The Week in Europe 10-16/12/01

21.12.2001 | Euroskop

EU news in brief

Romano Prodi announces Commission's priorities for 2002 in his State of the Union speech

Commission President Romano Prodi reported substantial progress in delivering the Commission's strategic objectives in 2001. He outlined the major challenges ahead and presented the Commission's priorities for 2002. The Commission work programme announces major actions in seven areas.

Romano Prodi said that the new work programme "shows that the Commission is delivering, but there is much more to do. The Commission has a clear strategic direction. This is not a shopping list of individual measures, but a strategy paper designed to launch a political discussion with the EU institutions. The Commission is determined to focus on delivering results in areas that matter to European citizens and to help the EU assume its global responsibilities for peace, international solidarity and sustainable development."

The Commission President's State of the Union speech will be available at the following Internet address:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/commissioners/prodi/index_en.htm

The Commission work programme for 2002 is available at the following Internet address:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/off/work_programme/index_en.htm

[Background paper IP/01/1772]

Council adopts new scheme of tariff preferences (GSP) for developing countries

The General Affairs Council adopted a regulation updating tariff preferences given to developing countries (GSP). The new (Generalised Scheme of Tariff Preferences GSP) regime provides stronger benefits to developing countries in a simpler, clearer, more predictable framework, whilst at the same time enhancing the GSP as a tool for sustainable development. "Following the launch of the Doha Development Agenda, and agreement to the Everything But Arms initiative, this is further concrete evidence that the interests of developing countries are at the top of our agenda", said Pascal Lamy, EU Trade Commissioner. "This is the most generous GSP package ever put forward by the European Union. We want to see more use made of GSP, and particularly of the strong incentives provided for compliance with core labour standards." For more information see IP/01/828

[Background paper IP/01/1763]

Commission launches wide-ranging discussion on reform of merger control regime

The European Commission has adopted a Green Paper aimed at launching a debate on the functioning of the European Union's merger control law. After 11 years of applying the Merger Regulation, one of the pillars of EU competition policy, the Commission asks, among other things, whether more mergers should benefit from the one-stop-shop review rather than being filed with several national competition authorities, and suggests an easier referral system for transactions which have their main centre of gravity in one Member State.

[Background paper IP/01/1795]

Green Paper on the establishment of a European Public Prosecutor for the criminal-law protection of the Community's financial interests

Combating fraud that is detrimental to Community finances is a key political priority of the Commission. The establishment of a European Public Prosecutor to protect Community finances is an important building block in the Commission's anti-fraud strategy. The Commission adopted, on a proposal from Michaele Schreyer, the Commissioner responsible for finances, a Green Paper that fleshes out the proposal for establishing a European Public Prosecutor. The Green Paper discusses the legal status and organisation of the European Public Prosecutor as well as matters relating to the offences covered, procedural law and judicial review.

[Background paper IP/01/1794]

Eurobarometer 56: Opinion poll shows increased support for EU

The first findings of the latest Eurobarometer opinion survey (Eurobarometer 56, carried out in October-November 2001) are published. The results show a significant rise in support for and confidence in the European Union. As the Laeken European Council begins, the survey also shows a further increase in support for an EU constitution, now backed by a large majority of Europeans. However, concerns about economic prospects for 2002 have risen markedly since Spring 2001. Full results are available on the internet at:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/dg10/epo/polls.html

[Background paper IP/01/1829]

Laeken European Council

Heads of State and Government of the 15 EU member states met in Laeken (Belgium) on 14-15 December to address a number of key issues (the future of Europe - the Convention on future Europe, European governance, euro, European security and defence policy, enlargement). The agenda contained also issues of the economic and social development, strengthening the area of freedom, security and justice, and the external relations. Ten of thirteen candidate countries (including the Czech Republic) are expected to finish the accession negotiations by the end of 2002.

