PDF to HTML - Convert PDF files to HTML files

Europaudvalget 2006-07
Det Europæiske Råd 14.-15/12-06 Bilag 5
Offentligt

COUNCIL OF

THE EUROPEAN UNION

Brussels, 7 December 2006

16096/1/06

REV 1

LIMITE

POLGEN 112

NOTE

from:

to:

Subject:

Presidency

COREPER/GAERC

European Council (14 and 15 December 2006)

– Draft conclusions

The Presidency hereby submits to Coreper draft conclusions to be agreed by the European Council

at its meeting on 14-15 December 2006.

16096/1/06 REV 1

DQPG

LIMITE EN

PDF to HTML - Convert PDF files to HTML files

The meeting of the European Council was preceded by an exposé by the President of the

European Parliament, Mr Josep Borrell, followed by an exchange of views.

The European Council warmly welcomes Bulgaria and Romania as full members of the

European Union on 1 January 2007. The accession of Bulgaria and Romania will mark the

completion of the fifth enlargement.

As agreed by the European Council at its meeting in June 2006, the Union has followed a

two-track approach. It has focussed on making best use of the possibilities offered by the

existing treaties to deliver concrete results while preparing the ground for reform process. The

Presidency provided the European Council with an assessment of its consultations with

Member States regarding the Constitutional Treaty. The outcome of these consultations will

be passed to the incoming German Presidency as part of its preparations of the report to be

presented during the first half of 2007.

ENLARGEMENT

Renewed consensus on enlargement

As agreed at the June 2006 European Council and on the basis of the Commission

communication on the enlargement strategy and its special report on the EU's capacity to

integrate new members, the European Council held the debate confirming the consensus on

enlargement process.

16096/1/06 REV 1

DQPG

LIMITE EN

PDF to HTML - Convert PDF files to HTML files

The European Union agrees that enlargements have benefited the European Union and Europe

as a whole. Enlargement has been an essential part of the European integration process

helping to overcome the division of Europe and contributing to peace and stability throughout

the continent.

Enlargement has inspired reforms in states aiming to become member of the Union. It has

consolidated common principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and

fundamental freedoms and the rule of law in a widening circle of European countries.

Economically, the wider internal market and economic cooperation has helped to increase

prosperity and competitiveness, enabling the enlarged Union to respond better to the

challenges of globalisation. Enlargement has also increased the EU's weight in the world and

made it a stronger international player.

The EU's enlargement policy continues to be based on consolidation, conditionality, and

communication. The European Union honours its existing commitments towards countries in

the enlargement process while it considers carefully any new commitments. The success of

the enlargement policy depends on how the process is managed. The past experiences have

already been taken into account in the current enlargement process. It is essential to guarantee

the quality of the process and at the same time encourage candidate countries and potential

candidate countries in their reforms.

The European Council confirms that the European Union keeps its commitments regarding

the ongoing accession negotiations. The recently enhanced rules governing the negotiation

process already provide for strict conditionality at all stages of the negotiations. The European

Council agrees with the improvements suggested by the Commission concerning the

management and the quality of the negotiations. In order to achieve good results, difficult

issues need to be addressed at an early stage. The pace of the accession process depends on

the pace of reforms in the negotiating country. The Union will refrain from setting any target

dates for accession until the negotiations are close to completion.

16096/1/06 REV 1

DQPG

LIMITE EN

PDF to HTML - Convert PDF files to HTML files

10.

The European Council reaffirms that the future of the Western Balkans lies in the European

Union. It reminds that each country's progress towards the European Union depends on its

individual efforts to comply with the Copenhagen criteria and the conditionality of the

Stabilisation and Association Process. A country's satisfactory track-record in implementing

its obligations under the Stabilisation and Association Agreements, including trade related

provisions, is an essential element for the EU to consider any membership application.

11.

The European Council stresses the importance of ensuring that the EU can maintain and

deepen its own development while pursuing the enlargement agenda. It agrees that integration

capacity is not a new criterion applicable to the candidate countries. The responsibility for

improving the integration capacity lies with the Union. As the Union enlarges the successful

European integration requires that the EU institutions continue to function effectively and that

EU policies meet their goals and are financed in a sustainable manner.

12.

