Spaanse ministers schetsen prioriteiten van het Spaans Voorzitterschap van de Raad (en)
Spanish Presidency ministers this week outline their EU Council Presidency priorities to a range of parliamentary committees and will field MEPs' questions on most EU policy areas. On Wednesday they faced, among others, the committees on Transport and Tourism, Employment and Social Affairs, Industry, Research and Energy and Environment, Public Health and Food Safety. This release will be updated throughout the week.
Employment and Social Affairs
The Spanish Presidency will focus on defining the 2020 growth and employment employment and immigration minister Celestino Corbacho told the Employment and Social Affairs Committee on Wednesday. "In the short term, this strategy must include structural measures to tackle the problem of unemployment - particularly youth unemployment, and in the long term, it must enable us to be competitive in a globalised economy", she said.
This strategy must "contain concrete objectives, because the Commission's consultation document has vague, all-incompassing ideas", said Parliament's rapporteur on the 2010 employment guidelines Csaba Öry (EPP, HU). "If we want citizens to understand us, the employment issue must be the priority and not simply flow from competitiveness" added Committee chair Pervenche Bérès (S&D, FR).
Social affairs minister Trinidad Jimenez stressed the need to strengthen social cohesion in the EU, notably in the context of the 2010 European year for combating poverty. "Concretely, the Spanish Presidency will focus on groups most at risk of exclusion, such as handicapped people, the elderly, and the Roma", she explained.
Minister for equality Bibiana Aído said she wanted equality issues included in the new 2020 strategy, "to enable women to participate more in the labour market".
In the chair: Pervenche Bérès (S&D, FR)
Transport
Spanish transport minister José Blanco Lopez, outlined his government's priorities for the sector: sustainable urban transport, security and economic competitiveness. The new Presidency would support legislation aiming to harmonize rail networks, so as to increase the proportion of freight transport, he said.
On the question of passenger rights, Mr Lopez said he would work towards a strong agreement on two regulations currently in negotiation with Parliament and Member States, for road and maritime travel. Questioned by several MEPs on airport security measures, following the failed December terrorist attempt, the minister said: "with the Commission we believe in the need for increased security: citizens would not understand if we were to fail to act on such an urgent matter". On the use of body scanners, he said: "we must guarantee safety for passengers, but without invading people's privacy".
In the chair: Brian Simpson (S&D, UK)
Environment
Climate change and follow-up work to Copenhagen summit will the top priority for the Spanish presidency, which "wants a binding agreement which will lead to the reduction of global emissions", Spain's environment minister Elena Espinosa told the Environment Committee Wednesday. Other priorities include biodiversity, soil and air quality and water management policies.
Linda McAvan (S&D, UK) and Chris Davies (ALDE, U K), asked how the Presidency would seek "to get climate change back on track and on the international agenda". Ms Espinosa agreed that there was a "need to work internationally to maintain leadership and to strengthen our position on international stage" and expressed her readiness to do so. Richard Seeber (EPP, DE) asked what the Presidency intends to do to get integrated pollution prevention and control (IPPC) directive adopted rapidly. Ms Espinosa assured him that the Spanish Presidency will try to get an agreement on IPPC and said that though it is difficult, with "dialogue and flexibility" it should be possible.
In the chair: Jo Leinen (S&D, DE)
Industry, Energy and Telecommunications
The Spanish Presidency will press for a 2010-2014 action plan to promote the integration of the European energy market to be adopted at the Spring European Council, Spanish minister for industry, trade and tourism Miguel Sebastián told Industry Committee MEPs on Wednesday. "Interconnected grids will make energy cheaper and improve our bargaining powers with producer countries", he said in reply to a question by Teresa Riera Madurell (S&D, ES). Mr Sebastián also reassured Lena Ek (ALDE, SE) that the plan would also push forward energy efficiency.
The Presidency will also urge the Council to approve a European electric vehicles strategy in February. If one day all cars in Spain were electric, this would amount to an emissions cut equivalent to planting 4.5 billion trees, he explained.
"We need to have a back-up for renewable energy sources. Coal is our plan B", said Mr Sebastián in reply to questions from Reinhard Bütikofer (Greens/EFA, DE), and Konrad Szymanski (ECR, PL), on Spain's state subsidiaries for coal. Asked by Pilar del Castillo (EPP, ES) about the role of nuclear energy, Mr Sebastián stressed that it was up to Member States to decide whether to use nuclear energy, but he hoped to present a first draft on safe nuclear waste disposal during the Presidency's term.
The Presidency also plans to develop a new 2010-2014 strategy for creating a single digital market, said Mr Sebastián, adding that this "Granada strategy" will aim to improve cross-border e-commerce, inter alia by guaranteeing the interoperability of different payment systems.
"We have to find a European solution to the Opel problem", said the minister in reply to MEPs' concerns about the impact of car industry restructuring, especially in Antwerp (Belgium).
In the chair: Herbert Reul (EPP, DE)
International Trade
"More trade opportunities and fewer barriers" is the Spanish Presidency's motto, trade minister Miguel Sebastián Gascón told the International Trade Committee on Wednesday. The Presidency's trade priorities are concluding the WTO Doha Round negotiations this year, fostering negotiations for the EU-Mercosur Partnership, concluding a Multipartite Agreement with Colombia, Peru and possibly Ecuador and the Agreement with Central America, he said.
