Thursday, 29 October 2009
The EU summit, chaired by Swedish Prime Minister Frederik Reinfeldt, has started today in Brussels and continues two days (29-30 October). There are several issues on the table to discuss. A draft conclusion of the summit has been recently published by the Swedish Presidency. According to it, the climate change negotiations and the future of the EU’s institutions are the main topics that are discussed during the summit.
Swedish Presidency highly focuses on the climate change issue. According to the draft, "[t]he European Union is at the forefront of efforts to fight climate change," and it will be a main objective “to reduce emissions by 80-95% by 2050 compared to 1990 levels." Moreover, the EU leaders argue that a fair share of climate change burden is necessary because "the overall level of the international public support required could lie in the range of €22 billion to €50 billion a year by 2020." Additionally, Mr Reinfeldt pointed out the importance of the summit to develop a common and efficient climate policy by saying that “We hope to see a mandate for climate negotiations, we are very close to the Copenhagen Conference, and this is the time to form our mandate."
The future of the institutions clearly depends on the Lisbon Treaty as the draft arguing that “[t]he European Council stresses the importance of ensuring a smooth entry into force of the new Treaty, following ratification by all Member States.” However, the Czech Republic that has not ratified the Treaty causes a problem at this point. Therefore, the EU leaders will discuss about the ways to deal with Czech President Vaclav Klaus who argues that the Czech Republic should opt-out from the EU's charter of fundamental rights, a part of the Lisbon Treaty. According to Mr Klaus, ethnic Germans who were forced to leave the former Czechoslovakia at the end of the WWII in parallel with “Beneš decrees” will be able to claim compensation from Czech Republic due to this charter.
It is also expected that informal talks will take place about the candidates for the newly created posts in the EU structure; president of the European Council and the EU foreign minister.
According the summit conclusion draft, there will be more issues to discuss like economic issues, EU strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, illegal immigration, and external issues.
In terms economy, the leader will focus on the structural reforms to strengthen the recovery process after the economic crisis in the summit and the labour market will be one of the main reform topics. The economic discussions will also refer to the outcome of the G20 Pittsburgh meeting.
EU strategy for the Baltic Sea Region is the first macro regional strategy which will came to table in the summit, and it can be a model for the other European regions like the Alps.
In the summit, the leaders will repeat the determined European response depends on solidarity and shared responsibility towards illegal immigrants after the tragedies recently occurred in the Mediterranean Sea.
It is also expected that the conclusion of the Council meeting of 27 October on Afghanistan and Pakistan will be come to table and the summit will support the adaptation report which will strengthen the EU’s action in the region.
By Yilmaz KAPLAN (JTW)
