COUNCIL OF THE

MAIN TOPICS FOR THE COMING FORTNIGHT 1

14 - 27 March 2011

Monday 14 March 2011

Environment Council - Overview of the agenda …………...... 3 - Waste electrical and electronic equipment…………...... 4

Tuesday 15 March 2011

Economic and Financial Affairs Council - Overview of the agenda...... 5

Wednesday 16 March 2011

Conciliation Committee - Conciliation on novel food ...... 6

Thursday 17 March 2011

Agriculture and Fisheries Council - Overview of the agenda...... 7

1 This document has been prepared under the sole responsibility of the Press Office. Information may be subject to change, depending on further developments.

General Secretariat - Press office [email protected] Tel.: +32 (0)2 281 63 19 - Fax: +32 (0)2 281 80 26 1 EN

Monday 21 March 2011

General Affairs Council - Overview of the agenda...... 8

Foreign Affairs Council - Overview of the agenda...... 9

Thursday 24 and Friday 25 March 2011

- Spring ………………………………………………………………………10

Agenda of the President of the European Council (14 - 20 March)...... 11

Other events ...... …….....12

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For video coverage of Council sessions and audiovisual material, please see the following Council websites:

- http://video.consilium.europa.eu (live webcast of public deliberations, public debates and press conferences) and - http://tvnewsroom.consilium.europa.eu (audiovisual material available for download in broadcast quality)

For photo coverage: http://consilium.europa.eu/photo

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Monday 14 March 2011

Environment Council - overview of the agenda

In public deliberation, the Council is expected to reach political agreement regarding a proposal for a directive on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). The recast (17367/08 ) concerns in particular collection and recovery targets and could clarify which products are covered (see specific file on this topic next page) .

Ministers will have an exchange of views, also in public deliberation, on a proposal to allow member states to restrict or ban the cultivation of genetically modified organisms in their territory ( 12371/10 + ADD 1) on grounds other than health and environment considerations. Such national measures would have to be in conformity with the EU Treaty, i.e. not distort trade within the internal market, and comply with WTO obligations.

Furthermore, the Council is due to adopt conclusions on: - the follow-up to the Cancún Conference on climate change , which took place in December 2010 (http://unfccc.int/2860.php ). The conference set out the global target to keep the increase in global average temperature below 2°C above pre-industrial levels. It formally recognised emission reduction promises by many countries as well as the commitment by developed countries to provide funds to help developing countries face climate change;

- the review of the Community Strategy concerning Mercury (16908/10 ). The strategy, adopted in 2005, initiated a number of actions to limit mercury emissions: The EU has for instance banned mercury exports (with effect of 15 March 2011) and has prohibited the sale of fever thermometers and measuring devices containing mercury. An extension of the prohibition to additional health care devices is currently under consideration.

In public debate, ministers will exchange views on environmental aspects of the European Semester (18066/10 ), as a contribution to the Spring European Council. The "European Semester" takes place in the first half of each year and aims to strengthen economic policy coordination in the EU.

Ministers will also debate the environmental side of the reform of the common agricultural policy . The Commission considers sustainable management of natural resources and climate action to be the second main objective for the future common agricultural policy ( 16348/10 ).

Event

Meeting of the Environment Council - , Brussels (09.30). A press conference will take place at the end of the meeting. For additional information concerning this meeting, please see: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/councilmeetings

Contacts

Press officer: Susanne Kiefer, tel. + 32 2 281 94 42, [email protected] Hungarian presidency: Márton Hajdú, + 32 2 234 12 34, [email protected]

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Monday 14 March 2011

Waste electrical and electronic equipment

The Council is expected to reach political agreement regarding a proposal on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) (17367/08 ). The review of the directive currently in force (2002/96) aims to improve its effectiveness, reduce illegal exports of electronic waste from the EU and cut administrative burden for businesses.

The recast is set to replace the current collection target of 4kg electrical and electronic waste per inhabitant with a dynamic target, adapting it to the size and economic situation of member states. Present proposals provide that member states should instead collect every year a share of the electrical and electronic equipment placed on the market in the preceding years. Energy-saving light bulbs containing mercury and old refrigerators with ozone-depleting substances are to be given priority.

Background

The so-called WEEE directive covers a large number of everyday items, including household appliances, IT and telecoms devices, electronic tools, toys and sports equipment. It requires member states to collect such waste equipment separately, allowing their owners to return them for free. It also currently obliges EU countries to annually collect at least 4kg of electrical and electronic waste per inhabitant. Producers must pay for the collection and treatment of the collected waste, i.e. its preparation for re-use, recycling or energy recovery.

Further information

• Council progress report, December 2010 (17217/10 ); • Commission report on the Thematic Strategy on the Prevention and Recycling of Waste (5646/11 ) • Commission communication "A resource-efficient Europe - Flagship initiative under the Europe 2020 strategy" ( 5869/11 ).

