Europaudvalget 2006-07
Det Europæiske Råd 21-22/6-07 Bilag 2
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COUNCIL OF
THE EUROPEAN UNION
Brussels, 25 May 2007
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POLGEN 59
NOTE
from:
to:
Subject:
Presidency
COREPER
European Council (21 and 22 June 2007)
– Draft conclusions
The Presidency hereby submits to Coreper draft conclusions to be agreed by the European Council
at its meeting on 21-22 June 2007.
The text will continue to be updated in the light of the work underway, in particular as regards the
preparation of the forthcoming EPSCO and JHA Councils.
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The meeting of the European Council was preceded by an exposé by the President of the European
Parliament, Mr Hans-Gert Pöttering, followed by an exchange of views.
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1.
Europe is united in its resolve that only by working together can we represent our interests
and goals in the world of tomorrow. The European Union is determined to contribute its ideas
of a sustainable, efficient and just economic and social order to the global process.
2.
The European Union faces a twofold responsibility: in order to secure our future as an active
player in a rapidly changing world and in the face of ever-growing challenges, we have to
maintain and develop the European Union's capacity to act and its accountability to the
citizen. That is why we have to focus our efforts on the necessary internal reform process.
3.
At the same time, the European Union is called upon to shape European policy here and now
for the benefit of Europe’s citizens.
4.
The most recent success stories include the Roaming Regulation which reduces the cost of
modern communication in Europe, the creation of the European payment area which makes
travelling and living together easier in the EU and the constant improvement of consumer
rights which guarantee citizens the same high standards across the entire European Union.
5.
With its decisions on an integrated climate and energy policy the European Council in Spring
2007 paved the way for improved climate protection and dealing responsibly with energy.
6.
Ever closer crossborder police cooperation means more security for everyone, while the EU is
also working to protect and strengthen civil liberties at European level.
7.
Contributing to the day-to-day life of its citizens and securing the European Union's ability to
act in the future: with these goals in mind, the European Council today adopted the following
conclusions.
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I.
TREATY REFORM PROCESS
p.m.
II.
JUSTICE AND HOME AFFAIRS
[Provisional
language; needs to be adapted in the light of the Justice and Home Affairs Council on
12
th
/13
th
June 2007]
8.
On the basis of the Tampere and Hague Programmes significant progress has been made to
promote freedom, security and justice in the European Union. The European Council stresses
the need to work on the succession to these programmes in order to further strengthen
Europe’s internal security as well as the fundamental freedoms and rights of citizens.
9.
Recent events have demonstrated once again the need to make rapid progress in developing a
comprehensive European migration policy,
based on a genuine partnership with third
countries and fully integrated into the Union's external policies. The European Council
welcomes the Commission’s communication of 16 May 2007 on applying the global approach
to migration to the eastern and south-eastern regions. [Acknowledging the need for intensified
and more coordinated cooperation with these regions, the European Council endorses the
Council Conclusions of 18 June 2007, including the list of priority measures.] The European
Council will review the implementation of the comprehensive migration policy at its next
meeting in December 2007 on the basis of a report from the Commission. As to the
application of the global approach to migration to the eastern and south-eastern regions
neighbouring the European Union the Commission is invited to submit a progress report
before June 2008.
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10.
The European Council underlines the importance of closer cooperation with third countries in
managing migration flows. Specific partnerships on migration with third countries could
contribute to a coherent migration policy covering the fight against illegal migration, possible
benefits of legal migration and the reduction of root causes. The possibility of mobility
partnerships should be further explored as well as possibilities for circular migration in the
light of the Commission’s communication of 16 May 2007 [and recalling the Council
conclusions of 18 June 2007].
11.
The European Council calls for the Union's capacity to contribute to the management of the
external borders of Member States to be fostered and underlines the importance of
strengthening FRONTEX through the agreement reached on the establishment of Rapid
Border Intervention Teams. It calls for these teams to be operational as soon as possible.
12.
The
extension of the Schengen area
continues to be a high priority for the EU. The European
Council welcomes the preparatory work undertaken through the SIS One4All project and
urges the Council to complete the remaining work within the scheduled time frame in order to
finalise the SIS II project by December 2008 at the latest.
13.
Particular efforts must continue to be made to strengthen police and judicial cooperation and
the fight against terrorism. Europe’s citizens expect the EU to take decisive action to preserve
their freedom and security, particularly in the fight against terrorism and organized crime.
14.
The European Council welcomes the efforts that have been made in order to improve the
continued and deepened cooperation at EU-level and between Member States in the area of
integration and intercultural dialogue. It emphasizes the importance of further initiatives to
facilitate the exchange of experiences on integration policies of the Member States.
15.
