Programme of the Netherlands Presidency of the Council of the European Union 1 January – 30 June 2016 Programme of the Netherlands Presidency of the Council of the European Union 1 January – 30 June 2016 Contents Introduction PART I Priorities of the Presidency A comprehensive approach to migration and international security Europe as an innovator and job creator Sound, future-proof European inances and a robust eurozone Forward-looking policy on climate and energy Finally PART IICouncil conigurations General Afairs Foreign Afairs (including Defence, Trade and Development) Economic and Financial Afairs Justice and Home Afairs Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Afairs Competitiveness Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Agriculture and Fisheries Environment Education, Youth, Culture and Sport 6 8 9 9 10 10 10 12 13 13 15 16 17 17 18 19 19 20 |6| Introduction The European Union is being severely put to the test. It is facing a huge inlux of people who have led war and oppression. Geopolitics appears to be making a comeback, and within the EU itself, the threat of fragmentation looms. Terrorists are atacking our way of life, in an atempt to spread fear and sow divisions in our societies. There are no quick and easy ways to resolve these issues. As the next holder of the Council Presidency, it is incumbent on the Netherlands to help the EU ind common solutions in these turbulent times.
Programme o the Netherlands Presîdency o the Councîl o the European Unîon
1 January – 30 June 2016
Programme o the Netherlands Presîdency o the Councîl o the European Unîon
1 January – 30 June 2016
Contents
Introductîon
PART I
Prîorîtîes o the Presîdency
A comprehensîve approach o mîgraîon and înernaîona securîy Europe as an înnovaor and job creaor Sound, uure-proo European Inances and a robus eurozone Forward-ookîng poîcy on cîmae and energy Fînay
PART II Councîl coniguratîons
Genera Afaîrs Foreîgn Afaîrs (încudîng Deence, rade and Deveopmen) Economîc and Fînancîa Afaîrs Jusîce and Home Afaîrs Empoymen, Socîa Poîcy, Heah and Consumer Afaîrs Compeîîveness ranspor, eecommunîcaîons and Energy Agrîcuure and Fîsherîes Envîronmen Educaîon, Youh, Cuure and Spor
8
9 9 10 10 10
13 13 15 16 17 17 18 19 19 20
|6|
Introductîon
he European Unîon îs beîng severey pu o he es. ï îs acîng a huge înlux o peope who have led war and oppressîon. Geopoîîcs appears o be makîng a comeback, and wîhîn he EU îse, he hrea o ragmenaîon ooms. errorîss are aTackîng our way o îe, în an aTemp o spread ear and sow dîvîsîons în our socîeîes. here are no quîck and easy ways o resove hese îssues. As he nex hoder o he Councî Presîdency, î îs încumben on he Neherands o hep he EU Ind common souîons în hese urbuen îmes. he chaenge îs o remaîn ocused on împoran ong-runnîng îssues, even when curren evens appear o requîre a our aTenîon. Unîy and resove are needed a a eves. he efecîve combînaîon o European and naîona measures wî orm an împoran basîs or hose souîons.
oday’s chaenges requîre efecîve decîsîon-makîng and broady suppored souîons. ïn many cases hey requîre a range o înerconneced measures, în boh he shor and he ong erm. hîs îs by no means an easy ask, bu when he EU member saes joîn orces and show he coecîve poîîca wî o rîse above îndîvîdua îneress, he Unîon can be hîghy efecîve. ha efecîveness îs no a hîng o he dîsan pas. ïn recen years, oo, he member saes and he însîuîons have proven capabe – under he pressure o varîous crîses and în a wîde range o poîcy areas – o seTîng he necessary changes în moîon rom wîhîn. ogeher we have aken on ormîdabe chaenges and chared a course ha ocuses more on he essenîas and he oundaîons o he Unîon.
hîs Unîon o 28 member saes îs no perec, bu î provîdes essenîa oos o acke oday’s chaenges. Agaîns hîs background, he oowînghree basîc prîncîpLeswî be key durîng he Presîdency: a Unîon ha ocuses on he essenîas, a Unîon ha creaes înnovaîve growh and jobs, and a Unîon ha connecs wîh socîey.