The Union's capacity to integrate new members will be reviewed at all key stages of the

accession process. The European Council takes note of the Commission's intention to provide

impact assessments of accessions on key policy areas in its opinions on applications for

membership as well as in the course of accession negotiations.

13.

The European Council recognises the necessity to ensure public support to the enlargement

process and agrees to increase the communication and transparency of the enlargement

process as proposed by the Commission.

Turkey

14.

The European Council welcomes Turkey's progress on political reforms and notes that Turkey

continues to sufficiently fulfil the Copenhagen political criteria. Turkey should however

further intensify its reform process and address the shortcomings identified in the

Commission's reports of 8 November 2006.

16096/1/06 REV 1

DQPG

LIMITE EN

PDF to HTML - Convert PDF files to HTML files

15.

The first phase of accession negotiations with Turkey, the analytical examination of the

acquis, was successfully completed in October 2006. [The European Council notes the good

prospect for further steps in the negotiation process with Turkey in the near future.] The

European Council recalls that the progress in the negotiations will be measured against the

requirements set up in the negotiation framework.

16.

[The European Council endorses the Council conclusions of 11 December 2006 on the

accession negotiations with Turkey.]

Croatia

17.

The European Council welcomes the progress made by Croatia in the accession preparations.

Croatia should however further intensify its reform process and address the shortcomings

identified in the Commission's Reports of 8 November 2006.

18.

The first phase of accession negotiations with Croatia, the analytical examination of the

acquis, was successfully completed in October 2006. The European Council notes the good

prospect for opening further chapters for negotiation in the near future. It emphasizes that the

progress in the negotiations will be measured against the requirements set up in the

negotiation framework.

Western Balkans

19.

The European Council welcomes the promotion of people-to-people contacts between the EU

and the Western Balkan countries. In this context, it welcomes the launch of visa facilitation

and readmission negotiations with all the countries with a view to concluding the negotiations

as soon as possible.

20.

The European Council welcomes progress made in the Central European Free Trade

Agreement and looks forward to a regional and inclusive trade agreement.

16096/1/06 REV 1

DQPG

LIMITE EN

PDF to HTML - Convert PDF files to HTML files

21.

The European Council notes that the candidate country status of the former Yugoslav

Republic of Macedonia was recognition of the country's reform achievements. The European

Council calls for accelerating the pace of reforms in key areas in order to progress towards the

goal of moving ahead in the accession process.

22.

The European Council reaffirms the EU's continued engagement with and support to Serbia.

The European Council recalls that the EU is ready to resume and conclude the negotiations

for a Stabilisation and Association Agreement as soon as full cooperation with the

International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) is achieved. In view of

Serbia's institutional capacity, the European Council is confident that Serbia will be able to

catch up with the other countries of the region on the way towards the EU once the SAA

negotiations are resumed.

II.

AREA OF FREEDOM, SECURITY AND JUSTICE

23.

When adopting the Hague Programme in November 2004 the European Council agreed to

take stock of its implementation during the second half of 2006. In that context the European

Council discussed migration and the improvement of decision-making in the area of freedom,

security and justice.

PM: Improvements to the decision-making and action of the Union in this field.

A comprehensive European Migration Policy

24.

The European Council underlines the importance of migration issues for the EU and its

Member States. Addressing both challenges and opportunities of migration for the benefit of

all is one of the major priorities for the EU at the start of the 21

century.

16096/1/06 REV 1

DQPG

LIMITE EN

PDF to HTML - Convert PDF files to HTML files

25.

The European migration policy builds on the conclusions of the Tampere European Council

in 1999, the Hague Programme of 2004 and the Global Approach to Migration adopted

in 2005. It is based on the solidarity, mutual trust and shared responsibility of the European

Union and its Member States. It is also based on respect for human rights and fundamental

freedoms of migrants, the Geneva Convention and due access to asylum procedures. It

requires a genuine partnership with third countries and must be fully integrated into the

Union's external policies.

26.

Events in 2006 and the progress made in implementing the Global Approach have

demonstrated that migration needs to be addressed in a comprehensive manner and that efforts

made so far now need to be strengthened. Future work should take into account the

Commission's Communications

and broaden the scope of action to other policy areas and

apply lessons learnt to other regions.

27.

