2007-United Europe News Stories 004

United Europe News Stories

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EU 'trio presidency' sets out plans
EU Politix

The leaders of Germany, Portugal and Slovenia have set out joint plans for their EU presidencies in the next 18 months.

It is the first time holders of the rotating EU presidency have coordinated their work programmes, in what is being referred to as the “trio presidency”.

German chancellor Angela Merkel, Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates and Slovenia’s premier Janez Jansa presented their work programmes together in Strasbourg on 17 January.

“The fact that we are all sitting here today shows that we are prepared to join forces in order to promote Europe,” Merkel said.

Commission president José Manuel Barroso applauded the initiative, saying it will “give consistency over time”.

The triumvirate said it will focus on reviving the European constitution, drawing up an EU energy policy and giving new direction to the EU.

One of the high points of the German presidency, which runs through to June 2007, will be the so-called Berlin Declaration which will mark the 50 years of the Treaty of Rome in March.

Meanwhile the Portuguese and Slovenian presidencies, which take over in July 2007 and January 2008, will also focus on Schengen and the mid-term assessment of the Lisbon strategy.

Hans-Gert Poettering, parliament’s new president, said parliament would cooperate closely with the German government on the Berlin declaration.

“The Berlin Declaration must be a strong declaration making a commitment on shaping the future of the EU,” Poettering said.

Germany will also focus on energy issues, with the development of an EU-wide approach on energy and new agreements with key suppliers such as Russia high on the list.

But the thorniest dossier of the German presidency is likely to be the European constitution.

Merkel wants the EU’s governments to agree on a timetable for the treaty by June, in time for the end of her presidency.

The chancellor said Germany will discuss with each member states what their difficulties are with the present version of the constitution.

“We have no interest in adopting something that will later be rejected in referenda,” Merkel said.

She added that the member “must pull together” in finding a solution to the constitutional deadlock.

Poettering, meanwhile, insisted that “the European parliament wants to be involved in the final drafting of the revised constitution”.

Jose Socrates, for his part, said the three countries have devised a programme that is “both realistic and ambitious”.

He said the trio wants to “move Europe and provide it with a new direction”, and make the EU more active on the world stage – notably through milestones such as the EU-Africa summit which will take place under the Portuguese presidency.

Slovenia’s Janez Jansa said his country will focus on completing the expansion of the Schengen area in early 2008, and take on a mid-term review of the Lisbon Agenda.

Further enlargement will also be a central theme of Slovenia’s EU presidency, with strong emphasis on the Balkan region in particular.

Source

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