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Preparation of the EU Summits with China and India
The council is expected to discuss preparation for the EU summits with China and India on 28 and 30 November respectively. The Government want the joint statements for the summits to cover climate security, including a commitment to work towards a low-carbon future and a successful outcome at the UN climate change conference in Bali, 3 to 14 December 2007. The Government will also want the summits to discuss Burma and to encourage all neighbours to bring their influence to bear on contributing towards a democratic and stable Burma.
Preparation of the EU Summit with Africa
The council is expected to discuss preparation for the EU summit with Africa on 8 December, including the endorsement of the EU-Africa joint strategy and the action plan, which the Government support, and discussion of governance and human rights issues at the summit. The Government will argue for a substantive discussion of these issues, including the situation in Zimbabwe.
The council is expected to discuss the state of emergency in Pakistan. The Government believe that it is important that the EU maintains pressure on President Musharraf to restore the constitution, as set out in the EU declaration of 6 November.
The council is expected to discuss an action plan outlining ways in which the EU can provide further practical support to the Middle East peace process, which the Government welcome. The council is expected to adopt conclusions highlighting support for the Annapolis meeting in late November.
The council is expected to discuss Lebanon in light of political tensions surrounding the forthcoming presidential elections.
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High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, is expected to brief the council on his contacts with the Iranian authorities and on his report to E3+3 Ministers (Germany, France, UK, China, Russia and the US), which we expect him to deliver before the GAERC. Ministers are expected to reaffirm the commitment that they made at the October GAERC to consider, after recommendations from working groups, the further steps that the EU can take to support the agreed twin-track international approach to the Iranian nuclear issue. The Government believe that it is crucial that Iran complies with its international obligations and the twin-track approach is the best way to achieve this goal.
The council is expected to discuss EU engagement with Iraq. The Government welcome discussion of the EU’s financial, technical and political support towards a secure and stable Iraq. They also welcome Foreign Minister Zebari’s invitation to the council and the opportunity that this presents for the EU to step up its engagement.
Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger is expected to brief the council on progress in talks between the troika (EU, Russia and US) and Belgrade and Pristina to secure a negotiated settlement on the status of Kosovo. The council is likely to adopt conclusions reaffirming its support for ongoing efforts by the troika to reach agreement on a status settlement in Kosovo and reiterating its support for High Representative Miroslav Lajcak in advancing key reforms in Bosnia. The Government fully support the efforts by the troika to find agreement, but will emphasise the importance of the EU being prepared to act in the event that agreement is not possible by December 10.
The council is expected to discuss recent events in Georgia. The Government welcome this discussion, given the recent developments, including the declaration of a state of emergency by President Saakashvili in Georgia.
European Security and Defence Policy Conclusions
The council is expected to adopt conclusions under the European security and defence policy (ESDP) on current operations and missions, capability development, including the European Defence Agency, human rights issues and co-operation between the EU and the African Union in strengthening African capabilities.
The council is expected to discuss the upcoming EU mission to Chad/Central African Republic, including force generation for the mission. The council is also expected to discuss the security situation in Sudan/Darfur, drawing on the ESDP council conclusions reaffirming the EU’s support for ongoing efforts by the UN and the African Union to resolve the conflict in Darfur and welcoming the forthcoming deployment of UNAMID, the UN/African Union Hybrid Mission in
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The head of the European Defence Agency (EDA), Alexander Weis, will brief the council on the agency’s activities in 2007, before discussing the agency’s agenda in 2008.
The EDA steering board also meets on 19 November and is expected to agree the agency’s 2008 work programme. Ministers will also discuss the European defence research and technology strategy framework and the agency’s benchmarks.
Operation EUFOR Althea (Bosnia-Herzegovina)
The political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) has deteriorated over the past year, leading the EU to postpone signature of BiH’s stabilisation and association agreement (the first of many steps towards EU membership) in October 2007, following the collapse of police reform talks. The Government believe that the EU and the international community should continue to encourage leaders in Bosnia to exercise restraint and to continue to engage in dialogue with each other and with the High Representative.
The council is expected to discuss EUFOR Althea, the EU military peacekeeping operation in Bosnia-Herzegovina, in light of these recent political developments. The Government support EUFOR remaining at current levels during this period of uncertainty.