Focusîng on he essenîaLsmeans he European Unîon mus concenrae on wha îs împoran o îs cîîzens and busînesses. SpecîIcay, hîs means souîons mus be ound o he major chaenges o our îme, as ouîned în he European Councî’s Sraegîc Agenda. Durîng îs Presîdency, he Neherands wî endeavour o keep he Councî on course în împemenîng he Agenda. o hîs end, î has îdenîIed our prîorîîes ha wî be examîned în urher deaî în he Irs par o hîs Presîdency programme.
Ater a deep economîc crîsîs, more and more Inancîa and economîc îndîcaors are hankuy showîng a posîîve rend. ï îs vîa ha we perpeuae hîs rend, and gîve European cîîzens he prospec osuicîen jobs and înnovaîve and susaînabLe economîc growh. Ater a, one o he maîn hîngs ha cîîzens are enîed o expec o he EU îs a concered ocus on economîc prosperîy. hîs ocus înorms he our prîorîîes o he Neherands Presîdency programme and he prîorîîes o he Councî conIguraîons, whîch wî be consîdered în he second ha o hîs documen.
ïn he îgh o he chaenges and ensîons descrîbed above, î îs crucîa o ocus onmakîng connecîonsdurîng he Neherands Presîdency. Fîrs o a, ha enaîs makîng connecîons beween member saes, because muua soîdarîy orms he basîs o European cooperaîon. Even when îmes are ough, member saes mus coecîvey ake responsîbîîy. ïn hîs way we can sand up or each oher and be sronger ogeher. Anoher împoran connecîon, however, îs ha beween he European Unîon and îs cîîzens. Many peope în Europe’s capîas and househods are crîîca o he EU, bu many aso reaîse ha no European counry can ace oday’s chaenges aone. ïn Europe we are sronger ogeher, and uîmaey here îs more ha unîes us han dîvîdes us. he EU mus ensure ha î îs suicîeny decîsîve, bu aso ensure ha cîîzens recognîse and acknowedge he approach î has eeced o ake. he Neherands wî pace îse a he servîce o he Councî over he nex sîx monhs wîh hîs goa în mînd.
hîs îs he Neherands Presîdency’s naîona programme ookîng ahead o he comîng sîx monhs. ï nauray îes în cosey wîh he rîo programme presened by he heads o governmen o he rîo comprîsîng he Neherands, Sovakîa and Maa on 16 December 2015.
|7|
|8|
PART I PrIorItIes of the PresIdency
he Neherands Presîdency wî ocus on he oowîng prîorîîes: 1. a comprehensîve approach o mîgraîon and înernaîona securîy; 2. Europe as an înnovaor and job creaor; 3. sound, uure-proo European Inances and a robus eurozone; 4. orward-ookîng poîcy on cîmae and energy.
A comprehensîve approach to mîgratîon and înternatîonal securîty Exra ocus îs needed on heapproach to mîgratîon and înternatîonal securîty, în vîew o he undamena changes over he pas Ive years în he EU’s îmmedîae vîcînîy. ïnerna and exerna securîy are înexrîcaby înked. he încreased înlux o peope seekîng a sae haven makes î abundany cear ha a common border, asyum and mîgraîon poîcy îs needed. he mîgraîon crîsîs has reveaed varîous shorcomîngs în he European area o reedom, securîy and jusîce ha requîre acîon. he curren prîorîy îs o conro Europe’s exerna borders efecîvey, împrove he înîîa recepîon o reugees în Europe and în he regîon, and share he burden aîry. he counrîes o he Wesern Bakans and urkey are aso beîng severey afeced by he curren mîgraîon crîsîs. More regîona coaboraîon îs needed wîh hese candîdae member saes and poenîa candîdae member saes o ace up o hîs chaenge.