The EU leaders also adopted the "Laeken Declaration", preparing the way for a debate on the future of the EU. The Declaration consists of three chapters:

· Europe at the crossroads: an analysis of the state of affairs in the European Union looking at the success story, the democratic challenges, the EU's role in a globalised world and the expectations of Europe's citizens;

· Challenges and reforms in a renewed Union: making the EU more democratic and transparent; better division and definition of competence in the EU; simplification of the EU's instruments; towards a constitution for European citizens;

· The Convention on the future of the EU:

· appointment of Mr. Giscard d'Estaing as chairman of the convention, and Mr. Dehaene and DAmato as vice-chairmen;

· the Convention will be composed of 15 representatives of the Heads of State or Government of the Member States (one from each Member State), 30 members of national parliaments (two from each Member State), 16 members of the European Parliament and two Commission representatives;

· the accession candidate countries will represented in the same way as the current Member States (one government representative and two national parliament members) but will be unable to prevent any consensus which may emerge among the Member States;

· the Convention will hold its inaugural meeting on 1 March 2002, when it will appoint its Presidium and adopt its rules of procedure. Proceedings will be completed in a year;

· the Convention will draw up a final document which may comprise either different options, indicating the degree of support which they received, or recommendations if consensus is achieved. Together with the outcome of national debates on the future of the Union, the final document will provide a starting point for discussions in the Intergovernmental Conference, which will take the ultimate decisions;

· a Forum will be opened for organisations representing civil society (the social partners, the business world, non-governmental organisations, academia, etc.). It will take the form of a structured network of organisations receiving regular information on the Convention's proceedings

Eurostat news

EU enlargement: Key data on the Candidate Countries

Thirteen countries (Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Turkey) have applied for EU membership. Enlargement was an important topic at the European Council of Heads of State or Government held on 14 and 15 December 2001 in Laeken.

For this event, Eurostat presented a compilation of economic and social indicators concerning the Candidate Countries. This information is mostly extracted from the new yearbook on the Candidate Countries which also includes data on the South East European countries. This publication is intended as a working tool for all those interested in the enlargement process as well as the political and economic developments of South Eastern Europe. National data come from the statistical offices of the Candidate Countries and have been assembled by Eurostat.

[Background paper STAT/01/129]

300 million Europeans on the way towards the euro; Some key figures about the euro and the euro-zone

On 1 January 2002, euro notes and coins will be introduced in all euro-zone Member States (Belgium, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal and Finland) and will replace the respective national notes and coins. This historical passage is the final step in a long process that saw the creation of the euro on 1 January 1999.

The use of money is one of our more frequent daily acts. How many people are concerned by the introduction of this common currency? What is the economic weight and what are the main differences in the economic structures of the euro-zone, compared to the US and Japan? How do euro-zone citizens use their money and what are the particularities of their way of consumption?

This news release, issued by Eurostat, aims to give some answers to these questions, comparing euro-zone statistics with United States' and Japanese data.

[Background paper STAT/01/130]

Enlargement news

Initial results of Eurobarometer survey in candidate countries show broad support for accession

The first results of a Eurobarometer survey in the 13 candidate countries, published by the European Commission, show overall clear support for European Union membership, but citizens of these countries still feel under-informed about the EU and the enlargement process. Nearly 6 people in 10 (59%) in the candidate countries feel that EU membership would be a 'good thing' for their country and two thirds (65%) would support their country's membership of the EU in a referendum. The objective of the Applicant Countries Eurobarometer (AC-EB) is to gather information from the future member states in a way that allows direct comparison with the Standard Eurobarometer carried out in the existing EU. Using this new tool the Commission is able to provide decision-makers and the European public with opinion data that helps to understand similarities and differences between the EU and the candidate countries. The Applicant Countries Eurobarometer will continuously track the support for EU membership, and the change of attitudes related to European issues in the applicant countries. The first survey was conducted in October 2001 among more than 12 000 citizens from the 13 candidate countries. A summary of the findings is available at: http://europa.eu.int/comm/public_opinion

[Background paper IP/01/1774]

Candidates face final lap of negotiations

Two days of intensive enlargement negotiations, in Brussels on 11 and 12 December, provided the clearest picture yet of what has been achieved by the countries that want to join the European Union. The overall state of play after this week's negotiations is:

· Bulgaria: 13 chapters closed.

· Cyprus: 24 chapters closed (closed the justice and home affairs chapter on 12 December).

· Czech Republic: 24 chapters closed (closed the energy and justice & home affairs chapters on 12 December).

· Estonia: 20 chapters closed.

· Hungary: 23 chapters closed.

· Latvia: 22 chapters closed (closed the energy chapter on 12 December).

· Lithuania: 21 chapters closed.

· Malta: 19 chapters closed.

· Poland: 19 chapters closed.

· Romania: 9 chapters closed.

· Slovakia: 21 chapters closed (closed the environment chapter on 11 December).

· Slovenia: 25 chapters closed (closed the freedom of movement of persons, taxation and justice & home affairs chapters on 12 December).