EU's GAC prepares for Stockholm summit

The General Affairs Council of the EU in Brussels on Monday, 19 March, will prepare the agenda for the EU summit in Stockholm on 23-24 March. The Stockholm summit will focus on the employment and competition strategy adopted in Lisbon with main emphasis on improving competitiveness in Europe, economic policies, ageing of the population, labour availability and education issues.

The leaders of the EU countries will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Stockholm on 23 March. According to the EU President Sweden, the meeting will focus on economic and trade relations only. The meeting with President Putin will be on the GAC agenda on Monday. Other external relations issues in Stockholm are the Western Balkans, the Middle East and Korea.

Civil crisis management and its brisk promotion is another important issue on the GAC agenda. Priorities include police, state based on the rule of law, governance and rescue service. By 2003 the EU must be able to provide 5000 police for police operations and in accordance with the mandate adopted in Nice to be able to plan and execute either their own or participate in police operations carried out by others.

The General Affairs Council is also expected to discuss the situations in the Middle East and the Western Balkans, transparency of documents and EU preparations for the upcoming meeting of the UN Human Rights Commission.

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