Because înerna and exerna chaenges are încreasîngy înerwoven, însabîîy ousîde he EU oten enaîs greaer rîsks însîde he EU, o whîch î wî have o Ind a response. hîs requîres a sronger înk beween înerna and exerna poîcy, efecîve and înegraed use o he EU’s broad range o însrumens, and acîve dîpomaîc efors on he par o he Hîgh Represenaîve and he member saes. Conlîcs and human rîghs vîoaîons are major acors în însabî-îy, and are causîng ong-erm chaenges în he area o securîy, he humanîarîan sîuaîon and socîoeconomîc deveopmen. he curren mîgraîon îssue îs a consequen-ce o hîs. he împoran hîng îs o address he poîîca and economîc roo causes o mîgraîon and Ind he rîgh approach o peope smuggîng, reurn and border conro.
ïnsabîîy ousîde he EU încreases securîy rîsks, încudîng errorîsm, cyber securîy and hybrîd hreas. Wîh a common oreîgn and securîy poîcy he EU can ake an acîve and unîed sance reaîve o he word around î, and Ind a suîabe response o he încreasîngy îner-woven înerna and exerna chaenges î aces. he aTacks în Parîs hîghîgh he need or efecîve counerer-rorîsm measures. hîs means, among oher hîngs, ha he agreemens on he exchange o daa and cooperaîon beween securîy servîces mus be uy împemened. Uîmaey, sabîîy ousîde Europe’s borders, srîc conro o our borders and securîy wîhîn hose borders wî requîre a comprehensîve poîcy ha addresses probems boh însîde and ousîde he EU. he Neherands îs deermîned o conrîbue o he speedy eaboraîon and împemenaîon o he mîgraîon package presened by he Commîssîon, and he eary compeîon o he sraegîc revîew o EU oreîgn and securîy poîcy.
Europe as an înnovator and job creator Under he pressure o he crîsîs, he EU has os sîgh o îs roe as an înnovaor and creaor o jobs în Europe, despîe he ac ha î has good prospecs o creaîng a sabe and înnovaîve socîoeconomîc conex or îs cîîzens. ïs key srengh în ha respec îs he sînge marke, whîch îs he arges în he word and – as he drîvîng orce behînd European cooperaîon – unîes he member saes. Now ha Europe’s economy îs pîckîng up, î îs he coecîve responsîbîîy o he Councî and îs members, he Commîssîon and he European Parîamen o maînaîn ha upward rend. Creaîng srucura, înnovaîve growh and jobs hereore remaîns he second key prîorîy în he Unîon.
ha means împemenîng exîsîng agreemens înallmember saes, sîmuaîng înnovaîve enrepreneurshîp, srenghenîng new servîces and secors wîh hîgh poenîa, joîny învesîng în research and concudîng uure-proo, baanced rade agreemens wîh hîrd counrîes. Feshîng ou he Dîgîa Sînge Marke Sraegy and he Sînge Marke Sraegy or goods and servîces îno specîIc proposas îs împoran o promoe înnovaîon în a secors o he European economy. Busînesses mus be gîven room o înnovae and creae jobs. Synergy can be achîeved în he areas o knowedge and înnovaîon by învesîng joîny, a EU eve, în înernaîona cooperaîon and compeîîveness. hîs wî ead o înnovaîve growh, jobs, and souîons o socîea chaenges. Modern, hîgh-quaîy educaîon în he member saes îs aso îndîspensabe or a srong economy, as î heps provîde peope wîh he necessary skîs or he uure.
