| Author (Person) | Davies, Eric | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Publisher | ProQuest Information and Learning | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Series Title | In Focus | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Series Details | 16.12.01 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Publication Date | 16/12/2001 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Content Type | News, Overview, Topic Guide | In Focus | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Background and reporting on the week's main stories in the European Union and the wider Europe On 14-15 December, the Belgian Presidency of the EU hosted a meeting of the European Council in the Brussels suburb of Laeken. Amongst the issues discussed by the heads of state or government of the 15 EU Member States were: the future of Europe, Afghanistan, the European Security and Defence Policy, asylum and immigration, enlargement, and the locations of new EU agencies. Leaders issued three declarations:
Background A pre-summit document prepared by the Belgian Presidency was said by the BBC to have claimed that the EU is out of touch with its citizens, with a gulf opening between Brussels and the people. The day before the summit, some 80,000 people attended a peaceful demonstration organised by European trade unions. On the Friday, however, a violent anti-globalisation protest was broken up by Belgian police using water cannons and tear gas, and on Saturday police were attacked with petrol bombs - although a protest against EU military involvement in Afghanistan was reported to have been peaceful. EU leaders' standing in the eyes of the public will arguably not have improved after their failure to agree on where the Union's new agencies should be located. The location of the agencies was the last item on the agenda, and the meeting apparently ended in confusion, with insults reportedly being traded, as participants argued over who should have what. (The decision on where to site the agencies was postponed until the Barcelona European Council in March 2002 - although two agencies have been allocated temporary homes: the European Food Authority in Brussels, and Eurojust in The Hague). Results of the latest Eurobarometer opinion survey, carried out in October-November 2001, were released to coincide with the Laeken meeting. They showed 'a significant rise' in support for, and confidence in, the EU and increasing support for an EU constitution. Although generally pleased with the results, Commission President Romano Prodi commented:
At the opening session on Friday, 14 December, Mrs Nicole Fontaine addressed the European Council for the last time in her role as President of the European Parliament. (On 15 January 2002 the Parliament will elect a new President, to preside over the second half of the parliamentary term). As is usual at such meetings, Mrs Fontaine's speech touched on the main agenda items. On defence, she asked EU leaders to 'acknowledge that a foreign policy without a military component is toothless'. Concerning the fight against international terrorism, Mrs Fontaine said 'the tragic events of 11 September have given the Union the opportunity to demonstrate its political cohesion, to strengthen its international credibility and to make spectacular progress towards the establishment of a joint area of freedom, security and justice.' She also stressed the Union's important role in ensuring that 'the response to the events of 11 September has not degenerated into simple acts of vengeance' and highlighted diplomatic efforts to prevent a 'fatal breach' with Arabs and Muslims, to establish a new government in Afghanistan via the inter-Afghan conference held in Bonn, and to provide humanitarian aid to the Afghan people. With these actions, she said, 'Europe has not disappointed its citizens'. However, she warned of a different reaction if alleged criminals were to be extradited to the United States, where they could face a military tribunal and the death penalty. Mrs Fontaine also stressed the need for the Union to strengthen its institutions to cope with enlargement:
In a similar vein, Commission President Romano Prodi was reported to have told the European Parliament that, if the Union had confined itself to the policy areas it managed in the 1960s, the current institutional framework would still be able to cope, but it had not. Mr Prodi also expressed concern about the Council of Ministers' inability to reach decisions, which then fell to the European Council:
The Presidency Conclusions The Presidency Conclusions are divided into six main sections:
There are also three substantive annexes: Annex I: Laeken Declaration on the future of the European Union A brief introductory statement to the Conclusions says that:
The most significant element of the Presidency Conclusions is section I - The future of the European Union, which makes reference to the annexed Laeken Declaration on the future of the European Union, and the Declaration on the operational capability of the Common European Security and Defence Policy. I. The future of the Union In The Future of the EU: Declaration of Laeken, EU leaders stated that the European Union is a 'success story', with Europe having enjoyed over 50 years of peace. The imminent enlargement of the Union by the addition of 10 or more new Member States, means that the Union 'stands at a crossroads, a defining moment in its existence.' Enlargement, however, calls 'for a different approach from fifty years ago, when six countries first took the lead.' The Declaration acknowledges the 'democratic challenge' facing Europe (apparently referred to in an early draft as a 'democratic deficit') and the need to bring the Union's institutions closer to its citizens. 'Citizens undoubtedly support the Union's broad aims, but they do not always see a connection between those goals and the Union's everyday action.' It also mentions citizens' expectations:
Europe's new role in a globalised world is also mentioned:
In a section on 'Challenges and reforms in a renewed Union', the Laeken Declaration states:
It then poses a number of questions concerning issues such as competence (what the EU is allowed to do); types of legislation; the roles of the Commission, Parliament, Council and national parliaments; decision-making; the Presidency of the Union; simplification of the Treaties; the place of the Charter of Fundamental Rights; and a Constitution for the Union. The Declaration then gives details of the Convention set up to 'pave the way' for the 2004 Intergovernmental Conference. The role of the Convention - which will hold its first meeting on 1 March 2002 - will be to identify key issues concerning the Union's future development and possible responses to them. It will be chaired by former French President Giscard d'Estaing, assisted by the former Italian Prime Minister, Giuliano Amato, and the former Belgian Prime Minister, Jean-Luc Dehaene. Each EU Member State and each Candidate Country will have one representative of the Head of State or Government, plus two members of their national parliament. There will also be 16 MEPs and two Commission representatives. In addition, observer status will be granted to the European Ombudsman, three representatives of the Economic and Social Committee, and six from the Committee of the Regions. The Presidents of the Court of Justice and of the Court of Auditors may be invited to address the Convention. There will also be a Forum for organisations representing civil society. The Secretariat will be provided by the General Secretariat of the Council. With reference to other