9 Programme of the Luxembourg and UK Presidencies
for 2005
| (26198)
15503/04
POLGEN 49
| Operational Programme of the Council for 2005 submitted by the incoming Luxembourg and United Kingdom Presidencies
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| Legal base | — |
| Department | Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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| Basis of consideration | Minister's letter of 22 February 2005
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| Previous Committee Report | HC 38-viii (2004-05), para 9 (10 February 2005)
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| To be discussed in Council | Not applicable
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| Committee's assessment | Legally and politically important
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| Committee's decision | Cleared (decision reported on 9 February 2005)
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Background
9.1 We cleared the programme of the Luxembourg and UK Presidencies
from scrutiny on 9 February, but we asked two questions. First,
given that the programme was not, according to the Minister for
Europe (Mr Denis MacShane), a "definitive statement"
of the UK's plans and given the vagueness of many of the proposed
actions, what was the value of the programme? Secondly, what
were the UK Presidency's plans in terms of better regulation,
and in which areas did the UK intend to propose the simplification
of regulation in order to reduce unnecessary burdens on businesses?
The Minister's letter
9.2 The Minister's letter of 22 February addresses the first question
as follows:
"The purpose of the Annual Operating Programme is to lay
out the issues that are likely to be ripe for negotiation in the
EU during 2005, rather than to identify each government's political
priorities. It is for the Luxembourg and UK Governments to set
out their own political priorities individually. In the Annual
Operating Programme we identify the dossiers and topics that are
likely to be on the EU's agenda during the course of the year,
either because the Commission has produced a proposal, or because
negotiations during previous Presidencies have not been concluded.
However, we cannot state with complete certainty which legislative
dossiers we will inherit from Luxembourg: this depends upon the
progress that the Luxembourgers are able to make. Equally, while
we will try to reach agreement during our Presidency on dossiers
that fall to us to negotiate, we cannot guarantee completion of
those negotiations: that depends upon the positions of the European
Parliament and other Member States, and to what extent we can
lead them towards agreement. That is why the language in the
AOP falls short of promising specific outputs, but rather says
the UK Presidency will aim to achieve certain results.
"The AOP has value in terms of identifying the
inherited agenda. There will be other opportunities to focus
on our specific priorities for our six-month term in office.
I look forward to briefing the Committees on these priorities.
The government will also publish a further White Paper in June
updating the White Paper on Prospects for the EU in 2005 that
we published on 3 February. That will be another opportunity
to set out in more detail priorities for our Presidency."
9.3 As regards better regulation, the Minister answers
as follows:
"The Four Presidencies' Initiative launched
in 2004 was extended to Six Presidencies at the ECOFIN Council
on 7 December 2004. This set out shared plans to place regulatory
reform at the heart of the six consecutive EU Presidencies, spanning
2004 to 2006, and presented joint proposals for reform of the
EU regulatory framework (http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk./media/95A/52/6presidencies.pdf),
providing a framework for action during the UK Presidency. Key
features include tackling the administrative costs of regulation,
competitiveness testing and impact assessment, simplification
of existing regulation and strengthening the regulatory framework.
"On the simplification agenda, the November
Competitiveness Council identified fifteen priority legislative
measures and invited the Commission to include these in future
updates of its rolling programme of planned legislative proposals
and to take any other appropriate action. Details of the measures
selected by the Council are attached. We look forward to the
Commission's report on how these are being taken forward which
is due in March 2005. This will play a role in determining the
UK agenda for simplification, as will the inherited agenda. We
intend to carry out a further simplification prioritisation exercise
under the UK Presidency."
Conclusion
9.4 We note that the programme for the two Presidencies
is no more than a stock-taking list of dossiers and topics likely
to be on the EU's agenda during 2005, and that the priorities
for the UK Presidency will be set out elsewhere. We (or our successors
in a new Parliament) will certainly wish for briefing from the
Government on those priorities.
9.5 By July 2005 half of the period covered by
the six Presidencies committed to placing regulatory reform at
the heart of their Presidencies will have passed, and, as part
of the briefing on the UK Presidency's priorities, we (or our
successors) will wish to learn what has been achieved in that
period and what specific actions the UK Presidency plans on regulatory
reform.
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