Place: Justus Lipsius building, Brussels
Chair(s): Carole Dieschbourg, Minister for the Environment of Luxembourg
All times are approximate and subject to change
+/- 09.50 Doorstep by Minister Dieschbourg
+/- 10.00 Beginning of Environment Council meeting
Adoption of the agenda
+/- 10.05 Approval of legislative A items (in public session)
Approval of non-legislative A items
+/- 10.15 Preparations for Paris UN Climate Change Conference
+/- 12.50 AOB
Cycling as a mode of transport
+/- 13.00 Working lunch
+/- 14.00 Press conference (in public session)
A Tanács keretében működő Állandó Képviselők Bizottsága 2015. szeptember 16-án támogatta azt a bizottsági javaslatot, amelynek célja, hogy a növekedés fellendítése és a munkahelyteremtés érdekében segítsen Görögországnak az uniós alapok lehető legnagyobb mértékű igénybevételében és a likviditás javításában. Görögországban sürgősen beruházásokra lenne szükség, ám ehhez nem áll rendelkezésre elegendő közpénz. A javaslat fő célja e hiány ellensúlyozása és annak biztosítása, hogy az érintett európai strukturális és beruházási alapok nyújtotta lehetőségeket a lehető legrövidebb időn belül ki lehessen aknázni az országban. A most jóváhagyott intézkedések rendkívüli jellegűek, céljuk pedig a görög pénzügyi válság miatt előállt egyedi helyzet enyhítése.
A rendelettervezet 2 milliárd EUR körüli összeggel javítaná Görögország likviditását. Ez a következők révén valósulna meg:
A 2 milliárd EUR teljes összeget a 2014–2020-as időszak elejére ütemeznék, hatása pedig ugyanezen időszak költségvetése szempontjából semleges lenne.
Következő lépésekA Tanács által elfogadott álláspont révén a luxemburgi elnökség egyúttal megbízatást is kap arra, hogy folytasson megbeszéléseket az Európai Parlament képviselőivel. Ha a Tanácsnak és a Parlamentnek sikerül megállapodást elérnie, azt mindkét intézménynek hivatalosan is jóvá kell hagynia.
HáttérA kohéziós politika célja az EU különböző régióiban tapasztalható fejlettségbeli különbségek csökkentése a gazdasági növekedés, a munkahelyteremtés és a versenyképesség előmozdítása révén.
Görögországban az uniós források jelentik a közvetlen külföldi befektetések legfőbb forrását. A 2007–2013-as programozási időszakban mintegy 42 milliárd EUR összeget különítettek el Görögország részére. Ez az összeg a következőkből adódik össze: körülbelül 24 milliárd EUR az európai strukturális és kohéziós alapokból és a halászati és vidékfejlesztési alapokból, valamint körülbelül 17 milliárd EUR a mezőgazdasági termelőknek nyújtott közvetlen kifizetésekre és az agrárpiacok támogatására irányuló intézkedésekre. Görögország eddig 38,4 milliárd eurót kapott, ami a szóban forgó időszakot tekintve az ország átlagos éves GDP-jének 17,5%-t teszi ki. A kohéziós politika keretében még mintegy 2 milliárd EUR rendelkezésre áll; ha 2015 végéig Görögország ezt nem használja fel, elesik az összegtől.
A 2014–2020-as időszakra több mint 35 milliárd eurót különítettek el Görögország részére. Ez az összeg a következőkből adódik össze: 20 milliárd EUR az európai strukturális és beruházási alapokból, valamint több mint 15 milliárd EUR a mezőgazdasági termelőknek nyújtott közvetlen kifizetésekre és az agrárpiacok támogatására irányuló intézkedésekre. Ezekből az előirányzott összegekből 2014-től 2015 júliusáig 4,5 milliárd EUR került kifizetésre.
A tagállamok kormányainak képviselői 2015. szeptember 16-án négy bírát és egy főtanácsnokot neveztek ki az Európai Bíróság testületébe.
Mihaíl Vilarász (Görögország) és Eugene Regan (Írország) újonnan kapta meg bírói kinevezését, Camelia Toader (Románia) és Marko Ilešič (Szlovénia) bírói megbízatását pedig további hat évre megújították. A Bíróság főtanácsnokává Manuel Campos Sánchez-Bordonát (Spanyolország) nevezték ki. Mindegyikük hivatali ideje 2015. október 7-től 2021. október 6-ig tart.
A tagállamok kormányainak képviselői Ian Stewart Forrestert (Egyesült Királyság) nevezték ki a Törvényszék bírájává a leköszönő Nicholas Forwood (Egyesült Királyság) hivatali idejének fennmaradó részére, azaz a 2015. október 1-jétől 2019. augusztus 31-ig tartó időszakra. Ezenfelül megújították a Törvényszék két bírájának, Juraj Schwarcznak (Szlovákia) és Heikki Kanninennek (Finnország) a megbízatását 2016. szeptember 1-jétől 2022. augusztus 31-ig.
Az Európai Bíróság három bírói testületből áll: magából az Európai Bíróságból, valamint a Törvényszékből és Közszolgálati Törvényszékből.
A Bíróság jelenleg huszonnyolc bírából és kilenc főtanácsnokból áll. A Tanács 2013-ban úgy határozott, hogy 2015. október 7-től tizenegyre növeli a főtanácsnokok számát. Háromévente a bírói és főtanácsnoki kar részleges megújítására kerül sor. 2015. október 6-án tizennégy bíró és négy főtanácsnok hivatali ideje lejár. A bírói és főtanácsnoki kar 2015. évi részleges megújításának keretében 2014. szeptember 24-én, valamint 2015. április1-jén és június 12-én már sor került tíz bíró (a belga, a spanyol, a lengyel, a luxemburgi, a horvát, a finn, az észt, a szlovák, a magyar és a dán) és négy főtanácsnok (az egyesült királysági, a német, a dán és a cseh) kinevezésére. Ennek megfelelően a szeptember 16-i kinevezésekkel a testület 2015. évi részleges megújítása befejeződött. A főtanácsnoki kar létszámának két fővel történő növeléséhez azonban még ki kell nevezni a bolgár főtanácsnokot.
