Duitse ministers informeren EP-commissies over prioriteiten Duits Voorzitterschap (en)

German ministers have been explaining the policy priorities of the EU's incoming German Presidency to European Parliament committees in the second half of January. Here is a selection of things that they said.

Economic and monetary affairs

German finance minister Peer Steinbrück told MEPs on 30 January that, along with the Portuguese and Slovenian presidencies-to-come, there were three main areas for action in the ECOFIN Council in the 18 months ahead: improving economic and financial policy co-ordination, making time for Council debates to deal with politically difficult issues and making progress on taxation and internal market areas. In financial services, it was time to look at measures that would directly benefit consumers, he said.

Responding to MEPs' questions, Mr Steinbrück stressed his commitment to the independence of the ECB, though this did not, he said, mean that ministers could not talk about macroeconomic issues. He hoped the Council would be able to reach an agreement on the payment services directive within the next month. On hedge funds, he said Germany would be putting the issue on the Council and G7 agenda, to start to assess the facts and work out the risks and benefits they represented. It was not a question of proposing regulation, he said.

Industry, research, energy

Cutting CO2 emissions, boosting energy efficiency and promoting technology transfer will be among the German Presidency's key energy and environmental priorities, Federal Minister for the Environment Sigmar Gabriel told the Industry, Research and Energy Committee on Tuesday 23 January.

To tackle climate change challenges, "we must look first and foremost to developing countries, including China", he said, adding that this was very difficult because "They want an answer to their most pressing needs, which is access to energy sources". China would be very interested in environmental technology transfer, Mr Gabriel noted.

The Commission view that the EU could cut  CO2 emissions  by 20% (acting alone) or 30% (in concert with other industrialized states) by 2020 was backed by Economics and Technology Minister Michael Glos before the Industry committee on Tuesday 30 January. But CO2 emission limits for cars should not unilaterally penalise manufacturers of larger models, he added.

On energy, Mr Glos advocated stepping up co-operation with Russia, but at the same time seeking alternative partners (such as Norway), and alternative energies (he also backed the Commission goal of a 20% share of renewables in the total energy mix). An Energy Action Plan should be adopted at the Spring European Council, he said.

The Presidency's research priorities are implementing the EU's 7th research framework programme (FP7), getting the European Research Council off to a good start and progress on the proposed European Institute of Technology, which should focus on innovation rather than research or education, Federal Minister of Education and Research  Annette Schavan told the Industry committee on 30 January.

On mobile roaming, the aim is to get a Council agreement in June 2007, so the regulation can enter into force this year, said Mr Glos.

Environment

The German Presidency is looking for progress on the framework directives on waste (first EP reading in February), hazardous substances in surface water (first reading March) and soil protection (first reading possible in German Presidency), Federal Minister for the Environment Sigmar Gabriel told the Environment Committee on 23 January.

The Presidency also wants a conciliation compromise with Parliament on the proposed LIFE+ regulation (EU funding for environment policy), he added. Mr Gabriel backed the aim of cutting CO2 emissions by 20% by 2020, but was lukewarm about the Commission's proposal to extend the Kyoto permit trading scheme to civil aviation. To boost EU energy self-sufficiency, he also advocated stepping up spending on nuclear energy R&D.

Health

The new Presidency will work in a troika with its Portuguese and Slovene successors for progress on innovative treatments (co-decision, first reading vote due in March), and the revision of the directive on medical devices, Federal Health Minister Ulla Schmidt told the Environment Committee on Monday 22 January. Ms Schmidt expects agreement under this Presidency for the EU's health policy programme for 2007-2013. Special attention will be given to measures to combat AIDS, cancer, and the possibility of a 'flu pandemic. Finally, Ms Schmidt noted that EU health ministers will hold an informal meeting on health care services in Aachen on 19 and 20 April.

Internal market and consumer protection

Industrial competitiveness, the drive for better regulation, and the need to build on the success of the so-called "New Approach" to standardization in ensuring product safety will be high on the German Presidency's agenda, Economics and Industry Minister Michael Glos told the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee on 23 January.

Mr Glos also emphasized the Presidency's determination to achieve progress on: the mobile phone "roaming" proposal (now before Parliament), the implementation of the services directive ("we have to try to make it more specific"), the postal services directive ("we need to continue the opening of the postal services market"), and the draft directive on pre-packed products (now in second reading).

Federal Minister of Justice Minister Brigitte Zypries added that the German Presidency would strive for a "reasonable compromise" in the Council on the controversial proposal to revise the  Consumer Credit Directive.