The European Council accordingly agrees on the following next steps to be taken during the

course of 2007:

strengthen and deepen

international cooperation and dialogue with third countries

of origin and transit, in a comprehensive and balanced manner. In particular:



the partnership between the European Union and African and Mediterranean

countries will be deepened by broadening dialogue and strengthening practical

cooperation; this partnership will build in particular on the joint commitments

made in the Ministerial conferences in Rabat and Tripoli in 2006 as well as on the

work underway in the framework of the EU/Africa dialogue on migration and

development, on the basis of article 13 of the Cotonou Agreement, and the

Euromed process, including the Ministerial Conference on migration in 2007. In

order to strengthen the migration dialogue, specific EU missions will be sent to

key African countries during 2007,

COM (2006) 735 final

COM (2006) 733 final

DQPG

16096/1/06 REV 1

LIMITE EN

PDF to HTML - Convert PDF files to HTML files



the migration and development agenda will be intensified by increasing coherence

between the Union's various policies, including their financial instruments, with a

view to addressing the root causes of migration,



Member States and the Commission will integrate migration and development

issues in aid policies and programming, encourage the countries of origin and

transit to incorporate migration issues in their national development plans,

including poverty reduction strategies, and support capacity building for effective

migration management, including through establishment of country-specific

migration profiles. Regional and country strategy papers will be reviewed in 2007

in order to incorporate fully the connection between migration and development.

In this regard, the Commission's initiative for an EU Programme on Migration and

Development in Africa provides a way to address this issue in the short and

medium-term. Member States are also encouraged to enhance coordination and to

develop joint programming,



country-specific cooperation platforms on migration and development will be

established to bring together the partner country concerned, EU Member States

and the Commission as well as relevant international organisations to manage

migration in a more coherent manner,



a coherent EU follow-up to the September 2006 UN High Level Dialogue on

International Migration and Development will be ensured; the EU will take a lead

in placing migration and development issues on the agenda of the international

community. The first meeting of the Global Forum on Migration and

Development in July 2007 in Belgium will be a vital step in this respect,

16096/1/06 REV 1

DQPG

LIMITE EN

PDF to HTML - Convert PDF files to HTML files



measures will be taken to improve cooperation on return and readmission with

third countries, including effective identification and documentation; special

emphasis will be giving to the reintegration of returned migrants. Negotiations on

EC readmission agreements need to be stepped up; to this end the Council should

explore further ways and means by which Member States could support the

Commission in its efforts to conclude such agreements at EC level and to ensure

their effective implementation,



stepping up concrete work along migratory routes in partnership with third

countries in particular with a view to preventing and combating trafficking and

smuggling of human beings, while ensuring effective international protection for

persons who may need it as well as for vulnerable groups such as women and

unaccompanied minors,



ways and means to facilitate circular and temporary migration will be explored

and, while respecting the competences of Member States in this area,

consideration will be given to how legal migration opportunities can be

incorporated into the Union's external policies in order to develop a balanced

partnership with third countries adapted to specific EU Member States' labour

market needs; the Commission is invited to present detailed proposals on how to

better organise and inform about the various forms of legal movement between

the EU and third countries by June 2007,



the Global Approach will be applied to the eastern and south eastern regions

neighbouring the European Union . The Commission is invited to make proposals

on enhanced dialogue and concrete measures by June 2007;

16096/1/06 REV 1

DQPG

LIMITE EN

PDF to HTML - Convert PDF files to HTML files

strengthen

cooperation among Member States in the fight against illegal

immigration,

taking account of the Commission communication on policy priorities in

this regard. In particular:



measures against illegal employment will be intensified at Member State and EU

level; the European Council invites the Commission to present proposals by

April 2007 in this regard,



existing and new technological possibilities will be fully utilised to enhance

border control and to allow persons to be identified reliably; in particular, the

Commission is invited to report before the end of 2007 on how to improve access

control, including on the feasibility of establishing a generalised and automated

entry-exit system for this purpose. Applicable provisions on data protection will

be respected in this regard,



the Commission is invited to study the possibilities, on the basis of the initiative

made to this end, of for developing policies of extended European solidarity in

immigration, border control and asylum policies;

improve

the management of the European Union's external border

on the basis of

the integrated border management adopted by the Council in 2006. In particular:



the capacity of Frontex will be rapidly enhanced in order for it to be able to meet

the migration challenges at the EU's external borders next year, by ensuring

adequate economic and personnel resources and their effective use, establishing

procedures for emergency situations, strengthening operational means, reinforcing