A Törvényszék jelenleg huszonnyolc bírából áll. A Bírósághoz hasonlóan háromévente a Törvényszék bírói karát is részlegesen megújítják. 2016. augusztus 31-én tizennégy bíró hivatali ideje lejár.
A Bíróság bíráinak és főtanácsnokainak, valamint a Törvényszék bíráinak hivatali ideje hat év, amely megújítható. Mind a Bíróság, mind a Törvényszék elnökét a bírák maguk közül választják meg hároméves időtartamra. Az elnök újraválasztható.
I have learnt with great sorrow of the horrific accident provoked by the collapse of a crane at the Grand Mosque in Mecca.
My thoughts are with the families of the victims. On behalf of the European Union, I would like to convey my sincere condolences to the bereaved families and wish a prompt recovery to the wounded.
1. The Eighth Summit between the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the European Union (EU) took place in Seoul on September 15, 2015. The ROK was represented by President Park Geun-hye and the EU was represented by Mr. Donald Tusk, President of the European Council and Commissioner Cecilia Malmström representing the President of the European Commission.
TAKING THE ROK-EU STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP TO THE NEXT LEVEL
2. The Leaders expressed their satisfaction with the progress the strategic partnership has made since 2010 and with specific cooperation since the Seventh Summit in 2013. The ROK and the EU agreed to continue to invest in these comprehensive, mutually beneficial and future-oriented relations.
3. The Leaders noted that the ROK is the EU's first and only partner that has signed all the three fundamental bilateral agreements with the EU. They welcomed that the Framework Agreement officially entered into force in June 2014 and also looked forward to the Free Trade Agreement fully entering into force at the earliest date, if possible within this year, with the completion of the ratification process. The Leaders looked forward to the completion of the ratification of the Framework Participation Agreement establishing a framework for joint crisis management operations. In this respect, the EU welcomed the intention of the ROK to join the EU's counter-piracy efforts in the Gulf of Aden of Somalia in the EU Atalanta operation with the understanding that the ROK will require the National Assembly's consent to this end.
4. The leaders welcomed the expansion of cooperation on regional and global political and security issues between the ROK and the EU and highlighted the frequent exchanges between the ROK Foreign Minister and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs.
5. The Leaders noted that July 1, 2015 marked the fourth anniversary of the entry into force of the ambitious ROK-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) which contributed to an expansion of bilateral trade. The Leaders agreed that the full implementation of the FTA and increase in trade volume between the ROK and the EU is important, in order to bring the expected benefits to both sides in a balanced way. In this respect, the Leaders encouraged their trade officials to produce tangible outcomes on the FTA implementation issues. With a common understanding on the importance of distributing the benefits of the FTA to both sides and contributing to sustainable development, the Leaders committed to ensuring the FTA serves the best interests of Korea and the EU in a mutually beneficial and forward-looking manner.
6. The Leaders acknowledged that investment is the key to create jobs and growth. Noting that the EU is the top foreign investor in the ROK and the Korean investment flows into the EU has also increased, the Leaders agreed to further promote bilateral investment. Considering that the FTA does not include provisions on investment protection, both sides agreed to explore ways to improve investment norms, while continuing discussion on other FTA improvements.
7. Both sides confirmed their interest in encouraging mutual opportunities for investment, including the Investment Plan for Europe and EU investment into the ROK. The Leaders welcomed the expanding business to business links between the EU and the ROK that are boosting and facilitating trade and investment opportunities.
8. The Leaders welcomed the substantial progress made in the ROK-EU cooperation on research and innovation and the creative economy, including the outcome of the 5th Joint Science & Technology Cooperation Committee in June 2015 where it was agreed to continue improving the framework conditions and to deepen and scale-up the ongoing cooperation in the selected thematic areas of nanotechnology, nanoelectronics, information communication technology (ICT), health and biomedical challenges, energy, and satellite navigation and to promote researcher's mobility. They looked forward to the upcoming launch of joint research and innovation projects in the area of next generation mobile telecommunications networks (5G) and Internet of Things and Cloud Computing under the 2016-2017 Horizon 2020 Work Programme and the prospects for related cooperation on 5G standards and spectrum allocation. They welcomed the agreement to engage in a twinning collaboration on carbon capture technologies and processes. The Leaders also recognised that since the ROK became a member of the Eurostars-2 Program in 2014, cooperation between SMEs of both sides has contributed to further joint research and technological development. They further shared the view that this cooperation should be continued to promote SMEs' technological competitiveness and encourage entry into third markets.
9. The Leaders agreed that the High-level Industry Policy Dialogue (IPD) should continue to act as a framework to strengthen cooperation in the area of industrial policy, facilitating bilateral discussion on ways to enhance industrial competitiveness, entrepreneurship, innovation, and support for SMEs of both sides. The Leaders agreed that following the first IPD in Brussels on September 2014, the second IPD will be held in Seoul at the earliest possible date. The Leaders shared the view that both sides should cooperate to promote energy security and increase energy efficiency in various fields such as electricity, gas, and renewable energy.
10. The Leaders, with satisfaction, noted the progress made by the ROK in the prevention, deterrence and elimination of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing through the establishment of a robust IUU control system. This progress was made possible with the strong commitment of the Korean government to the fight against IUU fishing and the close cooperation between the ROK and the EU. The parties may further establish and consolidate a technical working group, possibly followed by a Joint Statement. The Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to taking the bilateral cooperation to the next level, going beyond IUU-related issues, with a view to closer cooperation on oceans policies and strengthening global ocean governance including sustainable use of ocean resources, climate change, and sustainable fisheries and aquaculture.
