Candidate
countries were encouraged to bring their administrative and judicial
capabilities up to a successful level. Bulgaria
and Romania may be considered for accession negotiations in 2002 if appropriate
measures, including timetable and schedule of actions are taken in hand.
Turkey has also made progress towards accession negotiations.
On
the international scene, the EU is committed to restoring stability in
Afghanistan. In financial terms it
has pledged Euro 352 million for humanitarian aid, of which Euro 103 million
comes from the Community budget. Klaus-Peter
Klaiber has been appointed special representative in Afghanistan.
An
action plan to combat terrorism was adopted on 21st September.
A common position has now been reached on aviation security.
The EU’s economic situation is marked by a period of slower growth;
global slowdown and reduction in demand has created uncertainty.
A
new round of global trade negotiations was launched at the Doha Ministerial
Conference. The EU intends to
promote the social and environmental dimension of that round of negotiations.
Justice
and Home Affairs progress has been slower than expected.
A key issue is the proposal for a common European asylum and immigration
policy. Other issues include effective external border controls,
judicial and police co-operation in criminal matters (‘Eurojust’ and ‘Europol’)
and the fight against drug trafficking (a Commission proposal on this should be
adopted by end May 2002).
Discussion
on external relations covered: the Middle East; the Western Balkans (stability
Pact, recovery and stability in FYROM); Africa (New Partnership for Economic
Development, inter-Congolese Dialogue, situation in Zimbabwe); Russia (Common
European Economic Area, energy, Kaliningrad, trade and WTO, joint initiatives
and combating various forms of criminal activity); Development Co-operation.
Matters from the
European Council of specific interest to professional civil engineers
Information technology:
Progress towards the Lisbon strategic goal of becoming the most dynamic
knowledge-based economy in the world by 2002 will be reviewed at the Barcelona
European Council on 15th and 116th march 2002.
Agreement should be reached on practical priority actions.
European Employment Strategy:
Achievement is sought of a 70% employment rate by 2010.
Social partners will draw up a multi-annual work programme on social
dialogue (employers-employees) before the 2002 European Council.
A Social Affairs Summit will be held before each Spring European Council.
Research
and Development:
(1)Emphasis on encouraging innovation; regret that a Community patent has
not yet been introduced (was expected for end 2001).
(2)
Adoption by Council of a common position on the Sixth Framework Programme for
research and development was developed.
(3)
Galileo project: the European Space Agency has granted finance of Euro 550
million. Decision to be taken on
funding development phase in March 2002, Regulation to be decided on by June
2002.
Environment:
Council has adopted key environmental indicators – the Commission will shortly
issue a summary report. On this
basis the European Council will assess implementation of the Sustainable
Development Strategy at its Spring 2002 Meeting in Barcelona.
The European Council confirmed its Commitment to the Kyoto Protocol which
it hopes will come into force prior to the Johannesburg World Summit on
Sustainable Development (Rio +10).
Consumer protection/health and safety:
Following the setting up of the European Food Authority, the European Air Safety
Agency and the European Maritime Safety Agency, the Commission will shortly
submit a proposal to set up a European Railway Safety Agency.
The
European Council emphasised the urgency of measures to transfer goods haulage
from road to rail, following the St. Gothard and Mont Blanc tunnel accidents.
The European Commission is to submit its framework proposal on charging
for the use of infrastructure and its proposal on tunnel safety as soon as
possible.
The
European Council has called for regular reports from Member States’ atomic
energy exports as part of necessary measures to monitor the security and safety
of nuclear power stations.
---------------------------------
Amongst documents
submitted to the Laeken European Council are:-
·
Report from the Presidency on the
taxation of energy products (13778/1/01 REV 1)
·
Conclusion of the Council
(Environment) on the strategy for sustainable development (follow-up of the
environment-related aspects of Goeteborg (15280/01)
·
Conclusions of the Council
(Environment) on international environmental governance (15281/01)
·
Report from the Mandelkern Group
on Better Regulation (14654/01)
·
Commission communication:
Simplifying and improving the regulatory environment (15225/01
The Belgian
Presidency web-site is located at: http://www.eu2001.be
NEWS
ITEMS FROM THE EUROPEAN INSTITUTIONS:
ENVIRONMENT:
Public
Participation in environmental plans and programmes
At
the Meeting of Environment Ministers on 12th December 2001, the
Council unanimously agreed a common position on certain plans and programmes
relating to the environment. Approximately one-third of the amendments proposed by the
European parliament were incorporated in the text.
This
common position is subject to co-decision procedure.
It will be formally adopted at a future Council meeting following legal
and linguistic verification of the text and second reading in the European
Parliament.
These
measures are seen as a step towards ratifying the 1998 Aarhus Convention which
aims to ensure that the public is informed of proposed decisions at an early
stage and that it has the opportunity to formulate its observations and
opinions. The Convention also
states that authorities should take these observations into account when
adopting decisions and inform the public of these decisions.
The public is empowered to contest the legality of decisions on which
public participation has been sought.
The
proposal also aims to modify two existing directives, one regarding evaluation
of environmental impact (Directive 85/337/CEE) and the other relating to the
prevention and reduction of pollution (Directive 96/61/CE).
Belgian
Presidency Commission EU Environmental Governance Study
A
high-level study will be undertaken by a consortium of consultants on “EU
Environmental Governance: A Benchmark of Policy Instruments”.
The survey’s stated objectives are to deliver the Belgian
Presidency contribution to the EU environmental governance debate; to enhance
the role of environmental policy through proposals for new forms of governance
and to initiate an ‘ongoing cross-presidency reflection for improved EU
environmental governance’. The
study will screen Energy, Transport and Agriculture and one cross-sectoral
issue, cohesion policy. It will
assess existing EU legislative and non-legislative environmental policy
instruments, and recommend improved EU governance through the combination of
instruments. The study will be available in the first half of 2002.
Further
information from Belgium’s Federal Ministry for Social Affairs, Health and the
Environment – alexandre.delichtervelde@health.fgov.be;
joelle.smeets@health.fgov.be
Environmental
Liability:
In line with current proposals regarding Environmental Liability, in December
the Council of Ministers produced a note on environmental liability under
multi-lateral environment agreements. The
aim was to provide a “living document” on international environmental
liability to facilitate discussions between member states.
The document text is on the internet – Council web pages can be
accessed via the “Europa” web site (http://europa.eu.int).
(Document reference is 14812/01 ENV 627).
RESEARCH
AND DEVELOPMENT
CORDIS
offers a redesigned software package to help in submitting EU project proposals
CORDIS,
the European Commission’s Research and Development Information Service has
launched a redesigned interactive service on @ProTool’, the ‘Proposal
Preparation and Electronic Submission Tool’.
This free downloadable pakace should ease compliance with Commission
requirements for preparing and electronically submitting project proposals.
NEWS
FROM THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
PUBLIC PROCUREMENT The proposals to amend the Public Procurement Directives remain a challenging and controversial issue. The issue will go to Parliament Plenary in January 2002. Each Parliamentary Group is deciding what amendments they wish to table and tentative co-ordination or agreement between groups will occur only just before the matter goes to vote, making any outcome uncertain.