Written evidence submitted by the Secretary
of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
PROSPECTS FOR
THE EUROPEAN
COUNCIL, BRUSSELS,
10-11 DECEMBER 2009
December European Council
1. We expect the December European Council
to give priority to economic and financial issues, particularly
the future of the Lisbon Strategy for jobs and growth and implementation
of the European Economic Recovery Plan.
2. Other issues on the Council agenda are:
institutional issues (follow-up issues from the entry into force
of the Lisbon Treaty); the Stockholm Programme; climate change;
and external relations.
Economic and Financial Situation
3. We want the December European Council
to demonstrate leaders' continued focus on the economic outlook,
and the actions needed, both domestically and at a European level,
to stabilise the financial system and the real economy. We will
look to build on the October European Council conclusions emphasising
the importance of structural reforms to ensure a strong and sustainable
recovery, and will want the Council to set a positive direction
for the future of the Lisbon Strategy, focussing particularly
on a new European Compact on jobs and growth.
4. We also expect the Council to welcome
the agreement on a new financial regulatory and supervisory architecture,
which was achieved at ECOFIN on 2 December.
Institutional Issues (Entry into force of the
Lisbon Treaty)
5. The Council is likely to be asked to
approve the new European Council Rules of Procedure (RICE), to
reflect the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty.
Stockholm programme
6. The Council will be invited to adopt
the new multi-annual programme in the field of Freedom, Security
and Justice (Stockholm Programme), which sets out the Council's
priorities for EU co-operation on Justice and Home Affairs for
the next five years.
Climate change
7. As the Council occurs during the Copenhagen
climate summit (7-18 December) it may be called upon to consider
outstanding issues and/or inject last-minute political impetus.
The precise content of discussions at the Council will depend
on progress made in the run-up to, and at, Copenhagen.
External relations
8. We expect the main focus of discussion
to be on Iran, the Middle East Peace Process, and possibly Afghanistan/Pakistan
and Zimbabwe.
Rt Hon David Miliband MP
3 December 2009
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