Presidency of the Council of the European Union

Transcription

1 LATVIAN PRIORITIES FOR 2015 Presidency of the Council of the European Union WEBER SHANDWICK MEMO 13 January 2015 ON JANUARY 1 ST, 2015 LATVIA TOOK UP THE COUNCIL S ROTATING PRESIDENCY FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE JOINING THE EU IN Following the 2014 European elections and the appointment of a new European Commission in November 2014, Latvia s tenure chairing the Council will give a clear indication of what cooperation to expect from the three institutions going forward. Prior to joining the Eurozone (2014), Latvia implemented structural reforms to ensure the country s economic and social stability. When Laimdota Straujuma took over as Prime Minister in January 2014, the country could pride itself on a steady 4% growth rate, consistent since Latvia intends on using this experience and knowledge in driving the Council s agenda for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. In its programme for the first semester of 2015, Latvia will be pushing for Better Regulation, in support of the priorities of both Commission President Jean- Claude Juncker and first Vice-President Frans Timmermans. Indeed, the Presidency programme shows intent to make better use of resources to achieve growth, jobs and competitiveness. It will also endeavour to ensure continuity with the work carried out within priorities defined jointly by the Trio formed of Italy, Latvia and Luxembourg. 13 January 2015 Page 1

2 RELEVANT DATES February European Council (informal meeting) March European Council June European Council Over the next six months, not only will Latvia have to deal with contentious dossiers such as TTIP and the General Data Protection Regulation, it will also have to lead new debates within the Council as the Commission is expected to launch a number of pivotal strategies for the future of the Union, in particular the Internal Market Strategy for Goods and Services and the Digital Single Market Strategy. Throughout the Presidency, Latvia will have many an opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to fostering the EU s competitiveness. This includes the mid-term review of the Europe 2020 Strategy and the fifth cycle of the European Semester. Latvia is also eager to reach an agreement within the Council on Jean-Claude Juncker s Investment Plan for Europe once a proposal is put on the table. Presidency Priorities A COMPETITIVE EUROPE As with its Presidency predecessors, Latvia will continue efforts to drive economic growth and job creation through competitiveness and investment in the European economy. It comes as no surprise then that the first priority identified by the Presidency is to foster a competitive Europe. In particular, Latvia intends on building upon Jean-Claude Juncker s Investment Plan of EUR 315 billion by facilitating fast-tracking procedures to access these funds and coordinate regular meetings in relevant Council formations. Within this priority and beyond the furthering of the Single Market, Latvia has identified the Energy Union as a critical policy to be turned from vision to reality. A DIGITAL EUROPE True to the Commission s ambition to turn Europe into a digital powerhouse, Latvia will seek to further unleash the potential of the digital economy. Building on domestic best practice, the Presidency sees this as a critical area to boost the European economy through job creation. The publication of the Digital Single Market Strategy along with the need to finalise a number of legislative dossiers will therefore also feature on Latvia s priority list. AN ENGAGED EUROPE Having joined the EU 10 years ago, Latvia is particularly sensitive to the EU s Neighbourhood Policy and enlargement strategy. It will continue to foster partnerships with its immediate neighbouring countries as well as aiming to advance negotiations for free trade agreements with the US and Japan. During the first semester of 2015 Latvia will also have the important task of reviewing the existing EU-Central Asia Strategy. Development policy will also be at the forefront of Latvia s priority create a more engaged Europe, as 2015 is the European Year of Development. Likewise, with the intergovernmental negotiations of the Sustainable Development Goals are entering a new phase, this area will bring with it an added international dimension. 13 January 2015 Page 2

3 Energy Energy policy will be high on the agenda from the outset, as the Council will be giving input into the Energy Union Strategy in the first quarter of The Energy Union Strategy will aim to strengthen energy independence and enable the completion of the internal energy market, including a focus on connectivity and regional governance. The Presidency will subsequently be involved with defining the implementation plan, which will be linked with the Commission s Investment Plan, as many of the policy suggestions will need substantial investment. The Presidency intends to start discussions in February and hopes to ensure that the main principles are in place by March. A formal exchange of views on the Energy Union will take place at the Energy Council in March, including a policy debate on infrastructure priorities. A possible adoption of draft Council Conclusions is then intended to take place at the Energy Council in June. At the same time, the Latvian Presidency will be managing early Council discussions and providing input to the Commission on the legislative proposal for the 2030 Framework for Climate and Energy Policy. More specifically, it will assist in shaping the first elements of a coherent governance structure, looking particularly at the possible benefits offered by regional cooperation in this area. As regards the sustainability of EU energy policy, the Presidency will be seeking a Second Reading agreement with the Parliament on the Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC) proposal to ensure that biofuels are produced under sustainable conditions. The Presidency will furthermore work on the Energy Labelling Directive and Eco-Design Directive, which have recently undergone a review. Other issues that will feature on the Presidency s agenda include the continuation of discussions on the completion of the internal energy market, and the implementation of the European Energy Security Strategy (EEES), which is expected to be the subject of a policy debate at the Energy Council meetings in March and June. 13 January 2015 Page 3