The council will be briefed on the headline goal progress catalogue. This represents the finalisation of four years’ work from first instigation of the headline goal 2010 through the production of the requirements catalogue in 2005, the bidding stage in 2006 and finally the complex analysis of the shortfalls and risks that has been undertaken by the EU military staff and headline goal task force managed by successive presidencies. The Government want EU member states to focus on how to prioritise these shortfalls and decide where to invest resources. They will call for further consultation and co-operation with NATO and for work on improving the EU’s intra-theatre transport capability.
The High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, will present a paper identifying possible areas of improving EU military staff in early planning capability.
The council will adopt conclusions on development and security in four areas: strategic planning, security sector reform, the EU-Africa partnership on security and development and humanitarian aid. The Government support the ongoing process in the EU to reinforce the security/development nexus. They will focus on ensuring delivery of an implementation plan and call for follow-up during successive presidencies.
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Orientation Debate on the Effectiveness of EU External Action
The council is expected to focus on the Africa-EU strategic partnership and action plans in advance of the EU-Africa summit on 8 December. Ministers will discuss the consequences and impacts of the strategy on EU external action, on the basis of a presidency paper. The Government will push for agreement of the strategy and action plans and continue to push for action on millennium development goals, climate change and peace and security. We expect member states to be supportive of the strategic partnership and its goals, and to commit to implementation of the strategy.
Towards an EU Response to Situations of Fragility
The council will adopt conclusions on the development of an EU policy and improved practices on the situation of fragile states. The EU’s response to fragile situations is critical, as fragile states pose a great challenge, both in terms of the achievement of the millennium development goals and in terms of global and regional security. The Government support the implementation of the measures proposed in the Commission’s communication to increase co-ordination and coherence.
Policy Coherence for Development
The council is expected to adopt conclusions on policy coherence for development, including on climate change and migration. The discussion is expected to focus on the launch of the EU's first two-yearly report, reporting on the extent to which EU member states have fulfilled their commitments to integrate development concerns within broader policy-making and highlighting key outstanding issues for the next reporting period.
Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs)
The council will discuss the Commission's communication on economic partnership agreements. The core of the Commission's strategy is to agree goods-only agreements this year ahead of the deadline on 1 January before returning to services and other trade-related areas in the future. The Government want to ensure that EPAs deliver on their development potential. The Government will also want to make clear that the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries should not be bound to taking commitments on non-goods issues. It is their choice to negotiate on those elements.
Advancing Agriculture in Africa
The council is expected to discuss the advancing African agriculture strategy proposal for continental and regional-level co-operation on agricultural development in Africa, which the Government support. A better aligned and coherent EU response will help Africa to achieve its goal of agricultural-led growth and a more predictable response to dealing with hunger, and be better equipped to respond to the challenges presented by climate change.
The council is expected to discuss a partnership between the EU and the Republic of Cape Verde, a small Portuguese-speaking island off the coast of west
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AOB: Ratification on the Cotonou Partnership Agreement
EU member states need to ratify the revised EU's partnership agreement with African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states (known as the Cotonou agreement) and the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) by the end of 2007 in order for both to come into effect. Member states that have not already done so will be encouraged to conclude their ratification processes as soon as possible. The Government completed their ratification process in September.
Food Standards Agency: DEL
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): My right honourable friend the Minister of State, Department of Health (Dawn Primarolo) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
Subject to the necessary supplementary estimate, the Food Standards Agency’s element of the departmental expenditure limit (DEL) will be increased by £9,800,000 from £144,539,000 to £154,339,000 and the administration cost limit will be increased by £4,100,000 from £52,415,000 to £56,515,000. The net cash requirement will also increase by £18,800,000 from £141,731,000 to £160,531,000 as a result of the £9,800,000 change in net total resources and additional £9,000,000 cash required to fund an expected decrease in creditors. The impact on resource and capital are set out in the following table:
| New DEL | ||||
| Change | Voted | Non-voted | Total | |
* Depreciation, which forms part of resource DEL, is excluded from the total DEL since the capital DEL includes capital spending and to include depreciation of those assets would lead to double counting.
The increase in net total resources and capital is by a take-up of end-year flexibility (EYF) of £9,800,000. Of this, £4,100,000 is an increase in near-cash administration costs, which will be used to fund restructuring of the Food Standards Agency’s headquarters operations and related accommodation and support services costs. Near-cash programme costs increase by £4,400,000 to assist with the restructuring of the Meat Hygiene Service. The balance of £1,300,000 is an increase in capital and will be used to fund an increased investment in IT
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As a result of the change to net total resources, capital and the additional £9,000,000 cash required to fund the decrease in creditors, the net cash requirement will increase by £18,800,000.
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