Raad Algemene Zaken bespreekt begrotingspact, meerjarenbegroting en Hongarije (en)

Tomorrow, the Minister for European Affairs, Nicolai Wammen, will be chairing the first General Affairs Council (GAC) under the Danish presidency, marking a first in a series of meetings over the coming six months where the GAC will be deeply involved in issues ranging from the generation of renewed and green growth to enlargement.

Tomorrow’s meeting will be preceded by an informal breakfast meeting with the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, where the Council will have an opportunity to exchange views on "fiscal compact" and initiatives to promote growth and employment in Europe ahead of the informal European Council meeting on Monday 30 January in Brussels.

The formal Council meeting will begin with a presentation by Mr Wammen of the Work Programme of the Danish Presidency of the Council labelled "Europe at work". The presentation will be followed by a substantial discussion of the Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2014-2020. In December 2011 the European Heads of State and Government called on the incoming Danish Presidency to press ahead with the work so that an agreement can be reached and the necessary implementation can take place before January 2014.

After half a year of rather technical discussions of the budget the Danish Presidency wishes to initiate discussions based on a balanced top-down approach and to open discussions on some of the major negotiating issues: The size of the total budget of the EU and the main priorities of the Member States. Finally the issue of the recent legislative changes in Hungary has been put on the agenda under A.O.B.

The Minister for European Affairs states:

"We have plenty on our hands over the coming months. Europe is deeply preoccupied about consolidating public finances and generating renewed economic growth and jobs. And so are we in the Danish presidency. These issues will be right on top of our agenda in the GAC from the very first time meeting - and of course not least when we meet President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, tomorrow morning ahead of next week’s important informal meeting in the European Council. Now it’s time to get to work.”

The Minister for European Affairs adds:

“It is not a coincidence that discussions on the Multi-annual Financial Framework will be dominating our agenda during tomorrows Council meeting. This will be the case in several of our meetings. We have undertaken the ambition of injecting momentum in the negotiations preparing the ground for final negotiations later this year. This is a task that we are very strongly committed to. And let’s not forget that EU’s budget is not only about figures and tables in a spread sheet. It is about how we decide to invest in our future, it it’s making sure that Europe 10 years from now is a dynamic, innovative and green economic area that remains relevant on the global stage.”