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Europaudvalget 2005-06, Finansudvalget 2005-06, Det Politisk-Økonomiske Udvalg 2005-06
2682 - Økofin Bilag 4, FIU Alm.del Bilag 10, PØU Alm.del Bilag 9
Offentligt

Medlemmerne af Folketingets Europaudvalg

og deres stedfortrædere

Bilag

Journalnummer

400.C.2-0

Kontor

EUK

25. oktober 2005

Til underretning for Folketingets Europaudvalg vedlægges Finansministeriets

redegørelse for rådsmøde (ECOFIN) den 11. oktober 2005.

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Notat

17. oktobe

Referat fra EU finans- og økonomiministermøde (ECOFIN) den

11. oktober 2005

D agsordenspunkt:

Stabilitets- og Vækstpagten -- op-

følgning på rådsanbefaling til Un-

garn under artikel 104(7)

Rådet blev orienteret om den finanspolitiske situation i Ungarn, herunder om ud-

viklingen i det ungarske offentlige budgetunderskud.

Kommissionen og formanden for den Økonomiske og Finansielle Komité (EFC)

redegjorde for, at den finanspolitiske situation er alvorlig, og at Ungarn i modstrid

med de to på hinanden følgende rådshenstillinger under traktatens artikel 104(7)

ikke har iværksat tilstrækkelige foranstaltninger med henblik på at bringe det offent-

lige underskud under referenceværdien på 3 pct. af BNP i 2008. Kommissionen

forventes derfor forud for rådsmødet den 8. november 2005 at fremsætte et udkast

til en rådsbeslutning under artikel 104(8) om manglende efterlevelse af den seneste

henstilling af 8. marts 2005.

D agsordenspunkt:

Fremtidig politik for finansielle

tjenesteydelser 2005-2010

Rådet vedtog konklusioner på basis af Kommissionens grønbog om en fremtidig

politik for finansielle tjenesteydelser i perioden 2005-2010,

jf. vedlagte bilag.

Rådet

bød grønbogen velkommen og understregede vigtigheden af, at en konsistent og

effektiv implementering af allerede vedtagne direktiver prioriteres, og at fremsættel-

sen af nye EU forslag bygger på princippet om ”bedre regulering”.

I forlængelse heraf drøftede Rådet prioriteringer i relation til kommende tiltag inden

for området finansielle tjenesteydelser. Sagen forventes at blive taget op igen på

ECOFIN i december 2005.

D agsordenspunkt:

Konkurrencepolitik -- sektorun-

dersøgelser

Rådet blev af Kommissionen orienteret om sektorundersøgelser af konkurrence-

forholdene inden for elektricitets- og gasmarkederne samt den finansielle sektor,

herunder områderne ”retail banking”, betalingskort og erhvervsforsikring.

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Kommissionen oplyste, at resultaterne forventes offentliggjort i 2006. Samtidig vil

man vurdere behovet for eventuelle politiktiltag.

Rådet tog orienteringen til efterretning, og flere ministre understregede, at det var

vigtigt at fremme konkurrencen. Det blev konkluderet, at man vil vende tilbage til

sagen, når resultaterne af undersøgelserne foreligger.

D agsordenspunkt:

Økonomiske relationer mellem

EU-USA -- opfølgning på EU-USA

topmødet i juni 2005

På grundlag af et fælles papir udarbejdet af formandskabet og de to kommende

formandskaber, Østrig og Finland, drøftede rådet ECOFIN’s mulige bidrag til op-

følgningen på EU-USA topmødet i juni 2005 på det økonomiske område.

I papiret konkluderes, at eksisterende processer for EU-USA samarbejdet med for-

del kan forstærkes og komplementeres ved drøftelser i ECOFIN inden for de om-

råder, hvor der er væsentlige økonomiske gevinster for EU i sigte, herunder samar-

bejde om regulering, finansielle tjenesteydelser og innovation.

Kommissionen og flere medlemslande udtrykte generel støtte til formandskabets

initiativ.

