Europese Raad overlegt over maatregelen om crisis op te lossen (en)
The Spanish Presidency considers this Council to be one of the most important in the history of Europe, due to the unprecedented crisis afflicting the economies of EU countries and as a result of the far-reaching measures being implemented.
In recent months, the EU has adopted measures to combat the collapse of the financial system and the recession, as well as to ensure eurozone stability. It has also prepared a future strategy the purpose of which is to return Europe to the path of job creation, growth and macroeconomic stability, while reinforcing financial supervision in order to prevent future crises.
This set of measures 'constitutes a structured and unitary whole' which will underpin the discussions between Heads of State and Government in Brussels, as the Spanish Secretary of State for the European Union explained to the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
'It will be a very busy day during which the focus will be on overcoming the crisis and strengthening the EU,' he said. The EU must create a strategy which emphasises not only short-term, but also medium- and long-term recovery from the crisis.
Four sections
In order to accomplish this the Spanish Presidency considers it essential to focus on four strategic areas:
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-fiscal consolidation
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-measures to prevent future crises
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-sustained growth and the creation of quality employment
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-economic governance
López Garrido said that the European Council's conclusions will refer to the importance of fiscal consolidation, in order for the EU to return, in 2017, to the fulfilment of the objectives set forth in the Maastricht Treaty.
The Council must also approve the new European Strategy for employment and growth, as well as reach agreement on quantifiable objectives in the areas of education, social inclusion and poverty reduction. Likewise, the conclusions will include a reference stressing the importance of the EU's using all of the means at its disposal, including structural funds, to overcome the crisis
As for the financial supervision package, with regard to which debate was initiated during the Swedish Presidency in the second semester of 2009, Mr López Garrido requested that the European Parliament adopt a constructive attitude, in order to reach an agreement as soon as possible.
With regard to economic governance he maintained the importance of co-ordinating economic policies in order to establish a true European economic union, whose nature is more than just monetary.
Other issues to be dealt with by the Council include the European position at the Toronto G20 summit, millennium development goals, the fight against climate change with an eye towards the Cancun Summit, the problem posed by Iran, the European pact on immigration and asylum, the initiation of accession negotiations with Iceland, the prospect of Estonia's entry into the eurozone and the increase in the number of members of parliament in the European Parliament.
The President of the European Commission, José Manuel Durao Barroso i, expressed his gratitude to the Government of Spain for its 'enormous contribution to Europe over the last six months' and expressed the opinion that the EU has responded well to this crisis.
'Now,' he said, 'we need to receive clear messages from the European Council and Parliament in order to maintain our forward momentum and begin to grow again, in a manner which is intelligent, sustainable and inclusive.'
The European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs, Ollie Rehn i, also expressed his gratitude to the Spanish Presidency and the European Commission for their 'excellent cooperation' and for 'the extraordinary results' attained at such a difficult time.
'We greatly appreciate what they have accomplished', he said.