links with the Immigration Liaison Officer Network and completing the planned

review of the Agency and its tasks in 2007,

16096/1/06 REV 1

DQPG

LIMITE EN

PDF to HTML - Convert PDF files to HTML files



Frontex is invited urgently to finalise its ongoing work on creation of a centralized

record of technical equipment offered by Member States which could be put at the

disposal of another Member State; and to report on the progress made to the

Council by the end of April 2007. The Member States are invited to contribute

actively to this process with national means and resources,



priority will also be given to establishing as soon as possible by Frontex, together

with the Member States of the region, of a permanent MEDSEA Coastal Patrol

Network and to examining the creation of a European Surveillance System for the

southern maritime borders,



the efficiency of cooperation on search and rescue and the legal scope for action

to be taken to counter illegal migration by sea will be ensured,



the Council and the European Parliament are invited to reach rapid agreement on

the Regulation on the establishment of Rapid Border Intervention Teams in the

first semester of 2007 and to study this model in other border-related functions,

such as humanitarian assistance;

develop, as far as

legal migration

is concerned, well-managed migration policies, fully

respecting national competences, to assist Member States to meet existing and future

labour needs while contributing to the sustainable development of all countries; in

particular, the forthcoming Commission proposals within the framework of the Policy

Plan on Legal Migration of December 2005 should be rapidly examined;

promote

integration

and intercultural dialogue and the fight against all forms of

discrimination at Member State and EU level, strengthen integration policies and agree

on common goals and strategies; the Ministerial conference on integration to be held in

May 2007 will be of particular importance in that respect;

16096/1/06 REV 1

DQPG

LIMITE EN

PDF to HTML - Convert PDF files to HTML files

realise the

Common European Asylum System

by the end of 2010, on the basis of a

preliminary evaluation of its first phase in 2007. The development of its second phase

will be accompanied by a strengthening of practical cooperation in the area of asylum,

in particular through the creation of asylum expert teams and the setting up of an

asylum cooperation network; the possible creation of a European Support Office will

also be examined;

make

adequate resources

available for implementing the comprehensive migration

policy by full use of the substantial funds which are available if all the existing budget

lines are brought fully into play and all possibilities available used consistently and

coherently. In that respect the External borders, Integration, Return and Refugee Funds

will bring important resources to underpin the comprehensive migration policy, as will

the ENPI and the Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI). The EDF will also, in

agreement with ACP partners, help address root causes of migration through long-term

development policies, as well as by assistance to ACP partners in capacity building in

the framework of the EU Governance Initiative.

28.

The Commission is invited to report back on the implementation of the comprehensive

migration policy in good time before the December 2007 European Council.

Schengen

29.

The European Council endorses the conclusions reached by the Council (Justice and Home

Affairs) on 4/5 December 2006 and looks forward to the lifting of controls at internal borders

as of December 2007 and by March 2008 at the latest provided all requirements to apply the

Schengen acquis have been fulfilled. The European Council welcomes the successful

completion of the Schengen evaluation visits scheduled for 2006 and encourages the Member

States concerned to continue their endeavours to meet all the requirements to apply the

Schengen acquis in full.

16096/1/06 REV 1

DQPG

LIMITE EN

PDF to HTML - Convert PDF files to HTML files

III. INNOVATION, ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Innovation

30.

As discussed at the informal meeting of Heads of State or Government in Lahti, innovation is

crucial to Europe's ability to respond effectively to the challenges and opportunities of

globalisation. Europe needs a strategic approach aimed at creating an innovation-friendly

environment where knowledge is converted into innovative products and services. Strategic

priorities for stimulating innovation at EU level have been defined by the Competitiveness

Council; progress made in delivering results will be monitored at future Spring European

Council meetings within the framework of the Lisbon Strategy.

31.

The European Council emphasises in particular the following:



the Commission is invited to present a comprehensive Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)

Strategy, in the course of 2007, addressing issues such as quality of the IPR system; due

to the need for developing the patent system in Europe, the Commission is invited to

present its Communication on patents as a matter of priority;



the Council and the European Parliament should act rapidly on the Commission's

proposal to set up a European Institute of Technology;



the Commission is invited to rapidly make proposals for the setting up of Joint

Technology Initiatives with a view to launching the most advanced ones in 2007;



the Commission is invited, in consultation with all relevant stakeholders, to propose

action for the improvement of the working methods and overall resources of European

standardisation bodies. Standards must be developed quickly enough to meet the needs

of fast-moving markets, whilst ensuring interoperability.