The recent decision to integrate the essential provisions of the Prüm Treaty into the Union's
legal framework will help to intensify cross-border police cooperation. In the same context
the European Council underlines the importance of strengthening further Europol's
operational capabilities and welcomes the decision of the Council to transform the Europol
Convention into a Council Decision.
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16.
The recent agreement on the Regulation on the Visa Information System and the exchange of
data between Member States on short-stay visas as well as the Council Decision on access for
consultation of the VIS by designated authorities of Member States and by Europol for the
purposes of prevention, detection and investigation of terrorist offences are important steps in
improving the security of citizens.
17.
Safeguarding citizens' rights
is as vital to creating an area of freedom, security and justice as
ensuring protection for Europe's citizens. The European Council requests the Council to reach
agreement before the end of the year on the Framework Decision on the protection of personal
data processed in the framework of police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters.
18.
The European Council calls for work on the Framework Decision on certain procedural rights
in criminal proceedings to be finalised as soon as possible in order to contribute to increasing
confidence in the legal systems of other Member states. [The recent decision on common
criminal provisions against racism and xenophobia is a clear signal for a tolerant Europe.]
19.
In the interest of European citizens rapid agreement is needed on the Regulations on the
applicable law relating to contractual obligations (Rome I), on jurisdiction and applicable law
in matrimonial matters (Rome III) and on maintenance obligations.
20.
The Council is requested to continue its work on evaluating the consistency and coherence of
the provisions of Community private law, particularly consumer contract law. The objective
remains to establish a common frame of reference for European contract law containing
instructions for consolidating existing legislation and for future legislation.
21.
The European Council acknowledges the progress made in developing a computerised system
for the exchange of information on national criminal convictions on a European basis. The
Council should further promote electronic communication on legal matters (“E-Justice”).
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III. ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ISSUES
22.
Further strengthening the
internal market
and improving its functioning remain of
paramount importance for growth, competitiveness and employment. The European Council
looks forward to the presentation of the Commission's Single Market Review, together with
accompanying proposals, in the autumn. It calls on the Council and the European Parliament
to make rapid progress on the mutual recognition and new approach Regulations.
p.m. postal services
23.
As far as research and technology are concerned, the European Council invites the Council to
swiftly agree on the first two proposals for Joint Technology Initiatives (ARTEMIS, on
embedded computer systems, and Innovation Medicine Europe) and invites the Commission
to present the remaining Joint Technology Initiatives identified in the RDT specific
cooperation program as rapidly as possible. The European Council welcomes the fact that
work on the Regulation for the European Institute of Technology is advancing well and
therefore invites the Council to reach, at its meeting on 25 June, a general approach on this
Regulation, including on the financing of a budget of up to 309 mio Euro until 2013 in
accordance with Community budgetary procedures. The European Council is confident that
the final decision of Council and European Parliament will be taken before the end of this
year. The European Council welcomes the initiative for a European Charter for the use of
intellectual property from public research institutions and universities (IP-Charter) to improve
the knowledge transfer between research and industry and its contribution to the development
of the European Research Area.
p.m. external economic relations
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24.
In the
social policy area,
work on coordination of the social security systems must be stepped
up with a view to resolving the remaining outstanding chapters as soon as possible. The
Council is invited to reach agreement before the end of the year on the Directive on the
portability of supplementary pension rights. Member States are invited to rapidly implement
the recently adopted Community Strategy 2007-2012 on health and safety at work, which will
strengthen the overall approach to well-being at work and relaunch prevention policies and
improvements for workers. The European Council invites Member States, the Commission
and social partners to make intensive use of the Alliance for Families to promote good
practices and innovative approaches on family friendly policies.
25.
HIV/AIDS
remains a matter of serious concern. Action to tackle this should include broad
based prevention, training of health care personnel, awareness raising in all groups of society
and tackling the cost of treatment. The European Council invites the Commission to
implement its action plan on combating HIV/AIDS within the European Union and in the
neighbouring countries 2006-2009. It is for the Member States to provide the political
leadership to fight this pandemic. The pharmaceutical industry should facilitate access to
affordable medicines and cooperate in securing distribution channels for drugs against
HIV/AIDS together with government institutions and NGOs.
p.m. Heiligendamm on post-2012
26.
On
climate protection,
the European Council, recalling its conclusions of March 2007, looks
forward to the timely presentation by the Commission of a proposal for an amendment of the
directive on the EU Emissions Trading Scheme based on the review process and the Council
recommendations. It underlines the Union’s intention to include aviation activities in the
scheme in a way that does not adversely affect competitiveness.
p.m. extension of euro area.
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IV. EXTERNAL RELATIONS
p.m. European Neighbourhood Policy
p.m. EU Strategy on Central Asia
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