4 ENERGY, CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENT CALENDAR 5 March Energy Council 6 March Environment Council April Informal Environment and Energy Council 8 June Energy Council 15 June Environment Council Climate Climate policy for the Latvian Presidency will be shaped by the Energy Union Strategy and the 2030 Framework for Climate and Energy Policy, focusing in particular on the revision of the Emissions Trading System (ETS) and preparing for the UNFCCC COP21 in Paris at the end of At both levels, the challenge will be to develop a policy that can both curb greenhouse gas emissions and stimulate economic growth. As a priority issue, the Presidency will be liaising with the Commission and facilitating preparations in the Council for the UN Climate Summit in Paris to ensure an EU common position. The Intended Nationally Determined Contributions are expected to be submitted to the UNFCCC secretariat by the end of March. An exchange of views will be held at the Environment Council meeting in March. In terms of the ETS, the Presidency will have to facilitate agreement between the institutions on a legislative proposal to establish a market stability reserve (MSR) to reduce the surplus of emission allowances in the ETS. One of the major sticking points is when the MSR should enter into force. Political agreement may be reached at the Energy Council in June. Environment The international dimension will be one focus area of the Latvian Presidency s environment agenda. The key item in this regard will be the preparation in view of the UN Climate Conference in Paris, but work will also be done to input into other international meetings and processes. These include the preparation for the meetings of the UN Conventions on waste and chemicals (Stockholm, Rotterdam and Basel Conventions), which will be held back to back in Geneva in May. Efforts will also be placed on shaping the EU position for the development of a universal post-2015 sustainable development framework. On resource efficiency and green growth, discussions will be organised on how to further integrate environmental concerns, notably resource efficiency, into the EU 2020 strategy and the European Semester. There seems to be less clarity on how the work will proceed on the Circular Economy Package, with the Commission having announced that it will withdraw the legislative proposal on EU Waste Targets. Currently, it seems that the Presidency will continue this work until an official withdrawal has been made, and then follow closely the initiatives in this field. On air quality, the Presidency hopes to be able to close the work on the Medium Combustion Plants Directive before handing over to Luxembourg in July. 13 January 2015 Page 4

5 The intention is also to move forward the discussions on the NEC (National Emissions Ceilings) Directive, while there is still uncertainty as to what modifications the Commission will make to this proposal. The Informal Environment Council meeting in April will inter alia be devoted to discussions on the mid-term review of the EU Biodiversity Strategy. TRANSPORT CALENDAR September Informal Transport Council 8 October TTE Transport Council 3 December TTE Transport Council Transport Strengthening the Single Market and mainstreaming industrial competitiveness are the two Latvian Presidency priorities which will influence the transport sector over the next six months. In striving to complete the EU Single Market for transport, the Presidency will focus both on the Fourth Railway Package and the Single European Sky (SES) II Package. Furthermore, the Latvian Presidency work on the development of the trans-european transport network (TEN-T) and will hold a ministerial discussion to that effect. The Presidency will also lay the groundwork for progressing talks on Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) whereby the Commission will present a report on their development. In the maritime sphere, the Presidency aims to foster an international environment that enhances competitive shipping. Specifically, it foresees closing the dossier on the Monitoring, Reporting and Verification of carbon dioxide emissions from maritime transport (MRV). If the Parliament agrees its First Reading position on the proposal to establish a framework for market access to port services and the financial transparency of ports, the Latvian Presidency will seek further progress. Moreover, relating to inland waterways, the Presidency will take stock of the Directive laying down technical requirements and start work on the revised proposal. With regards to road transport, the Presidency intends to place a strong emphasis on the topic of safety by, inter alia, ensuring the final adoption of the Cross-Border Enforcement Directive to facilitate the European wide penalty of traffic offenses before May 2015 as well as formalising the agreement reached on the weights and dimensions proposal for trucks and lorries. Finally, related to aerial transport, the Presidency will seek to reach an agreement with the European Parliament on the Package Travel Directive and initiate the work on how to open the aviation market to Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), as well as tackling the legal aspects for this new issue. 13 January 2015 Page 5

