This WEEK in the European Union
LUCIA KUBOSOVA
10.10.2008 @ 17:44 CET
EUOBSERVER / WEEKLY AGENDA (11 - 17 October) - This week will be dominated by the summit of heads of state and governments in Brussels, set to focus on the ongoing financial turbulence as well as Ireland's analysis of the key factors behind the rejection of the EU's Lisbon Treaty.
The two-day top-level meeting starts on Wednesday and follows days of unprecedented developments on Europe's financial markets.
The EU summit is to deal with finances, the Lisbon treaty and immigration and energy issues (Photo: © European Communities)
Speaking to the European Parliament about the upcoming summit, Jean Pierre Jouyet, Europe minister of France - currently holding the EU's six-month presidency - said: "We must continue acting without delay as said in the Ecofin [economic and finance] ministerial meeting."
He referred to this week's meeting of finance ministers, which could take place again on the eve of the summit on Tuesday to clarify some of the key measures agreed by chiefs of finance on 7 October in Luxembourg. However, diplomats say the French presidency has not yet confirmed whether such a meeting will be held.
The European Commission is also on Tuesday expected to put forward proposals relating to the financial crisis, namely specific guidelines on how the state aid should be delivered to the major banks to bolster the member countries' financial system, as well as a new legislation on accounting.
Ireland and immigration affairs
EU leaders will also hear a report on the Lisbon Treaty by the Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen. Dublin has however indicated that it will not yet propose a concrete solution for the reform document, refused by the Irish in June.
Instead, Mr Cowen is expected to say that his cabinet needs to continue in its analysis and come up with a plan on how to go forward only in December.
By then, it is expected that all other member states may have ratified the treaty, producing even greater pressure on Ireland's authorities to repeat the vote ahead of elections to the European Parliament next June.
The update on the bloc's tough negotiations on climate and energy change package is also on the summit agenda, along with a debate on volatility in food and energy prices.
Finally, prime ministers and presidents are due to formally adopt the European Pact on Immigration and Asylum - one of the four priorities set out by the French Presidency - and take note of the most recent developments in Georgia following the meeting of foreign ministers on the same topic on Monday.
Commission and MEPs
Apart from the documents relating to the financial crisis, the European Commission will on Wednesday open a public consultation on the quality of agriculture products, aiming to "explore ideas for farmers and producers who want to valorise their production or orient production towards quality and better meet consumer demand."
Also likely on the table is draft legislation aiming to prevent illegally harvested timber and timber products from being placed on the European market, a paper on measures to reduce deforestation, and a document on relations with China and Africa.
Meanwhile, MEPs in the Civil Liberties Committee will on Monday vote on the commission's plans for a "blue card" scheme for skilled foreign workers looking for jobs in the EU, as well as on measures to protect children using the internet.
The political groups will devote most of the week to preparing for the 20-23 October plenary session, which will finally take place once again in Strasbourg - after a few months' break due to the collapse of the building of the parliament's seat in the Alsatian capital.