11. The Leaders welcomed the progress made in the field of competition policy cooperation. The main forum for cooperation is the bilateral meeting held between the Chairman of the Korea Fair Trade Commission and the European Commissioner for Competition Policy based on the Cooperation Agreement on Anti-competitive Activities signed in 2009 and the Competition chapter in the Korea-EU FTA. Both sides shared the view that there is a continued need for enhanced cooperation to protect international trade from global anti-competitive practices.
12. The Leaders emphasized the importance of ensuring the openness and security of cyberspace for it to continue being a driving force for the freedom, prosperity and economic growth of mankind. They agreed to increase bilateral cooperation on cyberspace as well as to strengthen the global partnership in response to threats arising from cyberspace. They welcomed the two rounds of the ROK-EU Cyber Policy Consultation as a useful platform for sharing views and information on cyber issues and agreed to explore ways to enhance cooperation including between Korea Computer Emergency Response Team (Kr-CERT) and EU Computer Emergency Response Team (EU-CERT).
13. The Leaders noted with satisfaction that bilateral exchange and cooperation in the fields of culture and education have been expanding. Sharing the view that strengthening the communication between the peoples of the ROK and the EU contributes to deepening and developing bilateral relations, the Leaders agreed to cooperate closely in supporting networks among their cultural and creative industries and promoting people-to-people exchange in the field of education and youth, in particular through the Erasmus+ programme.
STEPPING UP COOPERATION ON FOREIGN AND SECURITY POLICY
14. The Leaders strongly condemned the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s continued development of its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, including its plutonium and uranium enrichment program and ballistic missile launches, and called on the DPRK to cease all related activities immediately as required by the relevant UN Security Council resolutions. Reaffirming that the DPRK cannot have the status of a nuclear-weapon state, the Leaders strongly urged the DPRK to abandon all its nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programmes in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner and return, at an early date, to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards and join the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). They called on the DPRK to fully comply with its obligations under the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and to refrain from any further provocation. The Leaders reaffirmed their firm support for the Six-Party Talks and urged the DPRK to respond to diplomatic efforts aimed at creating favorable conditions for their resumption and take concrete steps to honor its commitments under the 19 September 2005 Joint Statement of the Six-Party Talks.
15. The Leaders shared the international community's grave concern over the human rights' situation in the DPRK as documented in last year's UN Commission of Inquiry report, and urged the DPRK to fully implement the recommendations of the report to improve its human rights' situation. The Leaders agreed to remain dedicated to working with the international community to improve the human rights situation in the DPRK, and urge the DPRK to cooperate with relevant UN mechanisms. The Leaders reaffirmed the need to ensure that the safety and well-being of the refugees and asylum seekers be guaranteed in full compliance of international law, including the principle of non-refoulement.
16. Underlining that enhanced relations between the two Koreas with the perspective of peaceful reunification would contribute greatly to the peace and prosperity not only on the Korean Peninsula, but also in the world, the Leaders agreed on the need for dialogue and cooperation. The EU appreciated the ROK government's endeavours and offers of dialogue towards unification. In this regard, the EU supported the peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula based on the improvement of inter-Korean relations while reaffirming its support for the ROK's Trust-Building Process on the Korean Peninsula. The ROK appreciated the EU policy of critical engagement towards the DPRK.
17. The Leaders discussed the security situation in East Asia and highlighted that regional cooperation needs to be strengthened in order to build trust, which would serve as the foundation for prosperity and stability in the region and beyond. In this regard, the EU reaffirmed its continued support for the multilateral process promoted by the ROK's Northeast Asia Peace and Cooperation Initiative (NAPCI). President Park appreciated that the EU has made indispensable contributions to developing NAPCI by sharing its experience on regional multilateral cooperation in particular during the ROK-EU Joint Seminars in Seoul in 2014 and in Brussels in 2015. The EU Leader expressed support for the active role of the ROK as the chair country in leading the trilateral cooperation among the ROK, Japan and China and welcomed the ROK's hosting of the 6th ROK-Japan-China Trilateral Summit in the near future.
18. The Leaders underscored the important role of ASEM as a platform for political dialogue, economic cooperation and cultural and social exchanges between Asia and Europe and reaffirmed their commitment to seeking a new impetus for the ASEM process in the lead up to ASEM's 20th Anniversary in 2016. The Leaders agreed that ASEM should continue carrying out tangible and result-oriented activities that would serve the interests of people in both regions and increase ASEM's relevance. In this regard, they looked forward to the work of the ASEM Foreign Ministers and the Senior Officials on drawing up concrete recommendations for the future direction of ASEM to be submitted at the next Summit in 2016.
President Park also acknowledged the value of the EU's aspiration to participate in the East Asia Summit.
19. The Leaders also emphasized the importance of forging stronger physical, digital, cultural, educational and people-to-people links between Asia and Europe as exemplified by the Trans-Eurasia Information Network and resolved to further enhance the connectivity between the two regions. Both parties expressed their support for the initiatives on inter-connectivity taken to realize the vision and goals laid out in the 10th ASEM Summit's Chair Statement including the "Eurasia Initiative" presented by President Park.
20. The Leaders expressed their concern about the escalation of fighting in eastern Ukraine. Both sides stressed that resolution of the situation in eastern regions of Ukraine can only be achieved through a peaceful settlement and called on all sides to engage in meaningful dialogue to resolve the crisis. In this context the ROK and the EU agreed that the Minsk agreements must be swiftly and fully implemented. They reiterated the need for full respect for international law, especially respect for Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence. The Leaders agreed that adherence to the United Nations Charter is of paramount importance in maintaining international peace and security. Leaders also pledged to explore new opportunities for cooperation aimed at the modernization of Ukraine and other eastern European countries, as well as in the Western Balkans and Black Sea region.
