European Union News - European Union

After nine months of negotiations, the European Parliament confirmed on 16 December the agreement with the Council on the new regulation on implementing powers for the Commission. This new regulation, proposed by the Commission shortly after the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon, means a wide ranging reform of the so-called 'comitology' system. It will enter into force on 1st March and will automatically replace the existing system.

With its new Strategy on Equal Opportunities, the European Commission seeks to implement a series of measures aiming at achieving a balanced workforce, while promoting a more flexible working environment and ensuring its application at the highest level. Although the efforts put in place since 1995 have paid back, with this Strategy the Commission wants to increase the measures and actions put in place until 2014.

As President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy highlighted in the press conference following the meeting of Heads of State or Government held in Brussels between 16 and 17 December, Member States decided to give Montenegro the status of candidate country to join the European Union. This decision underlines the conviction of the Council that the countries of the Western Balkans have a European vocation.

The European Council meeting in Brussels in the evening of 16 December agreed on the limited Treaty amendment required for Member States to establish a permanent mechanism to safeguard the financial stability of the Eurozone. Heads of State or Government also confirmed the general features of that permanent mechanism and outlined the follow-up of the overall economic strategy which the European Council has been pursuing since the start of the year.

The European Parliament has adopted the 2011 EU budget at its Plenary Session in Strasbourg on 15 December. This final vote closes a process which was marked by the blockage of negotiations between the Parliament and the Council due to their differences over issues such as the future financial framework and own resources. This adoption avoids a “provisional twelfths” scenario and clarifies future funding for initiatives in areas such as lifelong learning, Daphne programme on violence against women and child, the ICP or the ITER initiative.

The Council endorsed on 14 December the agreement reached within the EU trilogue with the European Parliament and the Commission on a draft regulation aimed at making it possible for EU citizens to call for legislative proposals to be made on a specific issue. The compromise is expected to be approved in first reading by European Parliament on 15 December.

The award ceremony of the Sahkarov Prize for Freedom of Thought 2010 will most likely take lace with an empty chair, on Wednesday 15 December, in Strasbourg. President of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek has expressed his deep regrets that Mr Fariñas has not been given permission to leave Cuba in order to receive the prize in person.

The Council has adopted on 10 December its position on the new EU draft budget for the financial year 2011, approving the informal agreement reached between the Belgian Presidency and the European Parliament at the trilogue of 6 December and paving the way for the final adoption of next year's budget before the end of the year.

European institutions meeting in the official trialogue for the citizens' initiative reached an agreement on the evening of 6 December about the formal requirements to be met by this new legislative instrument. This new procedure created by the Lisbon Treaty will allow EU citizens to formally request the Commission to legislate in one particular subject where it has the competence to do so.

On 30 November the first official trialogue meeting took place on the implementation modalities for the citizens’ initiative. Further to this meeting, the trialogue has reached an agreement in principle regarding the instrument introduced by the Treaty of Lisbon which will enable a million citizens to demand the Commission to submit proposals in its areas of competence.

Economic and Financial Affairs ministers unanimously agreed on 29 November to grant financial assistance in response to the Irish authorities' request on 22 November 2010. Ministers concur with the Commission and the ECB that providing a loan to Ireland is warranted to safeguard financial stability in the Euro area and the EU as a whole.