priorities and on strategic choices. The Commission’s strategic review on better regulation of November 2006 set out our political priorities in detail, taking into account the views expressed by the European Parliament in its April 2006 part-session, which was devoted to this issue. If need be the Commission will be ready to come back and discuss better regulation in more detail with Parliament.
Let me also emphasise a novelty in our strategy for 2008. Following the example of the work programme for this year, communication priorities are an integral part of our policy strategy, focusing our messages on a limited number of issues that are of key concern to people, and communicating these clearly reflects and contributes to our overall communication strategy.
Finally, I would like to underline the criteria that we applied for ensuring an allocation of staff which matches our policies. Additional resources will be used exclusively to cover needs due to enlargement, whereas all other needs will have to be served through internal redeployment within the Commission.
Let us first take a quick look over the context for the next year. In two weeks, we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, and the Berlin Declaration will be adopted. The year 2008 should be an opportunity to look forward. We hope that the roadmap to be agreed by the Council in June will create the conditions for achieving a clear and constructive institutional settlement next year.
The presentation of the annual policy strategy marks the beginning of a process leading to the adoption of the Commission’s legislative and work programme at the end of this year. I feel strongly committed to this process, even though it could still be improved. Together we should make the dialogue between the committees and the Commissioners more political. In the resolution adopted last year, Parliament expressed its intention to involve the political groups more consistently and at an early stage of the procedure. I hope that this will be the case.
A political, frank and constructive dialogue between our two institutions on where Europe should put its political weight and where it should invest its resources in the next year is of major importance, so let us work together for the benefit of Europe.
This is necessary because Europe needs reform. It would also allow us to send a positive signal before the European elections. Meanwhile, we will see further consolidation of the Union. In 2008, we expect to see a number of Member States joining the Schengen area. We also hope that additional Member States could adopt the euro as soon as they fulfil the criteria.
On the future financing of the European Union, and as agreed by Parliament and the Council, in 2008 the Commission will be working to present a review of the budget. In a few months we will launch a broad consultation to allow citizens, stakeholders and those involved with institutions to express their views on the priorities of the EU and the resources needed to address them.
The strategic objectives defined by this Commission at the beginning of its mandate remain valid: ‘prosperity, solidarity, security and a strong and open Europe in the world’ still summarises the core ambitions of the Commission, and we are happy to see that both Parliament and the Council have backed us.
In the modern world, a number of highly important issues are not confined to just one or the other of the strategic objectives. They need to be taken forward together across policy areas, and I see three of these as being particularly important for 2008 in the APS.
Firstly, energy and climate change. The very positive results of the European Council last week with clear, binding decisions were built on the proposals presented by the Commission in January which brought fresh ideas and policy directions in Europe. Now we must deliver. Whilst we hope to have practical proposals on energy on the table in the third quarter of this year, much work will be needed in 2008. The key elements of the energy package must be put in place. A well-functioning internal market, a vibrant, renewable sector, energy efficiency and solidarity and interconnection will all be taken forward. We will also push for strong commitments by the EU and global stakeholders to reduce CO2 emissions beyond 2012 when the Kyoto Protocol expires.
Secondly, the renewed Lisbon Strategy for growth and jobs remains the main instrument for promoting a more prosperous, environmentally responsible and socially inclusive Europe. We are making good progress in partnership with the Member States. Next year we will reflect on how to press ahead with further reforms.
Following on from the single market review and the social reality check which will be presented this year, the Commission will launch a series of initiatives to make sure that the single market continues to deliver on its economic promises and that it allows citizens to reap the benefits."@en1
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