21. The leaders expressed deep concerns with the instability and dire humanitarian situation in several Middle Eastern countries sharing the view that finding a political solution is of critical importance in ending conflicts that have caused so much human suffering and destruction and securing long-term peace and stability in the region. They also evaluated that the emergence of violent extremists and terrorist groups has aggravated the instability in the Middle East, and emphasized the necessity of the international community's continued efforts to counter them.
22. Leaders welcomed the bilateral policy consultations on the Middle East and North Africa between the ROK and the EU and the first ROK-EU International Conference on Middle Eastern and North African Affairs in Seoul in March 2015. These consultations deepen the mutual understanding on the region, and are the basis for an ever closer cooperation of the two sides on issues of international security and stability, development assistance and cooperation in international fora dealing inter alia with the conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Libya, and countering the threats of terrorism and extremism.
23. The Leaders shared the view that violent extremism and terrorism not only threaten global peace and security but also severely undermine the shared values of humanity such as human dignity and respect for diversity. In this respect, they highly appreciated the international community's active responses to these threats including the adoption of UNSC Resolution 2178, and agreed to join these efforts by implementing UNSC resolutions and strengthening cooperation at various levels. They also emphasized the importance of the international community's efforts to address the factors conducive to violent extremism and radicalization, including by countering extreme messages, and stressed the importance of sustainable political solutions. An inclusive political transition in Syria and inclusive political governance in Iraq are crucial to sustainable peace and stability in the region. Both sides strongly support the efforts by the United Nations in Libya, Syria, Yemen and Iraq.
ENCHANCING COOPERATION FOR GLOBAL WELFARE AND SAFER FUTURE
24. Recognizing the G20's crucial role in achieving strong, sustainable and balanced growth, the Leaders agreed to continue to cooperate closely at the G20 level. The Leaders shared the view that it is necessary to strengthen economic policy cooperation in the G20 to respond to the risks to the global economy and expressed support for the ongoing efforts by the ROK and the EU for structural reforms.
25. Reaffirming the important role of trade as an engine of economic growth and job creation, the Leaders stressed that the G20 needs to exercise leadership in strengthening the Multilateral Trading System. In this regard, they shared the view that the G20 needs to send a strong political message at the 10th WTO Ministerial Conference in Nairobi (15-18 December 2015) in view of promoting employment and growth worldwide. They also agreed to work closely together to produce realistic outcomes on all areas of the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) at the 10th WTO Ministerial Conference in Nairobi. Ratification of the Trade Facilitation Agreement and finalising the expansion of the Information Technology Agreement (ITA), including agreement on staging period should be part of the outcome. Both sides will work together to reach ambitious, balanced and environmentally credible outcome to the Environmental Goods Agreement (EGA).
26. With regard to climate change, the Leaders confirmed their resolve to play their part in concluding at COP21 a global, internationally legally binding Agreement applicable to all Parties that will put the world on track to limiting the increase in global average temperature to 2℃ above pre-industrial levels. They are committed to work together and with other countries towards an Agreement that would be ambitious, effective, durable, flexible and inclusive, and spur cooperative action for the transformation to a low-carbon economy. The Agreement must include adequate provisions on the transparency and accountability of all Parties towards their commitments and reflect the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities in light of different national circumstances. It must also address adaptation to climate change and climate finance, in particular through the Green Climate Fund (GCF). The leaders also affirmed their ambition to make the GCF fully operational in 2015 and the main operating entity of the financial mechanism of the Post-2020 climate regime. The EU will explore the possibility of cooperating with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI).
27. The Leaders emphasized the importance of accelerating the implementation of climate action between now and 2020 and confirmed that they would continue to look for further pre-2020 mitigation opportunities. Looking beyond 2020, they commended those Parties that have submitted their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) to the new Agreement. They welcomed particularly the voluntary contributions from the Least-Developed Countries. They called on all others, particularly on major and emerging economies, to urgently submit their INDCs in a way to facilitate clarity, transparency and understanding. The Leaders committed to strengthening bilateral cooperation on climate action and welcomed the bilateral technical cooperation project to be launched in 2016 under the EU Partnership Instrument concerning the Emission Trading Scheme in Korea. They also committed to working together ever closer in international forums relevant to climate change other than the UNFCCC.
28. The Leaders agreed on the need to take measures promoting a transition into a more "Circular Economy" that preserves the added value of materials and energy in the economic cycle for as long as possible and avoids waste. In this context, they noted the 19th Eco-Innovation Forum which will be held in October in Seoul.
29. The Leaders looked forward to the successful adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. They agreed that the EU and the ROK should work together closely in agreeing and implementing an ambitious agenda, reinforcing the international community's commitment to poverty eradication and sustainable development, with the Sustainable Development Goals and targets at the core. They reaffirmed the importance of promoting development effectiveness in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and agreed to make further efforts to advance the Busan Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation. The Leaders agreed that their development policies and measures should be in line with the 2030 Agenda. They also agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation on development issues through the ROK-EU Policy Consultation on Development.
30. The Leaders agreed that promotion and protection of human rights is crucial to maintain peace and security and achieve sustainable development. They shared the view that complex crises and attempts to shrink the space for civil society around the world required attention and joint efforts. In this context, they committed to further enhance cooperation in the field of human rights. They noted with satisfaction the rich exchange of views through the ROK-EU Consultations on Human Rights with a particular focus on cooperation in multilateral forums.