issues, the Declaration notes that the introduction of euro notes and coins on 1 January 2002 'will be the culmination of a historic process of decisive importance for the construction of Europe.' It also states that the European Council adopted a Declaration on the operational capability of the Common European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP), and that the Union 'is now capable of conducting some crisis-management operations.' The ESDP Declaration itself acknowledges that: 'To enable the European Union to carry out crisis-management operations over the whole range of Petersberg tasks, including operations which are the most demanding in terms of breadth, period of deployment and complexity, substantial progress will have to be made', namely in the balanced development of military and civilian capabilities, and in arrangements with NATO and other partners, Regarding enlargement, EU leaders confirmed that the process is now 'irreversible', and that the Union 'is determined to bring the accession negotiations with the candidate countries that are ready to a successful conclusion by the end of 2002, so that those countries can take part in the European Parliament elections in 2004 as members.' It also publicly confirmed that 10 Candidate Countries could be ready to join: Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic, the Czech Republic and Slovenia. As for Bulgaria and Romania the aim should be to open negotiations on all chapters of the accession acquis during 2002. Progress in Turkey towards complying with the political criteria established for accession 'has brought forward the prospect of the opening of accession negotiations'. II. The Union's action following the attacks in the USA on 11 September The second section of the Presidency Conclusions concerns the Union's action following the terrorist attacks in the USA on 11 September. The European Council encourages the deployment of an international security force in Afghanistan, to which Member States 'are examining their contributions'. Stressing that 'humanitarian aid continues to be an absolute priority', EU leaders confirmed that the Union has pledged - or is ready to pledge - €352 million for humanitarian aid (€103 million of which is from the Community budget). A Special Representative in Afghanistan, Klaus-Peter Klaiber, has been appointed by the EU, under the authority of the CFSP High Representative, Javier Solana. The Conclusions also reaffirm the Union's 'total solidarity with the American people and the international community in combating terrorism with full regard for individual rights and freedoms.' (The BBC reported that UK pressure resulted in a statement urging the US not to extend its war on terrorism beyond Afghanistan without approval from the international community being dropped. On 20-21 December 2001, the Belgian Presidency and the European Commission will host an Afghanistan Donors Steering Group Conference involving the EU, United States, Japan and Saudi Arabia). III. Trends in the economic and social spheres and in sustainable development The Barcelona European Council in March 2002 will assess progress towards the target set at Lisbon in March 2000 of making the EU the most dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world by 2010. Leaders agreed that the main objective of the European Employment Strategy should be to achieve the 70 per cent employment rate by 2010 agreed in Lisbon. It was also agreed that each spring meeting of the European Council will be preceded by a social affairs summit involving the social partners. The European Council welcomed developments concerning services of general interest, and asked the Commission 'to set up a policy framework for State aid to undertakings entrusted with the provision of services of general interest.' It was noted that a Community patent should have been available at the end of 2001, and the Internal Market Council was asked to meet on 20 December in order to reach agreement 'on a flexible instrument involving the least possible cost while complying with the principle of non-discrimination between Member States' undertakings and ensuring a high level of quality.' The Barcelona European Council will also assess implementation of the Sustainable Development Strategy. Leaders welcomed the outcome of the Marrakesh Conference on Climate Change and confirmed that the Union would like to see the Kyoto Protocol in force before the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development in September 2002. With reference to health, consumer protection, safety and quality of life, the European Council welcomed the setting up of a number of new EU agencies: the European Food Authority, the European Air Safety Agency and the European Maritime Safety Agency, and noted that the Commission will shortly be proposing a European Railway Safety Agency. IV. Strengthening the area of freedom, security and justice Whilst acknowledging that some progress has been made towards the objectives set under the Finnish Presidency at the Tampere European Council in 1999, the Conclusions state that a new impetus and guidelines are needed 'to make up for delays in some areas.' More frequent meetings of the Justice and Home Affairs Council were proposed, and the need for EU-level decisions to be implemented more quickly in national legal systems was stressed, as was the need for relevant conventions to be ratified as soon as possible. Leaders agreed that a common policy on asylum and immigration would be adopted as soon as possible. They asked the Council and the Commission 'to work out arrangements for cooperation between services responsible for external border control and to examine the conditions in which a mechanism or common services to control external borders could be created.' In addition, the Council and the Member States have been asked 'to take steps to set up a common visa identification system and to examine the possibility of setting up common consular offices.' V. External relations Discussions on external relations covered the Middle East (leaders adopted a Declaration on the situation in the region), the Western Balkans, Africa and Russia. The European Council also invited the Council and the Commission to consider establishing a Euro-Mediterranean Development Bank. VI. Miscellaneous decisions The topics covered included: transfer of goods transport from road to rail, following accidents in Mont Blanc and St Gothard, and a proposal on tunnel safety; nuclear safety; ratification of the new Decision on own resources. Further information within European Sources Online: European Sources Online: In Focus
European Sources Online: European Voice
European Sources Online: Financial Times
Further and subsequent information on the subject of this In Focus can be found by an 'Advanced Search' in European Sources Online by inserting 'laeken' or some other appropriate term in the keyword field. Further information can be seen in these external links: Belgium: EU Presidency of the Council
European Commission European Commission: Press and Communication Service: Press Releases: European Parliament
BBC News
Eric Davies On 14-15 December 2001, the Belgian Presidency of the EU hosted a meeting of the European Council in the Brussels suburb of Laeken. Amongst the issues discussed by the heads of state or government of the 15 EU Member States were: the future of Europe, Afghanistan, the European Security and Defence Policy, asylum and immigration, enlargement, and the locations of new EU agencies. |
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| Subject Categories | Politics and International Relations |
