At yesterday's meeting, EU’s finance and economy ministers had a constructive discussion regarding the proposal for new EU rules on capital requirements for banks. The Danish Presidency believes that an agreement in the Council is close, and the Presidency hopes to come to a final agreement at the forthcoming ECOFIN. The Presidency and the Commission also reported on the G20 meeting and the IMF’s spring meeting that took place in Washington 19-22 April 2012, including the decision to increase IMF resources by more than 430 billion USD.
Europe Day, 9 May, is the last chance to participate in the Danish EU Presidency’s photo competition 'EU Snapshots of Your Life' and win tablets.
EU’s finance and economy ministers will tomorrow 2 May 2012 discuss the proposal for new EU rules on capital requirements for banks – one of the most important initiatives in securing healthy banks in the aftermath of the crisis. The ministers will also follow-up on the G20 meeting and the IMF’s spring meeting in Washington 19-22 April 2012 where the G20 and the IMF collectively decided to increase the IMF’s resources with more than 430 billion USD.
More possibilities for decentralized decisions was a theme at today’s Council meeting where EU Fisheries Ministers discussed the Commission’s proposals on transferable fishing concessions and regionalization of fisheries management.
The European Ministers of Justice have decided to step up their collective efforts to combat insider dealing and market manipulation. The ministers also showed broad support for a new framework aimed at improving the protection of victims across Europe.
"Health, Environment and Climate Change are at the heart of the Danish EU Presidency," said Minister for European Affairs Nicolai Wammen, when he, together with Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary of Denmark opened the exhibition "Health, Environment, Climate - Human health and the impact of Environmental and Climatic Factors” on 25 April.
The EU agricultural Ministers want a Common Agricultural Policy that is easier to administer and that more decisions should be left to the Member States.
The Interior Ministers of the EU Member States have decided on new measures to combat terrorism in Europe. The Council agreed on the need to establish a European framework for exchanging air passenger information. Furthermore, the ministers showed broad support for enhanced control of chemical substances that can be used to produce home made explosives. The Council also adopted a new EU action plan aimed at stepping up the fight against illegal immigration.
The Danish Minister for Justice and Chairman of the JHA Council, Morten Bødskov, wishes to increase the efforts against insider dealing in Europe. Therefore, the Minister will ask for support for consistent sanctions when the European Ministers for Justice gather at the Council meeting in Luxembourg. Furthermore, the Danish Minister for Justice has put the protection of victims in the EU on the agenda for the meeting.
The high youth unemployment rate in Europe as well as the pressure on social services were subject to a lively debate when the European ministers for social affairs and employment met for an informal ministerial meeting in Horsens, Denmark. At the meeting, it was furthermore discussed how to better protect EU-citizens posted to another Member State.
The Danish Minister of Justice and Chair of the Justice and Home Affairs Council, Morten Bødskov, aims to strengthen EU’s efforts to combat terrorism. Therefore, the Danish minister has placed the fight against terrorism at the very top of the agenda when the European Ministers for Home Affairs meet at the Council meeting in Luxembourg. The Danish Minister of Justice also aims to strengthen the efforts to prevent and combat illegal migration.
We must never forget that simplification is a principal objective when reforming the Common Agricultural Policy, underlines the Danish Chair, Mette Gjerskov, previous to the council debate 26 April on direct payments to farmers. The following day, 27 April, the Council is to debate transferable fishing concessions and regionalisation of fisheries’ management
European Ministers for Health have discussed how to make room for innovation in the health systems both at national and European level. They also pushed forward the agenda on chronic diseases in the discussion on patient empowerment. Ministers also discussed medical devices and agreed to use the Health Security Committee as a platform for crisis management in the field of medical devices.
Minister for European Affairs, Nicolai Wammen, is chairing the third round of negotiations on the multiannual budget of the EU in the General Affairs Council on Tuesday 24 April. The meeting will address the part of the budget, which concerns the EU’s Cohesion Policy and Common Agricultural Policy.
EU Energy ministers agreed that the Energy Efficiency Directive should be adopted before the end of June. The President of the Energy Council, Mr. Martin Lidegaard, is satisfied by the constructive discussions during the informal ministerial meeting in Horsens, Denmark on Thursday and Friday.
The EU ministers for employment and social affairs meet on 24-25 April in Horsens, Denmark, for an informal ministers’ meeting. The ministers will, among other things, discuss how the increasing youth unemployment is to be fought, and how member states can develop new methods for improving the quality of social services. The ministers will furthermore discuss how to secure better protection for EU-citizens wishing to work or provide a service in another European country.
How can we trigger European economic growth? What divides and what unifies? What reforms are needed? And are the member states willing to make the necessary changes to move forward as a union? These questions are up for debate when President of the European Commission José Maunel Barroso and Danish PM Helle Thorning-Schmidt lecture at Copenhagen University.
There is no other way out of the economic crisis than through a green economy, which will strengthen the development of new and greener technologies, resource reductions and the protecting of our nature and the biodiversity. A green transition will create millions of jobs and make Europe more sustainable and competitive.