31. The Leaders appreciated the broad convergence of views between the ROK and the EU on non-proliferation and disarmament issues. They looked forward to working constructively on, inter alia, the effective implementation and universalization of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) and Arms Trade Treaty (ATT); the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC); the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC); the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty (CTBT); the establishment of the International Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities (ICOC); as well as the next Nuclear Security Summit (NSS), along with the nuclear security issues in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
32. The Leaders welcomed the agreement on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue, reached between the E3/EU+3 and Iran, facilitated by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign and Security Policy, in Vienna on July 14, and the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015) endorsing the JCPOA. President Park commended the diplomatic efforts and political will demonstrated by the E3/EU+3 and Iran in the course of the negotiations. They also welcomed the agreement between Iran and the IAEA on the Roadmap for the Clarification of Past and Present Outstanding Issues regarding Iran's Nuclear Program. The Leaders shared the view that the faithful implementation of the JCPOA by Iran and the international community will contribute to strengthening the international nuclear non-proliferation regime and promoting peace and stability in the Middle East. They expressed their willingness to provide support and cooperate for the full implementation of the agreement.
Press remarks by European Council President Tusk at the joint Press Conference after the EU-RoK Summit,
Seoul 15 September 2015
Thank you, Madam President, for your kind words and warm welcome.
During challenging times, such as we are facing now in Europe with the refugee crisis, it is important to remain in close touch with old friends and resolute partners.
And, indeed, the European Union and the Republic of Korea are close. We share the same principles and hopes. And we share the same values, which lie at the heart of our strategic partnership. Europe is now this country's largest investor, helping to generate jobs and wealth here. We are working closely on shared foreign policy challenges. Together, we are breaking new ground in science and technology.
Madam President, let me touch on some of the topics we covered today that stand out for me:
I was impressed with progress in relations across your region over the summer. The announcement of a new trilateral summit between Korea, China and Japan shows the efforts you have been making on this front. This endeavour will be decisive in strengthening the stability and prosperity of your region in the coming years.
I also want to congratulate you on how you helped transform the recent crisis at the border with your neighbour to the North into a settlement, which could herald positive developments. I wish you success with the family reunions' programme - the most simple but also the most evocative way to build bridges between your two countries. I also welcome efforts to have more exchanges between ROK and DPRK, and so to better cope with future stresses and strains that are sure to arise. The European Union supports a peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula and we really appreciate your personal engagement.
At the summit, we discussed regional issues affecting the European neighbourhood. I expressed my thanks to Korea for having voted in favour of United Nations General Assembly Resolution condemning Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea. We also agreed to support full and rapid implementation of the Minsk Agreements by all sides. This also includes Russia.
We both view investing in science and technology as key to generating future jobs and growth in our economies. We have seen a major leap in exchanges of researchers, of joint projects between Korean and European institutions and the opening of new areas of cooperation, such as the commitment to work jointly on development of 5G. Today, we agreed to further strengthen our cooperation in this area.
We also agreed to explore ways to use our Free Trade Agreement to grow closer together on both trade and investment. The three framework agreements we have signed since 2010 go beyond trade, investment and economic cooperation, however. They have also opened up the possibility to work together in the political and security spheres. We have already deepened our efforts in this area since the last summit. And I was very gratified to hear today of your country's intention to expand cooperation further with us, such as in the counter-piracy operations off the Horn of Africa.
We lastly discussed in our meetings the global challenges that we face around the world. Again, we discussed solutions to better tackle those challenges, whether it be countering threats such as terrorism or climate change.
In three months, Paris will see one of the most important international events of the year: the UN climate conference, whose goal is to adopt a new climate change agreement. Climate change may put at risk not only the environment, but also prosperity, or even more broadly stability and security. To reach the deal, the European Union submitted the most ambitious contribution to date. In order to succeed, we need others, in particular major economies like the Korean, to join our lead in this process.
I end our meetings today absolutely optimistic for the future of our relations. I am confident that the friendship and strategic partnership we enjoy is expanding and deepening, and will continue to do so.
Thank you, Madam President.
The Council adopted a decision establishing provisional measures in the area of international protection for the benefit of Italy and Greece.
This decision establishes a temporary and exceptional relocation mechanism over two years from the frontline member states Italy and Greece to other member states. It will apply to persons in clear need of international protection who have arrived or are arriving on the territory of those member states as from 15 August 2015 until 16 September 2017.
Jean Asselborn, Luxembourg's Minister for Immigration and Asylum and President of the Council said: "I am delighted that the Council has now been able to adopt this Decision. This is an important political message. Indeed, the first relocations of people in need of international protection can start quickly. At the same time, the "hotspots" in Italy and Greece now have the necessary legal basis to start working. Now that the Council is discussing an additional emergency relocation proposal, it is very important to see that the first mechanism is set up and begins to produce its effects".
The representatives of the governments of the member states meeting within the Council agreed by consensus on 20 July on the distribution of 32 256 persons. They also agreed to update the figures by December 2015 with a view to reaching the overall number of 40 000 in accordance with the commitment taken at the European Council on 25-26 June 2015.
The member states participating in the mechanism will receive a lump sum of 6 000 EUR for each relocated person.
The special procedure for the adoption of the decision establishes that the Council will consult the European Parliament. On 9 September the European Parliament adopted its opinion.
Denmark and the United Kingdom are not participating in this decision.
A Tanács értékelése szerint teljesülnek a feltételei annak, hogy az EUNAVFOR Med műveletei a második, nyílt tengeri szakasz első alszakaszába lépjenek. A haditengerészeti művelet az első szakaszban kitűzött összes katonai célt teljesítette, amelyek különösen az információk és bűnüldözési operatív információk gyűjtésére és elemzésére vonatkoztak.