Pablo Zalba Bidegain (EPP, ES) argued that the fair trade agreement with South-Korea was unfair due to its "knock-on effect on the European automotive industry." Mr Gascón replied that "it is a good agreement with an overall advantage for the EU, adding that it contains "protection clauses and different transitional measures to cushion the liberalisation, so that the affected sectors can adjust."
Asked about the implications of a possible free trade agreement with Columbia for human rights and workers' rights, Mr Gascón replied to David Martin (S&D, UK), Yannick Jadot (Greens/EFA, FR), and Helmut Scholz (GUE/NGL, DE), that the negotiations should be inclusive. "If we restrict negotiations, the situations in Colombia will certainly not improve", he said.
In the chair: Vital Moreira (S&D, PT)
Legal Affairs
A regulation on successions and wills, the free circulation of judgements and public documents, better protecting intellectual property rights and interconnecting registers in the EU were some of the priorities outlined by Spain's justice minister Francisco Caamaño Domínguez to the Legal Affairs Committee on Wednesday.
"A Europe of citizens sharing the same rights" is the key goal in the area of justice, he said. On company law, the Spanish Presidency aims to simplify the environment in which enterprises operate and reduce administrative burdens, so as to strengthen their competiveness in the global market. The Spanish Presidency envisages opening the e-justice portal by June he added.
The minister also listed as priorities enhanced co-operation in the context of the Rome II regulation (law applicable to non-contractual obligations) and the reform of Brussels I regulation (jurisdiction, recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters).
In the chair: Klaus-Heiner Lehne (EPP, DE)
Agriculture
"Establishing the future of the common agricultural policy (CAP) post 2013, making it more competitive and reinforcing the role of women in the sector" are Spanish Presidency priorities, Spain's minster for the environment and rural affairs Elena Espinosa told the Agriculture Committee on Wednesday.
Esther Herranz Garcia (EPP, ES), asked Ms Espinosa whether the recent farm trade agreement with Morocco and similar ones with other third countries put EU producers at risk. Ms Espinosa replied that both sides, imports and exports, needed to be considered.
George Lyon (ALDE, UK), said that the EU needs to "ensure more stability in the markets" following the dairy sector crisis and Martin Häusling (Greens/EFA, DE) asked whether "market regulator mechanisms are still being discussed". Ms Espinosa replied that a safety net would be needed "in case of risks of job losses and damage to economy".
Replying to a question by Luis Capoulas Santos (S&D, PT) on new possible criteria for distributing direct payments, she said "we need to ensure the future CAP is fair and responds to specific needs".
In the chair: Paolo De Castro (S&D, IT)
Civil Liberties
The EU's Spanish Presidency will focus on defining an action plan to implement the EU's "Stockholm" justice and home affairs co-operation programme, setting up an internal security committee, and resolving technical problems with the Schengen and visa information-sharing systems SIS II and VIS, Spain's home affairs minister Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba told the Civil Liberties Committee on Tuesday.
He advocated an internal security strategy, to be defined "in a simple, brief and concise document" in order to "explain which risks and threats the EU countries are sharing" and the possible solutions. The Presidency would seek to give new impetus to transatlantic relations in the fight against terrorism, he added.
Mr Pérez Rubalcaba also proposed to focus on setting up joint police co-operation teams and an "Erasmus" programme for policemen. He underlined the Presidency's commitment to fighting gender violence, cyber-crime, money laundering and drug trafficking.
Spain's labour and immigration minister Mr Celestino Corbacho Chaves said he was committed to a "broad, long-lasting and integral" migration policy which takes account of labour market needs. The Immigration and Asylum Pact is the most appropriate basis for this, he said, stressing the need to work on legal immigration, integration policies, an action plan for unaccompanied minors, the permit directive and the seasonal workers directive. "Europe will need more immigration in the future", he acknowledged, but added that it must be "regular" and "controlled".
In the chair: Juan Fernando López Aguilar (S&D, ES)
Public health
" We want to use the strong points of the European health model - universality, equality and solidarity and access to safe and high quality health care - and to build a common European health area," Spain's health minister Trinidad Jiménez told the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee on Tuesday. Organ donation and transplantation, the pharmaceuticals package and food safety are the priorities for the Spanish Presidency, she added.
Cross-border health care was on the minds of many MEPs - Dagmar Roth-Behrendt (S&D, DE), asked whether the Presidency planned to "act as an honest broker" and Antonyia Parvanova (ALDE, BG), wanted to know how the minister planned to achieve results. Ms Jiménez replied that she would meet the new Commissioner in the coming days to discuss the issue and that she herself was committed to seeking consensus on the directive.
El?bieta ?ukacijewska (EPP, AT) and Michèle Rivasi (Greens, FR), asked whether the EU's response to H1N1 flu was proportionate. Ms Jiménez replied that decisions had been taken on the available data and that it was possible that they had prevented a wider epidemic.
