On the week of the visits to Dublin by President Van Rompuy and by the College of Commissioners led by President Barroso, Ireland’s detailed Presidency Programme “For Stability, Growth and Jobs” is now available to read at eu2013.ie.
The Irish Presidency today launched its detailed policy programme for its six months in office, “For Stability, Jobs and Growth”.
Available to download from the website from this morning, the programme sets out the core principles of the Presidency:
People-centred recovery, designed to last
Investment in job-friendly growth and in Europe’s resources
Europe and the world: a win-win engagement with our partners
The programme sets out in detail its legislative and other priorities across all formations of the Council of the European Union. The main priorities can be summarised as follows:
1. Securing stability
The economic and financial crisis revealed the weaknesses in Europe’s economic and monetary architecture. We will deal with the immediate, shorter-term issues but equally important to the Irish Presidency is the establishment of more durable foundations for stability. These foundations are those set out by successive European Councils, in particular Banking Union, the European Semester process and the next phase of reforms to Economic and Monetary Union as set out by the December 2012 European Council.
2. Investing in sustainable jobs and growth
The EU must do everything it can to enable jobs to be created and to ensure sustainable growth. The Irish Presidency will devote itself to agreement on proposals that make a real difference to citizens and to job-creators. For Ireland as Presidency, the next phase of Europe’s recovery must involve a Single Market of the future – including a Digital Single Market – and must place a spotlight on the next generation by tackling youth unemployment.
In order to best equip the EU to play its full role, agreement on the Multiannual Financial Framework 2014-2020 (MFF) should be reached as soon as possible. The Irish Presidency will work intensively with President van Rompuy and partners, as well as with the European Parliament on the inter-institutional agreement of various instruments which will allow funding to be rolled out promptly to stimulate jobs and growth. These instruments will boost the EU’s research and innovation capabilities, promote cohesion and boost smart investment in our natural resources on land and sea.
3. Europe and the world
Europe must look outside its borders and engage with its global partners. Ireland, as Presidency will provide active support for the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the European External Action Service in the task of strengthening the EU’s external policy effectiveness and coherence, and responding to major foreign policy and security challenges. We will use our Presidency in this way to enhance our contribution to the pursuit of peace, democracy and prosperity.
Ireland also looks forward to representing the EU in addressing global challenges including hunger, poverty and climate change.
As part of the drive for stability, jobs and growth, the Irish Presidency will prioritise bilateral trade agreements with key partners including the United States of America. Such agreements should deliver positive benefits for all involved and provide newer and greater opportunities.
When launching the programme, Enda Kenny TD, Taoiseach (Prime Minister of Ireland) said: “This is our guiding policy document for a Presidency which is that of a recovery country leading recovery in Europe. We’re already started our work and will pursue this programme in the interests of stability, jobs and growth. We will not lose a minute in doing so – now is the time to deliver on what we have agreed together.”
Eamon Gilmore TD Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister of Ireland) stated, “This is a work programme with people-centred recovery at its core. In every single policy area across the nine EU Councils we chair as Presidency, we are working for substantial decisions and real progress. It is a comprehensive programme about securing stability, about investing in job-friendly growth and about Europe in the world.”
Lucinda Creighton TD, Minister of State for European Affairs also said: “I urge as many people as possible to study this programme. It sets out what we’re working on, why it matters and what we hope to achieve. I look forward to the Presidency implementing it in partnership with our fellow Member States, the European Commission, the European Parliament and other key partners in the coming six months."
ENDS
For editors
Copies of the Presidency Programme are available from the Presidency website in English, Irish, French and German. http://www.eu2013.ie/ireland-and-the-presidency/about-the-presidency/programme-and-priorities/