Az értékelés hivatalos része annak az eljárásnak, amellyel tovább lehet lépni a műveletek második, nyílt tengeri szakaszába. Ezt követően hamarosan sor kerül egy haderő-generálási konferenciára és a második szakasz művelet-végrehajtási szabályainak jóváhagyására. Miután elfogadták a szabályokat és a műveleti parancsnok jelezte, hogy a szükséges eszközök rendelkezésre állnak, a Politikai és Biztonsági Bizottság keretében ülésező uniós nagykövetek meghatározzák a második szakasz első alszakaszának indítási időpontját.
Az új szakaszba lépéssel lehetővé válik, hogy a földközi-tengeri embercsempészek és emberkereskedők elleni uniós haditengerészeti művelet keretében a nyílt tengeren a gyaníthatóan embercsempészet vagy emberkereskedelem céljára használt hajók fedélzetére lépjenek, a hajót átkutassák, lefoglalják és átirányítsák, a nemzetközi jognak megfelelően.
A Tanács hat hónappal meghosszabbította az Ukrajna területi integritása, szuverenitása és függetlensége ellen irányuló lépések miatt bevezetett uniós korlátozó intézkedések alkalmazását.
Emellett 2016. március 15-ig meghosszabbította a pénzügyi eszközök befagyasztását és az utazási tilalmat, amely 149 személyt és 37 szervezetet érint.
A helyzet értékelését követően a Tanács nem tartotta indokoltnak sem a szankciórendszernek, sem a korlátozó intézkedések hatálya alá tartozó személyek és szervezetek listájának módosítását. A listáról egy elhunyt személyt töröltek.
A jogi aktusok az EU Hivatalos Lapjának 2015. szeptember 15-i számában olvashatók.
Place: Justus Lipsius building, Brussels
Chair: Jean Asselborn, Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Luxembourg
All times are approximate and subject to change
+/- 08.00 Arrivals
+/- 09.10 Doorstep by Minister Asselborn
+/- 09.30 Beginning of Council meeting
+/- 09.30 Presentation of the working programme - Luxembourg Presidency (in public session)
+/- 09.50 Approval of legislative A items (in public session)
from 10.00 Preparation of the European Council (15-16 October 2015)
Commission working programme 2016
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The Eurogroup welcomes the successful conclusion of the seventh review mission in the context of Cyprus' macroeconomic adjustment programme, which took place in July. The fiscal developments continue to exceed expectations, the financial situation of the banks is showing signs of gradual improvement and some progress has been noted on important growth-enhancing reforms. The Eurogroup is encouraged that the economic recovery in Cyprus is gaining strength, the labour market showing signs of stabilization, although unemployment remains at a high level, and that the economy showed overall resilience in the past months.
The Eurogroup recalls that addressing the excessive level of non-performing loans remains a top priority for Cyprus in order to reignite credit growth and ensure that banks continue to improve their resilience. In this regard, we stress the importance of an effective implementation of the recently enacted insolvency legislation and of the enhanced foreclosure framework, together with other measures adopted recently to speed up the reduction of arrears. The determined pursuit of financial sector reforms, including legislation to facilitate the sale of loans, remains necessary to secure a decisive reversal of the non-performing loan trend.
The Eurogroup commends the Cypriot authorities for the progress that has been made to date, and calls on them to keep up the reform momentum. The timely implementation of the growth-enhancing reform agenda, including privatisation and public administration reform, is essential in order to restore Cyprus' growth potential, while safeguarding the protection of the most vulnerable groups.
The Eurogroup agrees to endorse in principle the updated Memorandum of Understanding as well as the disbursement of the next tranche of financial assistance to Cyprus. We consider that the necessary elements are now in place to launch the relevant national procedures, paving the way to the formal approval by the ESM governing bodies of a disbursement of EUR 500 million in October. Concurrently, the IMF Executive Board is expected to decide on the disbursement of about EUR 125 million.
Following our agreement in September 2014 on common principles guiding euro area Member States' reforms to reduce the tax wedge on labour, the Eurogroup has discussed benchmarking as a tool to further inform and support reforms in this area.
The Eurogroup recalls that lowering the tax burden on labour has the potential to boost growth and support employment, as well as contributing to the smooth functioning of the EMU. The reforms undertaken recently in this area are steps in the right direction, and additional efforts should be pursued. Against this background, the Eurogroup considers benchmarking to be a useful tool for highlighting the possible need and scope for reform in this field in individual Member States and in the euro area as a whole.
The Eurogroup has agreed to benchmark euro area Member States' tax burden on labour against the GDP-weighted EU average, relying in the first instance on indicators measuring the tax wedge on labour for a single worker at average wage and a single worker at low wage. We will also relate this to the OECD average for purposes of broader comparability. This benchmark fulfils a number of criteria which should be met for a benchmark to be effective. It is simple, measurable and under the control of policy makers.
This benchmarking exercise, together with a continued exchange of best practices within the Eurogroup, can provide valuable support for further labour tax reform initiatives at the national level where applicable, thus giving fresh impetus for carrying reforms forward in euro area Member States. The benchmarking exercise will take place within the context of existing processes and surveillance mechanisms, in particular the European semester monitoring. The Eurogroup will also take stock of the state of play in the reduction of the tax burden on labour when discussing the draft budgetary plans of euro area Member States.
As the tax burden on labour interacts with other labour market features, monitoring needs to be part of a more comprehensive approach, examining the level of labour taxation in its full country-specific policy context, in line with the common principles adopted in September 2014. A full assessment of the urgency - and the potential benefit - for any given Member State to reduce the labour tax wedge should also make use of, indicators and country-specific information on, inter alia, the actual economic situation, in particular employment levels in specific demographic groups and overall, the level and design of social protection (including its impact on the level of social security contributions), total labour costs dynamics over the medium run and other labour market features. Moreover, in line with the common principles adopted in September 2014, given limited fiscal space, reducing the tax burden on labour should be accompanied by either a compensatory reduction in (non-productive) expenditure, or by shifting labour taxes towards taxes less detrimental to growth, in full respect of the existing EU economic surveillance framework, in particular the Stability and Growth Pact.