Event

Meeting of the Environment Council - Justus Lipsius building, Brussels (09.30). A press conference will take place at the end of the meeting. For additional information concerning this meeting, please see: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/councilmeetings

Contacts

Press officer: Susanne Kiefer, tel. + 32 2 281 94 42, [email protected] Hungarian presidency: Márton Hajdú, + 32 2 234 12 34, [email protected]

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Tuesday 15 March 2011

Overview of the agenda of the ECOFIN Council

The Council will be called on to reach a general approach on six legislative proposals aimed at reinforcing economic governance, namely: - a regulation on the preventive arm of the Stability and Growth Pact, - a regulation on the corrective arm of the Stability and Growth Pact, - a regulation on the effective enforcement of budgetary surveillance in the area, - a regulation on the prevention and correction of macroeconomic imbalances, - a regulation on enforcement measures to correct excessive macroeconomic imbalances in the euro area reaching a general approach, and - a directive concerning requirements for budgetary frameworks of member states.

The Council is also expected to adopt conclusions on climate finance.

Furthermore, it will take note of progress on a draft regulation on short selling and certain aspects of credit default swaps, and will discuss the follow-up on excessive deficit procedures for and .

Monday 14 March • (11.00) • Ministerial meeting on the European Stability Mechanism (15.00)

Event

Meeting of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council - Justus Lipsius building, Brussels (starting with a ministerial breakfast at 9.00). The presidency will hold a briefing in the Council press room on Monday 14 March at 9.30. A press conference will take place at the end of the meeting. For additional information, see: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/councilmeetings

Contacts

Press officers: François Head, tel. + 32 2 281 60 83, [email protected] Azadeh Sharafshahi, tel. + 32 2 281 31 95, [email protected] Hungarian presidency: Márton Hajdú, tel. + 32 2 234 12 34, [email protected]

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Wednesday 16 March 2011

Conciliation on novel food

The Council and the will meet in the Conciliation Committee in order to find an agreement on a draft regulation concerning food that was not used for human consumption in the EU before 15 May 1997.

The draft act is aimed at streamlining the authorisation procedure for such foods and introducing an accelerated authorisation procedure for traditional food from third countries.

One of the major outstanding issues is how to deal with food from cloned animals and their descendants.

Background

Despite two readings by both sides, the Council and the European Parliament were not able to agree on the draft regulation for novel food. In line with article 294 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, the Conciliation Committee met for the first time on 1 February, which means that the Council and the European Parliament have until 30 March to approve a joint text.

Further information

• European Parliament's second-reading position: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+IM- PRESS+20100706IPR77911+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN&language=EN • Council's first-reading position: 7521/10

Event

Meeting of the Conciliation Committee - Brussels.

Contacts

Press officer: Jérôme Unterhuber, tel.: +32 2 281 53 94, [email protected] Hungarian presidency: Gergely Polner, tel.: +32 2 234 12 83, [email protected]

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Thursday 17 March 2011

Agriculture and Fisheries Council - overview of the agenda

Agriculture ministers are due to adopt conclusions on the common agricultural policy (CAP) in the decade ahead, in order to give guidance for the drawing up of legislative proposals on the future CAP, which the Commission is expected to present in the second half of 2011.

The conclusions are the result of discussions at the last three Agriculture Council meetings on a Commission communication entitled "The CAP towards 2020", which identified three main complementary objectives for the future reform of the CAP: viable food production, sustainable management of natural resources and balanced territorial development.

Moreover, ministers will discuss three requests for authorisation of genetically modified organisms: authorisation of the cotton GHB614 (produced by Bayer) and the maize MON 89034 × MON 88017 (produced by Monsanto), and renewal of the authorisation for the maize line 1507 (produced by Dow and Pioneer).

Finally, the Commission will present its quarterly report on the dairy market to the Council.

Further information

• Commission communication "The CAP towards 2020: Meeting the food, natural resources and territorial challenges of the future" ( 16348/10 ), • Press release on the Agriculture Council meeting of 21 February 2011 (6655/11 , p. 6-7) • Proposals for Council decisions authorising the placing on the market of products containing, consisting of, or produced from genetically modified cotton GHB614 (6221/11 ) and genetically modified maize MON 89034 × MON 88017 (6150/11 ) • Proposal for a Council decision amending Commission decision 2006/197/EC as regards the renewal of the authorisation to place on the market existing feed produced from genetically modified maize line 1507 ( 6104/11 )

Event Meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council - Justus Lipsius building, Brussels (11.30). The presidency will hold a briefing in the Council press room on Tuesday 15 March at 10.00. A press conference will take place at the end of the meeting. For additional information concerning this meeting, see: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/councilmeetings

Contacts

Press officer: Xavier Pavard, tel. + 32 2 281 83 52, [email protected] Hungarian presidency: Márton Hajdú, + 32 2 234 12 34, [email protected]

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Monday 21 March 2011

General Affairs Council - overview of the agenda

The Council will finalize the preparations for the Spring European Council on 24-25 March (see specific file on page 10).