In the Chair: Jo LEINEN (S&D, DE)
Culture
Promoting the "European heritage" label and supporting creative industries and the digitalisation of cultural content are the Presidency's cultural priorities, Spain's minister of culture Ms Ángeles González-Sinde told the Education and Culture Committee on Tuesday. Investing in culture can contribute significantly to Europe's recovery from economic crisis, she said.
Ms González-Sinde promised to strengthen access to cultural content on the internet and pursue the "Europeana" digital library project. It was feasible to widen online access to cultural works while protecting their copyright, the minister said in a reply to Helga Trüpel (Greens/EFA, DE).
While backing Spain's plans to foster cinema digitalisation, many MEPs stressed the need to promote European cinema in general, e.g. by establishing a European actor training centre (Lothar Bisky, GUE/NGL, DE), or providing financial support for young filmmakers (Piotr Borys, EPP, PL). Ms González-Sinde promised to take the MEPs' proposals into account, while not forgetting more traditional cultural activities, such as concerts, theatres or circuses.
"We have been flooded with cheap American cinema products. Can we combat that?" asked Chrysoula Paliadeli (S&D, EL). Committee chair Doris Pack (EPP, DE), suggested that the EU diplomatic service should help spread European culture. Ms González-Sinde agreed, promising to discuss this with the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton.
In the chair: Doris Pack (EPP, DE)
Economic and monetary affairs
All the Spanish's Presidency's priorities for the EU economy will be geared towards "creating a solid base from which to make progress and avoid futures crises" Spain's economic affairs and finance minister Elena Salgado told the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee on Tuesday.
Arlene McCarthy (S&D, UK), asked whether the EU should be more ambitious on regulating bonuses than the Council has been until now. Ms Salgado replied that the current draft directive requires that remuneration policies be reviewed so as not to encourage an excessive risk culture.
"Is the Stability and Growth Pact facilitating the recovery of growth or does it need an overhaul?" asked Diogo Feio (EPP, PT). Ms Salgado replied that the Lisbon Treaty will add some new elements, but in essence, the current pact is the key to economic recovery.
Quizzed on specific legislation in the pipeline and the Presidency's willingness to truly engage with Parliament, Ms Salgado said that she hoped to reach first-reading agreements with Parliament on the supervisory package and investment funds.
In the chair: Sharon Bowles (ALDE, UK)
Education
"Education is an equalising policy" and the "best path out of poverty", Spanish education minister Angel Gabilondo told Lothar Bisky (GUE/NGL, DE), at a Culture Committee meeting on Monday. Asked by Helga Trüpel (Greens/EFA, DE) about fresh funding for education projects, he replied "We'll be able to open a debate on new funding" only if "education is among the priorities for the 2020 EU strategy", i.e. if it is made an objective for the next six months.
"Any measures foreseen to facilitate mobility of teachers inside the EU?" asked Santiago Fisas (EPP, ES). "We need to recognise the involvement of the education community as a key factor" for the Bologna process, which aims to create a European Higher Education area, replied Mr Gabilondo.
The EU must aim to end "mutual distress between university and business" and back the idea that "social profitability is compatible with economic profitability", he added in reply to Morten Lokkegaard (ALDE, DK), who observed that "there is lack of harmony between university and the business world", and C?t?lin Ivan (S&D, RO), who asked about making the education system more flexible "to adapt to the changing nature of the job market".
In the chair: Doris Pack (EPP, DE)
Regional Development
Disparities between Member States and regions could be exacerbated by the economic crisis, and EU cohesion policy is an important tool for mitigating them, by restructuring economies and making regions more sustainable, Spain's secretary of state for finance Carlos Ocaña y Pérez de Tudela told the Regional Development Committee on Monday. He welcomed territorial cohesion's inclusion in the Lisbon Treaty, and promised to fight for its inclusion in the EU 2020 strategy.
The minister stated his commitment to simplifying rules and procedures, and ensuring that the money spent is better tied to stated regional policy aims. Constanze Krehl (PES, DE), stressed the need to clarify these aims. Old?ich Vlasák (ECR, CZ), said that no tightening of controls on fund recipients should increase their administrative burden. Spain shows how EU cohesion policy can spur economic development, noted Lambert Van Nistelrooij (EPP, NL). Due to the crisis, "there will not be more money", the minister warned Karima Delli (Greens/EFA, FR) in reply to her question about funding for social inclusion.
In the chair: Georgios Stavrakakis (S&D, EL)
Women's Rights and Gender Equality
Eliminating violence against women, the so-called "Maternity leave Directive", women's full participation in the labour market on an equal footing with men and reducing gender pay gap were the key issues discussed at the Women's Rights and Gender Equality Committee meeting with Spanish minister for equality Bibiana Aído Almagro on Monday.
MEPs wanted to hear more about specific measures the Spanish Presidency plans to improve the situation of women. By creating a European Observatory on Gender Equality and a European Protection Order for example, comparable data based on a set of common indicators and best practices could be exchanged to further the fight against gender violence, said Ms Aído Almagro.
In the chair: Eva-Britt Svensson (GUE/NGL, SE)
Further information :