D agsordenspunkt:

Økonomisk støtte til Gazastriben

og Vestbredden

Kommissionen og Den Europæiske Investeringsbank orienterede om status for

forberedelsen af en samlet europæisk ”støttepakke” til Vestbredden og Gaza-

striben i samarbejde med andre lande og institutioner arbejdende i regionen. Rådet

tog orienteringen til efterretning.

D agsordenspunkt:

Tilsynsudvalgene i den finansielle

sektor

Rådet blev af formændene for de tre Lamfalussy-komitéer (Det europæiske udvalg

for banktilsyn, Det europæiske tilsynsudvalg for forsikrings- og arbejdsmarkedspen-

sionsordninger og Det europæiske tilsynsudvalg for værdipapirer) orienteret om de

tre udvalgs arbejde i forhold til at forbedre kvaliteten af den europæiske lovgivning

og reducere regelbyrden inden for det finansielle område.

Rådet tog orienteringen til efterretning og opfordrede de tre formænd til at fortsæt-

te komitéernes gode arbejde.

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A-punkter

Rådet vedtog uden drøftelse direktiv om kapitalkrav til kreditinstitutter og investe-

ringsselskaber (Basel II) og direktiv om lovpligtig revision af årsregnskaber og kon-

cernregnskaber (8. selskabsdirektiv). Desuden vedtog rådet konklusioner om hen-

holdsvis revideret adfærdskodeks for stabilitets- og konvergens-programmer og

mellemfristet finansiel assistance til medlemsstaterne,

jf. vedlagte bilag.

Rådet vedtog

ligeledes en beslutning om, at Tyskland og Nederlandene kan få dispensation fra

EU’s beskatningsregler i forbindelse med konstruktionen af en bro over ”Rode-

bach” mellem de to lande.

Diverse

Formandskabet præsenterede en udtalelse om det seneste jordskælv i Sydasien,

jf.

vedlagte bilag.

Udtalelsen fokuserer blandt andet på, at EU og de nationale regeringer

er klar til at fremskaffe yderligere nødvendig assistance til brug for genopbygningen

af de katastroferamte områder.

Rådet hilste formandskabets udtalelse velkommen.

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Bilag

Rådskonklusioner om en fremtidig politik for finansielle tjenesteyde l-

ser i perioden 2005-2010

FINANCIAL SERVICES - FOLLOW-UP TO THE COMMISSION'S ACTION

PLAN

”The Council:



WELCOMES the outline of the Commission’s financial services policy for

2005-2010 as set out in the Commission’s Green Paper;

NOTES that the Green Paper is broadly in line with its conclusions of 2 June

and 16 November 2004;

REAFFIRMS that full and consistent implementation and effective enforce-

ment of all FSAP measures must now have priority; and STRESSES that

Member States must play their role by transposing and implementing the

agreed FSAP texts on time and EU regulators and supervisors must be given

the necessary supervisory powers and assist in ensuring consistent day-to-day

application and supervision of the rules;

EMPHASISES that the momentum should be maintained for finalising im-

portant initiatives under way, such as the preparation of the Solvency II pro-

ject in the insurance sector; and WELCOMES the approach taken by the

Commission to further integration based on systematic analysis of remaining

obstacles and of the impact of tackling those obstacles on a case-by-case ba-

sis;

EMPHASISES the importance of the "better regulation" approach to be

applied by the Commission to any new initiatives, including open and trans-

parent consultation at all levels with an appropriate involvement also of con-

sumers, thorough ex-ante economic impact assessments and ex-post evalua-

tions, all based on a clear and transparent methodology;

UNDERLINES that Member States should also contribute to making better

regulation work to the best of their abilities and UNDERTAKES to carry out

impact assessments on substantive Council amendments to legislative pro-

posals;

STRESSES that an integrated EU market for financial services poses further

challenges for financial supervision in Europe, especially as regards supervi-

sion of cross-border groups and entities, and therefore ENCOURAGES the

ongoing work of the FSC on enhancing the EU’s supervisory arrangements,

and in particular, LOOKS FORWARD to its assessment of further policy

priorities in developing financial supervision in the EU;