Further information

• Council website: http://consilium.europa.eu/ • Hungarian presidency website: www.eu2011.hu

Event

Meeting of the General Affairs Council - Justus Lipsius building, Brussels (16.00) The presidency will hold a briefing in the Council press room on 18 March at 10.00. A press conference will take place at the end of the meeting. For additional information concerning this meeting, see: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/councilmeetings

Contacts

Press officer: Azadeh Sharafshahi, tel. + 32 2 281 31 95, [email protected] Hungarian presidency: Gergely Polner, tel. + 32 2 234 12 83, [email protected]

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Monday 21 March 2011

Foreign Affairs Council - overview of the agenda

The Council will address in particular recent developments in Libya and in the wider region and work on guidelines for continuing the European Union’s action following the extraordinary European Council of 11 March.

Ministers will discuss the EU's strategies for the Sahel region and the Horn of Africa which will be presented by the High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Catherine Ashton. they will also discuss Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Council may adopt conclusions on some of these issues.

Over lunch, the focus of minister's informal discussions will be the Middle East Peace Process.

Further information

• European Council declaration on Libya and the Southern Neighbourhood, 11 March 2011 (EUCO 7/11 ) • EU response to the Libya crisis http://www.consilium.europa.eu/showFocus.aspx?id=1&focusid=568&lang=EN

Event

Meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council - Justus Lipsius building, Brussels (10.00). A background briefing will be held in the Council press room on Friday 18. A press conference will take place at the end of the proceedings. For additional information concerning this meeting, see: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/councilmeetings

Contacts

Head of press office: Nicolas Kerleroux, tel. + 32 2 281 82 39, [email protected] Press officer: Mary Brazier, tel. + 32 2 281 51 83, [email protected] Spokesperson for the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy: Michael Mann +32 498 999 780 - +32 2 299 97 80 - [email protected] Deputy spokesperson: Maja Kocijancic, tel. + 32 2 298 65 70, + 32 498 984 425, [email protected]

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Thursday 24 and Friday 25 March 2011

Spring European Council meeting

The Union's heads of state or government will meet, focusing on economic policy, while also addressing the situation in the EU's southern neighbourhood.

They are due to agree on a global package of measures to preserve financial stability and lay the ground for sustainable and job-creating growth. This includes - deciding on the priorities for structural reform and fiscal consolidation, in conclusion of the first phase of the "European semester", the new cycle of economic policy coordination under the Europe 2020 strategy; - adopting an amendment to the Lisbon treaty with regard to the future European stability mechanism; - completing work on the stability mechanism, the strengthening of the European Financial Stability Facility, and the legislative proposals on economic governance to be adopted by the end of June; - deciding on ways forward to enhance economic policy coordination in the euro area.

The European Council is also expected to appoint a new member to the executive board of the .

As regards the EU's southern neighbourhood, the European Council will discuss recent develop- ments, following up its extraordinary meeting of 11 March dedicated to this topic.

Further information

• Declaration adopted by the extraordinary European Council of 11 March on Libya and the EU's southern neighbourhood ( EUCO 7/11 ) • Conclusions of the European Council of 4 February 2011 ( EUCO 2/11 ) (on economic policy, euro area and southern neighbourhood) and of 16/17 December 2010 (EUCO 30/10 ) (on economic policy and treaty amendment) • European Council website: http://www.european-council.europa.eu

Event European Council meeting - Justus Lipsius building, Brussels. For additional information concerning this meeting, see: http://www.european-council.europa.eu

Contacts Spokesperson of the President of the European Council: Dirk De Backer, tel. + 32 2 281 97 68, [email protected] Deputy spokesperson: Jesús Carmona, tel. + 32 2 281 95 48, [email protected] Head of the Council's press office: Nicolas Kerleroux, tel. + 32 2 281 82 39, [email protected] Press officers: François Head, tel. + 32 2 281 60 83, [email protected] Azadeh Sharafshahi, tel. + 32 2 281 31 95, [email protected] Mary Brazier, tel. + 32 2 281 51 83, [email protected]

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Agenda of the President of the European Council

14- 20 March 2011

Monday 14 March

- Meeting with the President of the Republic of Moldova, Marian Lupu (10.30)

Tuesday 15 March

- Debate at the Inter-parliamentary Committee Meeting on the European Semester for economic coordination (European Parliament) (9.15) - Visit to Warsaw

Thursday 17 March

- Meeting with the President of the Committee of the regions, Mercedes Bresso (11.15)

Friday 18 March

- Keynote speaker at the seminar "Is the Lisbon Treaty delivering for citizens?" hosted by the , European Parliament (10.00) - Awarding of Honorary Doctorate by the University of Gent (15.30)

Further information

Please see: European Council - the president

Contacts

Spokesperson of the president: Dirk De Backer, tel. + 32 2 281 9768 or + 32 497 59 99 19, e-mail: press.president @consilium.europa.eu Deputy spokesperson of the president: Jesus Carmona, tel. + 32 2 281 9548/5150 or + 32 475 65 32 15, e-mail: press.president @consilium.europa.eu

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Other events

20 March (Brussels)

- Informal dinner of trade ministers

24 -26 March (Budapest)

- Informal meeting of environment ministers

26 - 27 March (Budapest)

- Informal meeting of ministers in charge of cultural affairs

www.eu2011.hu

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