16096/1/06 REV 1

DQPG

LIMITE EN

PDF to HTML - Convert PDF files to HTML files

32.

Information and communication technologies are crucial for innovation and competitiveness;

immediate priorities include the development of efficient flexible and balanced spectrum

allocation models, the fast promotion of advanced mobile services and to the extent possible a

coordinated approach for the use of spectrum capacity becoming available as a result of

digital switch-over. The 2008 Spring European Council will review the challenges of the next

generation of internet and networks within the framework of the Lisbon Strategy.

33.

In view of the extraordinary Social Summit held in October, the European Council calls for a

comprehensive debate on flexicurity in order to promote flexibility combined with

employment security, reduce labour market fragmentation and improve the functioning of the

European labour market. It stresses the importance of raising labour productivity in Europe,

inter alia by enhancing innovation and quality of working life. It welcomes the intention of

the European social partners to contribute to the ongoing work on flexicurity before the

Spring 2007 European Council.

34.

The European Council urges the Council to continue its efforts to revise the Working Time

Directive.

Energy

35.

With regard to the development of the Energy Policy for Europe, and with reference to the

conclusions of the 2006 Spring European Council, significant progress has been achieved

especially on strengthening the coherence between its external and internal aspects and

between energy policy and other policies. The informal meeting of Heads of State or

Government in Lahti was an important step towards strengthening the consistency of the

Union's energy messages to third countries.

16096/1/06 REV 1

DQPG

LIMITE EN

PDF to HTML - Convert PDF files to HTML files

36.

The Union will work to ensure long-term security of energy supply through:



improved cooperation with major producer, transit and consumer countries,

the realisation of an inter-connected, transparent and non-discriminatory internal energy

market,

the development of cooperation to meet emergencies, in particular in the case of

disruption of supply,

the extension of its internal energy market principles to neighbouring countries, in

particular on the basis of the Energy Community of South Eastern Europe and the

European Neighbourhood Policy.

37.

Energy efficiency and energy savings contribute concurrently to the main objectives of the

European energy policy. The European Council therefore welcomes the Commission's Action

Plan on energy efficiency and calls for priority measures to be taken rapidly.

38.

The European Council endorses the setting up of a network of energy security correspondents

early 2007. This will be an important tool for collecting and processing existing geopolitical

and energy related information. It will also provide an early warning tool to support the

Union's overall strategy with the aim of ensuring the security of energy supply.

39.

The Spring 2007 European Council is due to adopt a prioritised Action Plan as part of an

overall Energy Policy for Europe. The external aspects of energy security will be included

within the Action Plan. The European Council looks forward to the imminent presentation by

the Commission of its Strategic Energy Review as part of the preparations for the adoption of

that Plan. European energy policy will be discussed by the European Council on a regular

basis in the future.

40.

Given the urgent need for energy investments in the coming years, the upcoming Spring

European Council will discuss an integrated approach for a secure, environmentally friendly

and competitive energy policy. This would demonstrate the European Union's leadership in

integrating climate change objectives into other sectoral policies and measures.

16096/1/06 REV 1

DQPG

LIMITE EN

PDF to HTML - Convert PDF files to HTML files

Climate change

41.

The challenge of climate change is assuming ever greater importance as its long-term

consequences become clearer and new information from recent studies shows that the costs of

inaction for the global economy will significantly outweigh the costs of action. The European

Council recognises that there is a strong link between the EU's climate policy and EU's

internal and external energy policy as well as its jobs and growth strategy and that these EU

policies can be mutually reinforcing.

42.

In this context, the European Council welcomes the outcome of the UN climate sessions held

in Nairobi which includes important steps towards developing a broadly-based post-2012

agreement and addressing a number of immediate concerns on mitigation and adaptation

requirements. It also notes with satisfaction the progress made in innovative financing

initiatives to support a widespread shift to new and improved technology.

43.

Bearing in mind the crucial role of a global carbon market and the need to provide long-term

certainty, the European Council looks forward to the forthcoming revision of the Emissions

Trading Directive, which should take effect at the start of the third trading period beginning

in 2013. It confirms the crucial role and the long-term ambition of the EU Emissions Trading

Scheme.