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

WELCOMES the ongoing efforts by the Commission, the FSC and the EFC

in the area of financial stability and crisis management, and INVITES the

Commission to assess obstacles to information exchange between EU super-

visory authorities, central banks and finance ministries; as well as current ar-

rangements for deposit guarantee schemes;

SHARES the Commission’s view that synergies with other policy areas, in

particular competition and consumer policies are expected to increase in the

future;

AGREES with the Commission on the importance of the EU's global com-

petitiveness, and thus INVITES the Commission to further develop the on-

going Regulatory Dialogue with the US and other important trading partners

by further enhancing its pro-active and forward-looking nature; and

UNDERLINES the intention, at its December meeting, to further assess the

Commission's post-FSAP strategy in light of the Commission’s White Pa-

per.”

Rådskonklusioner om revideret adfærdskodeks for stabilitets - og kon-

vergens-programmer

STABILITY AND CONVERGENCE PROGRAMMES

“The Council approved a Code of Conduct relating to Specifications on the imple-

mentation of the Stability and Growth Pact and Guidelines on the content and

format of the Stability and Convergence programmes.

This Code of Conduct updates and replaces the Opinion of the Economic and Fi-

nancial Committee on the content and format of the Stability and Convergence

Programmes, endorsed by the Council on 10 July 2001. It has been updated in line

with the 20 March 2005 (Ecofin) Council report on “Improving the implementa-

tion of the Stability and Growth Pact”, as endorsed by the 22-23 March 2005 Eu-

ropean Council, and the two Regulations, No 1055/05 and No 1056/05, amending

Regulations No 1466/97 and No 1467/97, which were adopted on 27 June 2005

and complemented the Pact.

The Council confirms that the Stability and Growth Pact is an essential part of the

macroeconomic framework of the Economic and Monetary Union. The Council

considers that this revised Code of Conduct contains the guidelines for a consistent

and even-handed implementation of the Stability and Growth Pact and for the con-

tent and format of the stability and convergence programmes.”

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Rådskonklusioner om mellemfristet finansiel assistance til medlem s-

staterne

MEDIUM-TERM FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO MEMBER STATES

“On 18 February 2002, the Council established a Community facility for providing

medium-term financial assistance to Member States, which have not adopted the

euro and are experiencing, or are threatened with, difficulties in their balance of

payments on current or capital accounts (Council Regulation (EC) No 332/2002).

As three years have elapsed since the adoption of the Regulation, the Commission

has prepared a Communication (doc. 11589/05 ECOFIN 259 - COM(2005) 331

final) as a report to the Council on the functioning of the facility. The EFC deliv-

ered its opinion on 30 September.

The Council carefully examined the Commission report and the opinion by the

EFC. The Council:



is of the view that the principle and underlying rationale of the facility remain

valid although the facility has not been activated since the adoption of the

Regulation.

deems the current ceiling at a sufficiently high level to satisfy the simultane-

ous needs of several Member States.

welcomes the updates to the Commission’s European Medium-Term Note

(EMTN) programme as the framework agreement on the issuance of bonds.

The Council is therefore of the view that no change to the facility is warranted at

this stage.”

Formandskabets udtalelse om jordskælvet i Sydasien

EARTHQUAKE IN SOUTH ASIA

“We are all deeply shocked by the terrible earthquake which hit South Asia on Sat-

urday morning. The initial response from the EU was immediate. The Commission

announced an immediate humanitarian aid package on Sunday, as soon as the tragic

scale of this earthquake became apparent. It is now examining urgently what it can

provide for the post-emergency phase. In addition, Member State governments

have provided additional aid and support including specialist rescue teams.

We as President, and on behalf of this Council, would like to send a message from

this meeting, not only of sympathy, solidarity, and support to the people and peo-

ples affected, but of a willingness as a Community and as national governments that

we stand ready to provide additional assistance as required to alleviate the conse-

quences of this humanitarian disaster and to assist in the reconstruction. And we

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call on the World Bank, IMF, and UN Agencies to do all they can to assist with aid

and reconstruction.”