Raad Algemene Zaken bereidt Europese Raad van december voor (en)

Met dank overgenomen van Cypriotisch voorzitterschap Europese Unie 2e helft 2012 i, gepubliceerd op dinsdag 11 december 2012.

The preparation of the December European Council and the reform of the Statute of the Court of Justice will be the focus of the morning session of the last General Affairs Council (GAC) to be held under Cyprus Presidency, tomorrow, Tuesday December 11, in Brussels. Τhe morning session will be chaired by the Deputy Minister for European Affairs, Ambassador Andreas D. Mavroyiannis, while the afternoon session (enlargement issues) will be chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Erato Kozakou-Markoullis.

The preparation of the European Council meeting on December 13-14 on the basis of Draft Conclusions, will be the focal point of the General Affairs Council.

Roadmap for the completion of the EMU

The Draft Conclusions concern mainly economic policy and, more specifically, on a report on a roadmap for the completion of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) prepared by the President of the European Council, Mr. Herman Van Rompuy i, in cooperation with the Presidents of the European Commission, the Eurogroup and the European Central Bank, as well as on the Annual Growth Survey for 2013. During lunch, EU Affairs Ministers will meet with the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy i, in order to discuss the report on the roadmap of the EMU.

Moreover, the draft conclusions refer to the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), enlargement and foreign policy.

The Council, during its morning session, will also take note of the annotated agenda for the European Council that will be held on February 7-8, 2013.

Statute of the Court of Justice of the EU

During its legislative deliberations, the Council will address the issue of the appointment of additional judges for the General Court, in the framework of the draft Regulation amending the Protocol on the Statute of the Court of Justice of the EU and Annex I thereto. The aim of the discussion is to resolve the issue of the number of judges of the General Court and the system for designating these additional judges, which is the only outstanding issue before the Council, following the adoption of the related proposed amendments to this Regulation on August 2012.

Annual Growth Survey 2013 and European Semester

Also during the morning session of the meeting, the European Commission will present the Annual Growth Survey (AGS) for 2013, which marks the beginning of the third European Semester, an EU level policy coordination tool which is part of a broader EU aim to strengthen economic governance. The AGS, published on November 28, has the same priorities as last year and will be discussed in a number of Council formations. The incoming Irish Presidency, which will take over from the Cyprus Presidency on January 1, 2013, will briefly present its roadmap for AGS discussions and other Council work on the third European Semester. One of the main objectives of the roadmap is to help the GAC to oversee this complex process.

Furthermore, the future Trio Presidency of the Council (Ireland, Lithuania, Greece) will present the main aspects of its 18 month programme for the period from January 1, 2013, until June 30, 2014.

A discussion on enlargement issues will follow in the afternoon.

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