44.

Recognising that climate change is a global problem that requires global solutions and

encouraged by the EU's recent meetings with third countries, the European Council will

consider at its Spring 2007 meeting options for a global post-2012 agreement consistent with

the EU's objective of a maximum global temperature increase of 2ºC above pre-industrial

levels.

16096/1/06 REV 1

DQPG

LIMITE EN

PDF to HTML - Convert PDF files to HTML files

IV. EXTERNAL RELATIONS

45.

The European Council welcomes the Progress Report on the implementation of the EU

Strategy

"The EU and Africa: Towards a Strategic Partnership",

to reflect a step change

in Europe's relationship with Africa, and calls for the implementation of the priority actions

for 2007 identified in the report. The Progress Report outlines a comprehensive way forward

for strengthening the EU partnership with Africa in consolidating peace, democracy and good

governance, growth, investment in people and supporting broad-based sustainable

development on the continent.

The European Council reaffirms its commitment to working towards a Joint EU-Africa

Strategy to be adopted at the second EU-Africa Summit in the second half of 2007 in Lisbon.

The Council will continue to monitor progress towards the EU's commitments to Africa,

including ensuring that, in the context of increasing EU aid to 0.56% of EU GNI by 2010,

50% of the additional aid goes to Africa.

46.

The European Council expressed its full support to the UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari

and his efforts in conducting the political process to determine

Kosovo's

future status. The

future status settlement must promote a multi-ethnic and democratic society based on the

rule-of-law with a future for all of its citizens and contribute to increasing regional stability.

The settlement must also ensure that Kosovo can develop in a way which is both

economically and politically sustainable, and set a vision for this which provides for the

realisation of Kosovo's European perspective.

The EU stands ready to play a significant role in the implementation of the status settlement.

The European Council emphasised the importance of taking forward the preparations for the

future EU and international presence in Kosovo in coordination with other international

actors. The European Council stressed the importance of clarity in the future status settlement,

to allow for an timely and orderly response from the European Union. In this context, the

European Council emphasised the need to ensure the necessary funding for the EU's

comprehensive engagement in Kosovo.

16096/1/06 REV 1

DQPG

LIMITE EN

PDF to HTML - Convert PDF files to HTML files

47.

The European Council reaffirmed its resolve to strengthen the

European Neighbourhood

Policy

(ENP) in order to consolidate a ring of prosperity, stability and security based on

human rights, democracy and the rule of law in the Union's neighbourhood. In this context,

the European Council welcomed the recent adoption of the ENP Action Plans for Armenia,

Azerbaijan and Georgia, as well as the progress in negotiations with Egypt and Lebanon. The

European Council also welcomed the latest Commission Communication on the ENP and

invited the incoming German Presidency to take the work forward with a view to the

preparation of a report on the strengthening of the ENP. The European Council emphasized

the use of the ENP to further regionally important objectives in the fields of energy, the

environment and transportation. Furthermore, the European Council noted that while the ENP

remains distinct from further enlargement of the EU, the provisions of the Treaty on European

Union in respect of eligibility for EU membership remain valid.

48.

Encouraged by the prospects for closer cooperation and political dialogue with Central Asian

States the European Council invites the incoming German Presidency to take forward the

work on an EU strategy on

Central Asia

with a view to its adoption at the European Council

meeting in June 2007.

49.

Measures have been developed with view to enhancing strategic planning,

ensuring

coherence in the use of different external relations policy instruments,

improving

coordination in international organisations and furthering cooperation between the

EU institutions and between the latter and the Member States.

Concrete steps in improving coherent integration of the development objectives are to be

taken along the lines of EU's Policy Coherence for Development commitments. The European

Council is looking forward to the joint EU's Aid for Trade Strategy as an important

component in fostering trade and development agenda.

16096/1/06 REV 1

DQPG

LIMITE EN

PDF to HTML - Convert PDF files to HTML files

The European Council welcomes the progress made and invites the future Presidencies to take

work forward together with the Secretary-General/High Representative and the Commission

to ensure the continuity of the process.

[PM – there will be a separate declaration on the

Middle East]

[PM – there will be a separate declaration on

Africa]

16096/1/06 REV 1

DQPG

LIMITE EN