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Europaudvalget 2009-10
KOM (2010) 0135 Bilag 1
Offentligt

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Brussels, 31.3.2010

COM(2010) 135 final

VOL. I

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN

PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL

COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

Commission Work Programme 2010

Time to act

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

2.1.

2.2.

2.3.

3.1.

3.2.

3.3.

4.1.

4.2.

4.3.

5.1.

5.2.

5.3.

Introduction: a new era................................................................................................. 3

Tackling the crisis and sustaining Europe’s social market economy ........................... 4

Exiting from the crisis .................................................................................................. 4

Advancing the Europe 2020 flagship initiatives .......................................................... 5

Tackling Europe’s bottlenecks ..................................................................................... 6

A citizens' agenda: putting people at the heart of European action ............................. 7

Building a citizens' Europe........................................................................................... 7

Ensuring an open and secure Europe ........................................................................... 8

Addressing long-term societal challenges .................................................................... 8

The external agenda: a coherent and influential European Union ............................... 9

A strong and coherent external representation – the EU as global player ................... 9

Deepening Europe’s trade agenda ................................................................................ 9

Delivering EU neighbourhood, enlargement and development policies ..................... 9

Modernising EU instruments and ways of working ................................................... 10

Smart regulation – ensuring that policies are effective .............................................. 10

Communicating Europe ............................................................................................. 11

Adapting the EU financial framework to serve policy priorities ............................... 11

Conclusion: moving ahead ......................................................................................... 12

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NTRODUCTION

A NEW ERA

2010 marks the beginning of a new era for the European Union.

The crisis hit hard: communities, citizens and businesses across Europe were put under huge

pressure. European solidarity was put to a test. The European Union recognised its

interdependence and pulled together to face up to the crisis: now it must show the same

resolution and unity for the future.

"Business as usual" is not an option. The challenges facing our Union are greater than before

the recession. Our room for manoeuvre is more limited and the rest of the world is not

standing still. We must draw the lessons and reshape our policies.

A clear lesson from the crisis is that Europe can succeed provided it acts collectively, as a

Union. Europe has no other option but to tackle the immediate challenge of the crisis and to

face up to long-term challenges such as globalisation, climate action, ageing, so as to make up

for the recent losses, regain competitiveness and put the EU on an upward path of sustainable

growth.

With the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, the election of a new European Parliament and

the appointment of a new College of Commissioners, the EU is equipped with the necessary

tools.

It is now a matter of political will: the European Commission is ready to take up the

challenge. The political guidelines set out by President Barroso in September 2009 sparked a

debate about the direction Europe should take and the concrete measures it should promote.

The hearings in the European Parliament and the subsequent vote of consent were a true

moment of European democracy, highlighting shared values and securing broad ownership of

future EU initiatives. Close exchange with the European Council and other EU institutions

has also helped to build a consensus about the way forward.

The new Commission will take action along four main strands:

– Tackling the crisis and sustaining Europe’s social market economy.

– Building a citizens’ agenda which puts people at the heart of European action.

– Developing an ambitious and coherent external agenda with global outreach.

– Modernising EU instruments and ways of working.

The focus of this first Work Programme is on delivering strategic initiatives in 2010. It also

highlights in a non-exhaustive way initiatives under consideration for the coming years,

thereby combining predictability for the European Parliament and the Council - as well as for

stakeholders - and the necessary flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances. These

initiatives are both designed to respond to immediate challenges and yield effects rapidly, and

to shape Europe's future for the long-term benefit of its citizens. In taking them forward, the

Commission will set a direction for the EU in the next decade, as highlighted by its Europe

2020 strategy and the work under way to prepare the future EU budget.

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ACKLING THE CRISIS AND SUSTAINING

UROPE

’

S SOCIAL MARKET ECONOMY

The first political act of the new Commission was to immediately put forward its centrepiece

initiative “Europe 2020 – a strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth”

. The

proposal shows how the EU can exit from the crisis and move to a more sustainable and

dynamic growth path delivering high levels of employment, productivity and social cohesion.

