The Week in Europe 24/03-30/03/01

04.04.2001 | Euroskop

EU news in brief

Stockholm European Council reviews strategic priorities

The Stockholm summit on 23-24 March reviewed progress with the ten-year programme of economic and social reforms agreed a year earlier at Lisbon. The first of the regular European Councils now to be held every spring, the summit confirmed the commitment to the strategic goal of making the EU the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world by 2010. Some of the key issues considered at Stockholm are summarised below. The conclusions are available in full from http://ue.eu.int/newsroom/ [Background text: DOC/01/6]

Jobs: The European Council set targets of an average EU-wide employment rate of 67% (57% for women) by January 2005, and 50% for people aged 55-64 remaining in work by 2010. It asked for reports on the labour market, skills and mobility.

Economic reforms: Member States are urged to step up implementation of EU legislation on the internal market. The summit backed a Commission strategy for an internal market for services, and the aim of opening energy markets as soon as possible. A new approach was agreed for the financial services action plan, based on a Securities Committee to deal with technical issues within a framework of legislation agreed by the Council and Parliament. The need to reduce the level of state aid and ensure a favourable environment for business was stressed. Guidance was issued on the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines for 2001, which the Commission will present soon.

Social issues: The Council called for indicators to be developed on the quality of work and pay differentials between men and women. Member States are asked to give priority to implementing national action plans on poverty and social exclusion; an EU programme is due to be agreed by June. The concept of corporate social responsibility needs developing, too, on the basis of a Commission paper. Particular attention was paid to the challenges of the ageing population for pensions and public finances.

New technologies: The Council aims to adopt the pending telecoms package by the end of this year, as part of the eEurope 2002 action plan. A target of June 2002 was set for adoption of the sixth framework programme for research. The management structure for the Galileo satellite navigation system needs to be in place by the end of 2001; the role of the private sector and importance of binding commitments on financing were highlighted. The summit asked the EU institutions to accelerate work on the Community patent; the Commission regretted the lack of progress on this proposal, a key issue for the summit.

External relations: EU leaders welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin for talks about the country's economic reforms and cooperation with the Union. The summit discussed the situation in Macedonia and the need for moderation and cooperation among the ethnic communities. On the Middle East, the steps needed to avoid serious and institutional problems for the Palestinian Authority were examined. The Council restated its commitment to working towards an end to violence and a resumption of negotiations. It hoped to contribute to easing tensions between North and South Korea, which the President of the Council plans to visit for talks with both leaders. On international trade, the summit called for the EU to work actively for an inclusive round of multilateral trade round when WTO ministers meet in November.

Other: The European Council expressed its solidarity with the problems facing the rural community, and its determination to contain and ultimately eradicate foot-and-mouth disease and BSE. The summit looked forward to the introduction of euro coins and notes in January 2002. It signaled the need for the Lisbon programme to be complemented by the strategy on sustainable development to be adopted in June. On climate change, conclusions were adopted calling for action to ratify and implement the Kyoto Protocol.

Vets back FMD vaccine plan

Plans to vaccinate cattle in Cumbria and Devon to control the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) won the backing of EU vets on 28 March. This option could involve 180,000 dairy cows, about to go out to pasture. However, some fields recently held sheep, increasing the chance of infection. The Standing Veterinary Committee stated there was no support for general vaccination, but recognised the exceptional circumstances in the worst-affected areas. FMD-infected sheep have shown few symptoms, and large-scale culling poses difficulties. The vaccination of zoo animals will also be considered. [Background texts: IP/01/463 & 457]

Clarifying telecom competition

The Commission has clarified the way in which the principles of EU competition law apply to telecommunications. Draft guidelines published on 28 March address the key definition of 'significant market power' (SMP). This concept features in the new regulatory framework for telecoms proposed last July, which seeks to make sector-specific rules and EU competition law consistent. The guidelines are based on existing case law and the Commission's own practice. They will be issued in final form after the framework Directive has been adopted. [Background text: IP/01/456]

Action plan to boost e-learning

An action plan to increase the use and learning of information and communication technology (ITC) in education was put forward by the Commission on 28 March. It aims to have Internet access in all classrooms by the end of next year, with a ratio of 5-15 pupils per multimedia computer by 2004. A drive in training would focus on making all school-leavers 'digitally literate' by the end of 2003, with wider use of technology by teachers. Other priority areas are the development of quality content and services, and the networking of all schools in the EU. Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou said adequate training and infrastructure were needed to ensure an inclusive eEurope and to tackle the skills shortage in ITC - expected to rise from € 1.4m to 1.7m by 2003. [Background text: IP/01/446]

Biodiversity losses tackled

Halting the decline of biodiversity is the main goal of four action plans adopted by the Commission on 28 March. They seek to integrate the protection of biodiversity into EU policies on agriculture, fisheries, the conservation of natural resources, and economic and development cooperation. The plans set out specific action and targets to tackle the loss of plants and animals. Losses in biodiversity undermine long-term sustainability, the resources available to future generations, and the ability of ecosystems to adapt to changing situations. The decline in biodiversity in Europe has been accelerating dramatically in recent decades. Intensive agriculture has led to the loss of 60% of wetlands; 97 breeds of domestic animal and 64 endemic plants have become extinct.

[Background text: IP/01/447 ]

The pharmaceutical industry is the focus of a high-level EU group launched on 26 March. [Background text: IP/01/444]

The Slovak Republic and the EU signed a finance agreement on 26 March, which sets the rules for aid to its agricultural sector ahead of joining the EU. [Background text: IP/01/441]

Aid to steel companies is reviewed in a report on 2000, when the Commission decided 17 cases. [Background text: IP/01/445]