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Europaudvalget 2005-06, Udenrigsudvalget 2005-06, Det Udenrigspolitiske Nævn 2005-06
EUU Alm.del Bilag 26, URU Alm.del Bilag 15, UPN Alm.del Bilag 8
Offentligt

Medlemmerne af Folketingets Europaudvalg

og deres stedfortrædere

Bilag

Journalnummer

400.C.2-0

Kontor

EUK

24. oktober 2005

Til underretning for Folketingets Europaudvalg vedlægges formandskabets

hyrdebrev til det uformelle EU-topmøde den 27. oktober 2005 i Hampton

Court.

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1O DOWNING STREET

LON D ON SW1A 2AA

THE PRIME MINISTER

20 October 2005

Dear Anders

It is with great pleasure that I invite you to an Informal meeting

of Heads of State and Government at Hampton Court on 27 October.

The meeting will be an opportunity to consider together

the strategic issues facing Europe in the years ahead. As I said in the

European Parliament earlier this year, our task is to uphold the Europe-

an ideals in which we believe, in the modern world. We have to demon-

strate to our citizens that we are addressing the issues and challenges

they really care about.

So I propose, as the theme of our discussion, the opportu-

nities and challenges of globalisation. A central question here is: How

do we meet the competitive challenge and maintain the security of our

citizens in a world of unprecedented movement of goods, capital and

people? We also need to consider how through our actions outside our

borders, Europe can help to create a safer and better world.

I think it makes sense to have one broad strategic discus-

sion. I hope we can have a genuinely open, informal debate, where all

can contribute on the basis of their personal experiences in leadership.

I see this as a real opportunity to step back from the usual pressures of

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European business and have a truly political and strategic discussion

about how we can work together, at a European level, to take the op-

portunities and tackle the challenges facing us – in ways which make a

positive difference for our citizens.

That is why I have broken with recent convention by decid-

ing to host the meeting at Hampton Court Palace near London, rather

than in the Council headquarters in Brussels. I hope the historic back-

ground will provide a convivial backdrop for our talks.

My biggest ambition for this meeting is for us to work to-

gether in a spirit of collective endeavour, and demonstrate that we can

respond to the challenges of the day and that the European project

continues to move forward. I hope that we can identify the common

European ground that we all share.

We will start our discussions at 10.00 am, and after I have

made a brief introduction, I shall ask José Manuel Barroso to set the

scene for our discussions with a presentation on Europe in the global-

ised world, based on the Commission paper which issued today. I will

then invite Javier Solana to speak about how Europe can contribute to

making the world a safer place. And then I shall open the debate for all

your contributions.

By way of focusing our discussions, you might want to ad-

dress all or some of the following questions:

What are your reactions to the Commission’s analysis of the

scale of the challenge facing Europe?

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How do you think we can best provide both jobs and growth,

and social solidarity? What is the modern way to social jus-

tice?

How can the EU support the efforts of member states in this

area? Should we be doing more together in areas such as re-

search and development, and developing world-class universi-

ties, so that our citizens are able to take fuller advantage of

the opportunities of globalisation? And how can we – politi-

cally – best explain to our electorates the need for modernisa-

tion?

What more should Europe do to increase the personal securi-

ty of our citizens? Can we do more, for example, to address

illegal migration and security issues when engaging with coun-

tries outside our borders?

Can we do more to make the world a safer and better place?

I hope the informal setting will mean that we can dispense

with lengthy initial comments and avoid pre-written speeches, leaving

more scope for genuine discussion.

We shall break at around 12.30 pm for the family photo-

graph followed by a working lunch (for which we shall be joined by

Prime Ministers Sanader and Erdogan). We then continue in the after-

noon. Towards the end of the discussion, I shall try to pull together

some informal oral conclusions which, with your agreement, can form

the basis of what I say to the press after the meeting. There will be no

formal written conclusions.

I hope we can finish by about 6.00 pm.

My officials will be circulating a more detailed programme.

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I know that a number of colleagues are concerned to know how

the Presidency plans to take forward the future financing negotiations.

We have consulted widely, and I believe there is a collective will to

reach agreement in December. President Barroso has issued some new

ideas today on how to kick start the negotiations. I know the im-

portance to all of you of achieving a budget deal. I would like to take

this opportunity to make clear that I believe agreement can and should

be reached at the December Council - and I will make every effort per-

sonally to achieve it by then, including through personal contact with

each of you. I will update you further briefly at the meeting on how we

are taking this forward through November. But I hope we can avoid

getting into detailed discussions of the future financing issue at Hamp-

ton Court. There are real challenges on globalisation that we must ad-

dress.

I look forward to seeing all of you soon.

With my best wishes.

Yours ever

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His Excellency Mr Anders Fogh Rasmussen

INFORMAL MEETING OF EU HEADS OF STATE / GOV-

ERNMENT

HAMPTON COURT

27 OCTOBER 2005

0900-1000

1000-1230

1230 - 1250

1250 - 1315

1315 - 1445

1515-1800

1800 (approx)

Arrivals

First Working Session

Family Photograph

Pre-lunch Drinks

Working Lunch

Second Working Session

Tea / coffee served

Departure for Presidency Press Conference