6 TRADE CALENDAR May 4 th Eastern Partnership Summit will be organised in Riga December 10 th WTO Ministerial Conference in Nairobi Trade Supporting the negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) agreement will be the top priority for the Latvian Presidency, followed by concluding the free trade negotiations with Japan and Vietnam. It will also support the ratification of the EU-Canada FTA (CETA) and the bilateral agreement with Singapore and implement the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreements (DCFTAs) with Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. Deepening the Eastern Partnership will be a priority of Latvia for political, cultural, and geostrategic reasons. Trade aspects will play a major role in this area. The 4 th Eastern Partnership Summit will take place in Riga on May to further develop relationships with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine in particular. The Presidency plans to make progress also under the WTO Doha Development Agenda by implementing the Trade Facilitation Agreement and other Bali decisions. Concluding the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA), the Environmental Goods Agreement, and the finalisation of the Ministerial Declaration on Information Technology Agreement (ITA) at the 10 th WTO Ministerial Conference will complement the activities on the multilateral level. TELECOMMUNICATIONS CALENDAR January Informal Justice and Home Affairs Council March Justice and Home Affairs Council 12 June Telecommunications Council June Justice and Home Affairs Council June 2015 Digital Assembly in Riga organised by Presidency ICT And Data Protection In tune with the new European Commission, Latvia has placed a Digital Europe as one of the three pillars for its Presidency. With one of the fastest internet connections in Europe, Riga clearly stated that the EU must become digital by default. Its time at the helm of the Council of the EU will therefore devote attention to the digitalisation of the public sector and enhancing safety within the digital environment. Latvia will also eagerly await the publication of the Commission s Digital Single Market Strategy in May to host policy discussions in Council and a Digital Assembly in Riga in June. More concretely, the first dossier on which the Latvian Presidency has firmly set its sights on is that of the long-standing data protection package Riga will attempt to reach a full agreement between Member States by June. Riga will also tackle the difficult task of making Council s position on the Network and Information Security Directive more cohesive to continue trialogue negotiations, with the aim of securing an agreement with MEPs in the coming months. Thirdly, Latvia will preside over Member States discussion on the Connected Continent Regulation for the telecoms sector, focusing on the thorny topics of net neutrality and roaming, seeking to reach a Council position by end of term. 13 January 2015 Page 6

7 Finally, the Presidency will aim to close ongoing work relating to the Web Accessibility Directive and keep a close eye on international discussions regarding internet governance. HEALTHCARE CALENDAR April Informal Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council 19 June Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council Health The Latvian Presidency s priorities in health focus on promoting a healthy lifestyle, particularly in children, and on empowering individuals to take responsibility for their own health. To this end, the Presidency wants to focus on issues such as healthy school meals, physical activity and sports as means to reduce childhood obesity, creating an enabling environment in health promotion and the role of modern technologies and innovation in the health education of children and young people. In addition, the Presidency aims to reach an agreement on the new Directive for medical devices and in-vitro diagnostic medical devices, in order to be able to begin negotiations with the European Parliament. The Presidency wants to ensure that the new regulation improves patient safety and product quality, while avoiding the creation of additional obstacles for innovation. All member states are encouraged to be open for compromise, to focus on the main issues and find a balanced solution. Other priorities in the area of health include the following: + Patient-centred healthcare: During the meeting of the Chief Medical Officers, Chief Medical Nurses and Chief Dental Officers, particular attention will be paid to health in the workplace, the integration of healthcare and public care services and to the improvement of cancer screening programmes within the EU. + Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis: The Presidency plans to organise the Eastern Partnership Summit on multi-drug resistant tuberculosis. The sustainability of EU health systems and their capacity to respond to crossborder health threats will be the focus of attention. + ehealth: The Presidency will focus on patient-oriented healthcare and increasing patient aptitude in using new technologies and innovations in ehealth and mhealth. To this end, the Presidency is organising a High Level Conference on ehealth in May. 13 January 2015 Page 7

8 If you would like any further information on these issues please do not hesitate to get in contact with us: Laurent Chokoualé Datou Chairman EU Public Affairs Richard Corliss Director Public Affairs rcorliss@webershandwick.com YOU CAN CONSULT THE LATVIAN PRESIDENCY WEBSITE HERE 13 January 2015 Page 8