A he same îme, he European Unîon mus proceed a u speed wîh modernîsîng, sîmpîyîng and – where possîbe – reducîng egîsaîon so ha EU aws reay work or cîîzens, busînesses and oca governmens. Unnecessarîy compîcaed rues mus be sîmpîIed, he admînîsraîve burden reduced, and he împac o egîsaîon assessed o ensure î does no hamper înnovaîon. ïnnovaîve growh and jobs aso meansgoodjobs. Free movemen o goods and servîces mus be vîewed în conjuncîon wîh ree movemen o workers: economîc reedoms mus no be abused o creae sham empoymen arrangemens ha aow empoyers o save money o he derîmen o heîr empoyees. BeTer proecîon or posed workers wî enhance he undamen-a reedom o ree movemen o workers wîhîn he Unîon.
|9|
|10|
Sound, uture-proo European inances and a robust eurozone he hîrd prîorîy concerns he Presîdency’s ocus onsound, future-proof European inances and a robust eurozone. Ater a deep crîsîs, recovery has now se în. Srucura reorms and sound Isca poîcy are bearîng ruî and many member saes are graduay Indîng heîr way o economîc recovery and rîsîng empoymen. hîs growh îs bosered by he împroved goba condîîons, încudîng ow oî prîces and he boosîng o învesmen hrough measures such as he EFSï. Neverheess, sagnaîng growh în emergîng markes poses a rîsk o hîs posîîve rend. PuTîng member saes back on he road o srucura economîc growh and maînaînîng sabîîy în he EMU wî requîre consan aTenîon. he EU member saes mus hereore press ahead wîh srucura reorms and coordînaed economîc poîcy. ïn hîs way we can guaranee heahy pubîc Inances în modern economîes. Agreemens made wîhîn he EMU mus be compîed wîh, so ha we can work owards a srong eurozone or pubîc auhorîîes, busînesses and cîîzens aîke. he împorance o sound European Inances aso exends o he European muîan-nua budge. he Neherands wî hereore aunch înîîaîves o sar a debae on a new and reormed muîannua budge.
Forward-lookîng polîcy on clîmate and energy As a ourh prîorîy, he Neherands wî emphasîse he cose cohesîon among he îssues o cîmae change, energy, he envîronmen and susaînabîîy. Economîc goas and he responsîbe use o naura resources and energy can be brough ogeher în afuture-proof model for sustaînable growth. he EU can boos hîs approach by sîmuaîng înnovaîve secors ha conrîbue o a ransîîon o a cîrcuar economy ha uses naura resources susaînaby. hîs îes în wîh he Commîssîon proposa on a cîrcuar economy and îs înenîon o presen a proposa or achîevîng he Susaînabe Deveopmen Goas (SDGs) wîhîn he EU and beyond. he Neherands wî press srongy or he urher deveop-men o a European Energy Unîon: srenghenîng he energy suppy, creaîng an înerna energy marke, makîng he EU ess energy-dependen, boosîng research and înnovaîon în he area o renewabe energy, and seTîng ou a uure-proo cîmae poîcy. he Parîs Agreemen ha was reached a he 21s Conerence o he Parîes (COP21) o he Unîed Naîons Framework Convenîon on Cîmae Change (UNFCCC) on 12 December 2015 wî orm an împoran poîn o deparure or hese efors.
Fînally Evens în he recen pas have repeaedy shown ha he Unîon – he European Commîssîon, he European Parîamen and he member saes as members o he Councî – îs abe o ake he necessary seps o acke major îssues. Wîh îs experîence and unîyîng srengh as a brîdge-buîder, he Neherands as hoder o he roaîng Presîdency îs commîTed o keepîng he European Unîon on course, parîcuary a he curren îme.
Sayîng on course ogeher îs essenîa: peace, securîy, prosperîy and democracy are achîevemens ha are oten aken or graned. Bu hese achîevemens a requîre aTenîon and efor o saeguard hem or he uure. An efecîve European Unîon – ocusîng on he essenîas, on înnovaîve growh and jobs and on makîng connecîons – îs he bes însrumen o saeguard hose achîevemens or our conînen.