"We would like to sincerely congratulate Prime Minister Lee on his reappointment in this historic year for the people of Singapore. We wish him every success in his renewed mandate and look forward to continuing the excellent cooperation we enjoy.
Our Free Trade and Partnership and Cooperation Agreements will deepen our bilateral ties and enable us to better address emerging global challenges. These Agreements will also serve as stepping stones for greater engagement between the EU and Southeast Asia.
As Singapore prepares for the future, we look forward to meeting Prime Minister Lee to discuss the next chapter of our relationship."
I am happy to be in Cyprus today on my first visit as President of the European Council. President Anastasiades, thank you for welcoming me. Our meeting takes place at a challenging time for this island and for Europe. And this is what we have discussed today.
First, I warmly welcome the promising resumption of Cyprus settlement talks. I see a real chance to solve this with both parties committed to achieving a lasting solution. A real interest and willingness to act from all parties is the way forward.
The next three months will be critical to eliminate obstacles to the necessary mutual understanding and trust. I have told President Anastasiades today the European Union will continue full and resolute support to the settlement process within the UN framework. We stand ready to provide whatever practical support both parties and the UN would find most useful.
A historical moment is at hand. It should not be missed. Let me assure you that I am ready to do whatever it takes not to miss this one. To the benefit of all of Cyprus, and of Europe.
We also discussed the Middle East and the role of Cyprus as a regional player. I am grateful for President Anastasiades' constructive contribution to help resolve crises in our neighbourhood. Europe has a huge interest in this part of the world. Recent events have underlined how deeply we are all affected by what happens in our neighbourhood.
In this context we also discussed the refugee crisis. This visit is part of my consultations with Member States on how to tackle this huge challenge, incl. the questions of relocation and resettlement. Cyprus is a good example of a country that is ready to help and show solidarity. The time has come to take decisions. Justice and Home Affairs ministers are meeting Monday at an emergency session. From that meeting we will need a concrete, positive sign of solidarity and unity. After contacts that I had with Member States the last few days, I feel more hopeful today that we are closer to finding a solution based on consensus and genuine solidarity. Without such a decision, I will have to call an emergency meeting of the European Council still in September.
President Anastasiades and I also discussed the economic development of Cyprus. I was pleased to hear how the efforts by the people of Cyprus are bringing positive results. It will be important to maintain this momentum and to advance on structural reforms. This will strengthen public finances and lay the ground for sustained growth and job creation now and in the future. I am thankful for the constructive role you have played and will continue to play in the European Union. Thank you.
Üdvözlöm Önöket! Orbán Viktor miniszterelnök sürgősen tárgyalni kívánt velem és az európai intézmények más vezetőivel a Magyarországon kialakult helyzetről. Nem mindenki fogadja örömmel a miniszterelnök által javasolt ellentmondásos megoldásokat, és ezt meg is tudom érteni. Egy dolog mindenképpen világos: Orbán Viktor lépéseket tett az uniós határok védelmének megerősítésére.
Az óriási és egyre növekvő menekültáradat azonban ennél többet követel az európai országoktól. Mindenki számára nyilvánvaló, hogy az uniós országok migrációs politikája nem fog egyik napról a másikra megváltozni. Látni kell azonban azt is, hogy a menekültkérdéshez való mai hozzáállásunk nem más, mint az európai szolidaritás Európán belüli kifejeződése. Elvárjuk, hogy a közvetlenül nem érintett országok, amelyek a múltban már megtapasztalhatták az európai szolidaritást, most hasonló szolidaritást vállaljanak a menekültválsággal küzdő országokkal. Valódi paradoxonnal állunk szemben: ma a legnagyobb európai országoknak, például Németországnak és Olaszországnak van szüksége a szolidaritásunkra. És Magyarországnak is.
Ugyanakkor komolyan kell vennünk azt a feladatot, hogy határaink megerősítésével megfékezzük a menekülthullámot, és Európa kulcsait visszaszerezzük a csempészektől és gyilkosoktól. E két megközelítésnek, a szolidaritásnak és a megfékezésnek meg kell férnie egymás mellett. Megbocsáthatatlan lenne, ha Európa két részre szakadna, és egyik fele a magyar határon húzódó kerítéssel jelképezett megfékezést, másik fele pedig a teljes nyitottságot – egyes politikusok szóhasználatával élve a nyitott ajtók és ablakok politikáját – támogatná.
Ma az Európai Unió minden tagjának komoly próbát kell kiállnia. Ezért minden uniós vezetőt arra szólítok fel, hogy kettőzze meg erőfeszítéseit, amikor szolidaritást kell vállalni azokkal a tagállamokkal, amelyek e példátlan mértékű menekülthullámmal szembesülnek. Több menekült befogadása nem az egyetlen, de mindenképpen fontos megnyilvánulása a valódi szolidaritásnak. Legalább 100 000 menekültet kell igazságosan szétosztanunk a tagállamok között.
Ha az uniós vezetők nem tesznek tanúbizonyságot a jó szándékukról, akkor a szolidaritás üres szólammá válik, és helyébe lép a politikai zsarolás, a megosztottság és az egymásra mutogatás.