Justice and home affairs

The German Presidency is looking for progress on fighting cross-border crime by improving the exchange of information among police forces (VIS system) and customs officers (SIS II system), as well as enlarging to all Member States the existing agreement among 6 countries on access to DNA, fingerprint data and vehicle registries (Prüm Treaty), Federal Minister for Interior Wolfgang Schäuble told the Civil Liberties Committee on Wednesday 24 January.

The Presidency also wants to give the external borders co-operation Frontex new tools and resources for tackling  illegal immigration. The integration of migrants will be discussed at an international conference on improving dialogue between cultures.

Justice Minister Brigitte Zypries hoped the Council will be able to reach a compromise with Parliament on the proposals to harmonise procedural rights and also family law, an item that brings out the divisions among Member States on rules governing divorce and the custody of children. Finally, the Presidency will try to push forward the Commission proposal for common standards to prosecute racism and hate offences - including holocaust denial or showing racist symbols.

Ms Zypries also listed protecting intellectual property rights (inter alia by facilitating patent litigation) and  rules for settling cross-border disputes between citizens and/or businesses (progress on Rome I and Rome II regulations), as Presidency priorities, in a presentation to the Legal affairs Committee on 30 January. 

Education and culture

Modernising higher education, further developing the European credit system for vocational training and greater mobility will be some of the core education issues for the German Presidency, Federal Minister for Education and Research Annette Schavan  told the Culture and Education Committee on 30 January.

Adult learning, the importance of education for common European values and early childhood education are already on the agenda for an informal meeting of education ministers to be held in March, she added. 

An agreement on the proposed  audiovisual media services directive (updating the 1989 "TV without Frontiers" Directive) will be reached in 2007, predicted Minister of State for Cultural Affairs Bernd Neumann at the same meeting.

Equal opportunities

Turning demographic change into an asset and encouraging equal opportunities for all at work and in society will be our key priorities,  Ursula von der Leyen, Federal Minister for the family, the elderly, women and young people told the Women's rights committee on 23 January.

The Presidency will be looking for progress on the European Commission's roadmap on equal opportunities and reconciling professional and family life, the equality of men and women at work, and the integration of immigrant women into society.

An informal meeting of equality and family ministers will be held at Bad Pyrmont on 15 and 16 May to debate these issues, announced Ms von der Leyen, adding that Germany would contribute very actively to the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All 2007.

Furthermore, "Equal opportunities and social integration for all children and youth" are the Presidency's guiding principles for youth policy, State Secretary to the Federal Ministry for the Family, the Elderly, Women and Youth Hermann Kues told the Culture and education committee on 30 January.

Regional policy

"Ours is a Presidency that wants to be close to citizens", Secretary of State in the Federal Ministry for the Economy and Technologies Joachim Wuermeling told the Regional Development Committee on 23 January. This Presidency will see far-reaching discussion on the future of EU structural funds, and not least their efficiency and effectiveness in promoting cohesion.

Committee chair Gerardo Galeote (EPP-ED, ES), urged Dr Wuermeling to raise with his Council colleagues the May 2006 proposal to renew the EU Solidarity Fund, which makes available money for dealing with public health crises, acts of terrorism and technological disasters. The agreements enabling the use of this fund expired at the end of 2006.

International trade  

Resuming the Doha international trade negotiations will be one of the German Presidency's priorities, but the EU should not focus on Doha to the exclusion of its important bilateral or bi-regional trade agreements (such as those with Mercosur, the Gulf Co-operation Council and the Andean Community), Joachim Wuermeling, Secretary of State in the Federal Ministry for the Economy and Technologies, told the EP International Trade Committee on 23 January. 

Parliament's wish to take part in international trade negotiations, from the moment when the European Commission's negotiating briefs for them are defined, was reiterated by Committee Chairman Enrique Baron (PES, ES).

Foreign affairs  

The international   Middle East peace "Quartet" (which includes the USA, Russia, the EU and the UN), must be brought back to life, not for its own sake, but to restart the peace process, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told the Foreign affairs committee on 23 January (the Quartet next meets in Washington on 2 February). EU neighbourhood policy must strike a balance between concentrating on the south and on the east, and the Presidency also plans to suggest new ways to engage  Central Asia, which hitherto has been a "blind spot on our radar", he said.

Development co-operation  

The German Presidency's development co-operation priorities will include  Africa (delivering on the G8's promise, at the G8 summit in Gleneagles in 2005, of an extra 50 billion dollars per annum in development aid by 2010), work on a proposed  EU-Africa energy partnership, progress towards economic partnership agreements  and measures to combat AIDS and malaria, Federal Minister for economic co-operation and development Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul told the Development Committee on 30 January.