Praha, March 2009
It is my honour to invite you to the meeting of the European Council in Brussels on 19
and 20 March 2009. This meeting takes place against the background of a severe
financial crisis, the worst recession for decades and growing unemployment. Building on
the good work done over the past weeks and months, we will address all of these issues.
We will also pursue our work on the related issues of climate change and energy security.
The meeting will start with the traditional exchange of views with the President of the
European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pöttering,at 16:00, including on institutional issues. This
will be followed by the family photo.
The first working session of the European Council will start at 16:45 hours. Given that
the beginning of this year was marked by the gas energy crisis, the discussion will focus
on how to enhance the Union’s energy security in the medium and long-term, in line with
the orientations of the Second Strategic Energy Review. We should also emphasise our
common interest in the finalization of the Internal Energy Market Package. Finally, we will
exchange views on how to make a success of the Copenhagen conference on climate
change and how to achieve a common EU position in view of Copenhagen.
We will then take up the major issue of this European Council and examine the current
economic and financial situation, with a view to developing clear orientations on the way
forward. We shall look both at what is required to get the credit flowing again and at the
necessary concrete lessons to be drawn for the future from the financial crisis. At the
same time, we will continue our debate on the best ways of putting the real economy
back on track. Finally, I will use the opportunity of this debate for informing you on my
intentions concerning the organization of the Employment summit of 7 May.