European Council decided on how to proceed on the Constitutional Treaty and the enlargement debate
Government Communications Unit
Press release 199/2006
16.6.2006
On Friday, 16 June in Brussels, the Heads of State or Government of EU Member States agreed on returning to the issue of the ratification of the EU Constitutional Treaty during the first half of 2007. The Presidency will then present a report to the European Council on the situation and options for action. This means that Finland will begin talks with the Member States during its EU Presidency. Final decisions are expected during the latter half of 2008. The EU leaders emphasised that possibilities of the existing treaties should also be effectively utilised in the development of the Union.
Related to the discussion on the future of Europe, the European Council discussed the Union’s enlargement. The European Council decided that a general debate on enlargement will be held during Finland’s EU Presidency. The debate is to cover the Union's capacity to absorb new members and ways of improving the quality of the enlargement process. The Commission is invited to provide a report on the Union's absorption capacity. This analysis should also cover the issue of perception of enlargement by citizens. As regards Bulgaria and Romania, the meeting agreed that those countries can become members of the European Union on 1 January 2007 if they can overcome the remaining deficits.
The European Council called upon the incoming Finnish Presidency to explore, in collaboration with the Commission, the possibilities of improving decision-making and action in the area of Freedom, Security and Justice on the basis of existing treaties. Finland is to determine whether efficiency of decision-making could be improved in the context of police and judicial cooperation.
Immigration issues were also discussed. Progress on measures agreed in the Hague Programme aimed at addressing problems such as illegal immigration, trafficking of human beings, terrorism and organised crime will be assessed in December 2006.
The European Council noted a paper by CFSP High Representative Javier Solana and the European Commission on external aspects of energy policy. This includes the development of strategic partnerships with the main producer, transit and consumer countries. The European Council invites Finland, in cooperation with the Commission and the High Representative, to take forward work on the swift development and implementation of the Union’s external energy policy. Special attention is to be paid to energy dialogue held with Russia.
The Heads of State or Government decided on bringing greater openness to Council sessions. The most important change concerns issues decided at ministerial level in Council deliberations under the co-decision procedure, which are now, as a rule, to be made public. Transparency will be increased also with regard to other ministerial discussions. Public sessions can be followed on-line on the Council’s website. Finland considers this a consistent step to further the guidelines agreed on in December.
The European Council endorsed Austria’s Presidency report on reinforcing the Union's emergency and crisis response capacities. The EU heads found it necessary to further develop the Union's crisis response capability both inside and outside the Union. This will be on the agenda of the December European Council under Finland’s Presidency.
Slovenia’s accession to the euro-zone was adopted in the official Council formation. The meeting also issued declarations on the Western Balkans, Iran, Iraq, Middle East peace process, Africa and Lebanon.
Further information: Antti Peltomäki, State Secretary for EU Affairs, tel. +358 9 1602 2180 and Jari Luoto, State Under-Secretary for EU Affairs, tel. +358 9 1602 2182, Government Secretariat for EU Affairs