A menedékjog iránti kérelmeket feldolgozó befogadóközpontokat közelebb kell vinni az Európán kívüli, konfliktus sújtotta területekhez, a már meglévő menekülttáborokhoz. Így a menedékkérők ezek közvetítésével juthatnának el az Európai Unióba. Az Európai Uniónak fokozottabb támogatásban kell részesítenie a konfliktus sújtotta területekkel határos országokat ahhoz, hogy ezek védelmet tudjanak biztosítani a veszélyben lévőknek. Itt elsősorban Törökországról, Jordániáról, Libanonról, Marokkóról és a régió egyéb partnerországairól van szó.
Ehhez igen komoly erőforrásokat kell mozgósítani az uniós intézményeken belül is. A migrációs áramlatok megfékezését szolgáló humanitárius segítségnyújtáshoz Európa sokkal nagyobb szerepvállalására lesz szükség, ami természetesen a kiadások jelentős megnövekedésével jár együtt. Az új befogadóközpontok, a határok erőteljesebb védelme vagy az Unión kívüli országoknak nyújtott gazdasági fejlesztési támogatás az eddigieknél jóval több pénzt tesz szükségessé. Az Európai Tanács októberi ülésén a vezetőknek erről is határozniuk kell.
Befejezésül egy személyes megjegyzést szeretnék tenni Orbán Viktor miniszterelnöknek a Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitungban megjelent cikkével kapcsolatban. Hangsúlyozni kívánom, hogy számomra a kereszténység a közéletben és a társadalmi életben azt jelenti, hogy felelősek vagyunk a szükséget szenvedő testvéreinkért. Ha a migrációról szóló nyilvános vitában a kereszténységet emlegetjük, ennek mindenekelőtt azt kell jelentenie, hogy készek vagyunk a szolidaritásra és az áldozatvállalásra. Egy keresztény ember számára nem lehet kérdés, hogy a szükségben lévő milyen fajhoz, valláshoz vagy nemzetiséghez tartozik. Köszönöm figyelmüket.
2015. augusztus 30., vasárnap
Látogatás Szlovéniában
16.00 Találkozó Miro Cerar miniszterelnökkel
19.30 Munkavacsora, házigazda: Miro Cerar miniszterelnök
2015. augusztus 31., hétfő
Látogatás Szlovéniában
11.00 Találkozó Miro Cerar miniszterelnökkel
11.45 Közös sajtókonferencia
13.00 Találkozó Borut Pahor elnökkel, majd munkaebéd
16.00 A 2015. évi Bledi Stratégiai Fórum „Új világrend: konfrontáció vagy partnerség” témájú panelbeszélgetésének nyitóbeszéde
2015. szeptember 1., kedd
Látogatás Horvátországban
10.30 Találkozó Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović elnökkel
11.35 Közös sajtókonferencia
12.10 Munkaebéd, házigazda: Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović elnök
14.00 Találkozó Zoran Milanović miniszterelnökkel
15.15 Sajtónyilatkozatok
2015. szeptember 2., szerda
12.00 Találkozó Jean-Claude Junckerrel, az Európai Bizottság elnökével (Berlaymont épület)
2015. szeptember 3.,
09.00 Beszéd az uniós nagykövetek éves találkozóján (Charlemagne épület)
11.00 Találkozó Orbán Viktor magyar miniszterelnökkel (hivatalos sajtófotó-alkalom és nyilatkozatok érkezéskor)
A Tanács 2015. július 2-án elfogadta a 2013/183/KKBP határozat módosításáról szóló (KKBP) 2015/1066[1] tanácsi határozatot.
A tanácsi határozat bővíti a korlátozó intézkedések hatálya alá tartozó személyeknek és szervezeteknek a 2013/183/KKBP határozat II. mellékletében foglalt jegyzékét.
A tagjelölt országok: Macedónia Volt Jugoszláv Köztársaság*, Montenegró*, Szerbia* és Albánia*, a stabilizációs és társulási folyamat országa és egyben potenciális jelölt: Bosznia-Hercegovina, valamint az Európai Gazdasági Térség EFTA-tagországai: Izland, Liechtenstein és Norvégia, továbbá Ukrajna, a Moldovai Köztársaság és Örményország csatlakoznak e határozathoz.
A felsorolt országok biztosítani fogják, hogy nemzeti szakpolitikáik megfeleljenek e tanácsi határozatnak.
Az Európai Unió nyugtázza és üdvözli ezt a kötelezettségvállalást.
[1] A határozatot 2015. július 3-án kihirdették az Európai Unió Hivatalos Lapjában (HL L 174., 25. o.).
* Macedónia Volt Jugoszláv Köztársaság, Montenegró, Szerbia és Albánia továbbra is részt vesz a stabilizációs és társulási folyamatban.
A Tanács 2015. július 13-án elfogadta a 2012/642/KKBP tanácsi határozat végrehajtásáról szóló (KKBP) 2015/1142 határozatot[1].
A határozat módosítja a korlátozó intézkedések hatálya alá tartozó személyeknek és szervezeteknek a 2012/642/KKBP határozat mellékletében foglalt jegyzékét.
A tagjelölt országok: Macedónia Volt Jugoszláv Köztársaság*, Montenegró*, Szerbia* és Albánia*, a stabilizációs és társulási folyamat országa és egyben potenciális jelölt: Bosznia-Hercegovina, valamint az Európai Gazdasági Térség EFTA-tagországai: Izland, Liechtenstein és Norvégia, továbbá Ukrajna csatlakoznak e határozathoz.
A felsorolt országok biztosítani fogják, hogy nemzeti szakpolitikáik megfeleljenek e tanácsi határozatnak.
Az Európai Unió nyugtázza és üdvözli ezt a kötelezettségvállalást.
[1] A határozatot 2015. július 14-én kihirdették az Európai Unió Hivatalos Lapjában (HL L 185., 20. o.).
* Macedónia Volt Jugoszláv Köztársaság, Montenegró, Szerbia és Albánia továbbra is részt vesz a stabilizációs és társulási folyamatban.