The Spring European Council last week endorsed the main elements of the Europe 2020

strategy. It called for strong European leadership and common ownership of the strategy. At

the core of the approach are clear EU and national targets, a new economic governance and

the development of flagship initiatives to guide the joint work of the EU and the Member

States in key areas

. The June European Council is expected to confirm the cornerstones of

the strategy and the Commission will then work with Member States to deliver results.

Concrete steps will be taken in the months and years to come to deliver the new strategy, with

three main axes for the Commission’s work in 2010.

2.1. Exiting from the crisis

In addressing the current economic and financial situation, the Commission has put forward

strategic responses so as:

– To strengthen economic surveillance and coordination and improve governance within the

euro area: In view of the June European Council, the Commission will present its

proposals for enhancing policy coordination to strengthen our fiscal surveillance

framework in the context of the Stability and Growth Pact, tackle macro-economic

imbalances, including competitiveness divergences through stronger policy

recommendations, and reducing financial vulnerability within an integrated approach

(strategic initiative 1).

– To help return public finances to a more sustainable path: The Commission recently

presented its assessment of national Stability and Convergence Programmes in the context

of the Stability and Growth Pact, pointing at ways to sustain fiscal consolidation.

Monitoring will be pursued and better aligned with the follow-up of the Europe 2020

strategy this autumn.

– To ensure stable, responsible financial markets at the service of the wider economy: The

Commission is working hard with other EU institutions to ensure the new European

supervision architecture is in place by early 2011, so that cross-border financial markets

are properly covered and systemic risks are quickly identified. Proposals on bank capital

and alternative investment fund managers should also be agreed by the co-legislators

before the summer. This work needs to be supplemented by new proposals to complete the

work in areas like derivatives markets (strategic initiative 2), short selling and credit

default swaps (strategic initiative 3), deposit guarantee schemes (strategic initiative 4),

market abuse (strategic initiative 5), on effective crisis management tools (strategic

initiative 6) and further capital requirements (strategic initiative 7). Moreover, the

Commission will propose orientations on the establishment of bank resolution funds as

COM(2010) 2020, 3.3.2010.

Seven flagships were put forward as part of the Europe 2020 strategy: “Innovation Union”, “Youth on

the move”, “A digital agenda for Europe”, “Resource efficient Europe”, “An industrial policy for a

globalised era”, “An agenda for new skills and new jobs”, “A European platform against poverty”.

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possible crisis management tools, which will include options such as a levy on financial

institutions (strategic initiative 8). In parallel, the Commission will take the necessary steps

for a gradual phase out of exceptional measures as the recovery consolidates.

2.2. Advancing the Europe 2020 flagship initiatives

Concrete steps will be taken in the coming months to flesh out the Europe 2020 flagship

initiatives, in close cooperation with relevant Council formations and stakeholders.

The Commission will set out its proposals by way of the following communications:

– “A digital agenda for Europe” (strategic initiative 9): This initiative will set out priorities to

speed up the roll-out of high speed internet and tap the potential of digital technologies for

households and firms.

– “An industrial policy for a globalised era” (strategic initiative 10): This initiative will set

out priorities to improve the business environment, especially for SMEs, and to support the

development of a strong and sustainable industrial base able to compete globally.

– “A European plan for research and innovation” (strategic initiative 11): This "Innovation

Union" flagship will set out priorities to improve framework conditions for Europe's

research and its capacities for creativity and innovation, including eco-innovation. This

will contribute to the planned autumn discussion of the European Council.

– “Youth on the move” (strategic initiative 12): This initiative will set out priorities to

enhance the performance of education systems, to reinforce the attractiveness of Europe's

higher education system and to open more mobility programmes to young people. The

younger generation has been particularly hit by the crisis. A communication on “youth

employment” (strategic initiative 13) will be a policy response to increase job opportunities

for young people, promote apprenticeships and training, and improve transition from

education into work.

– “An agenda for new skills and jobs” (strategic initiative 14): This initiative will set out

priorities to modernise labour markets to boost labour mobility and the development of

skills and competences throughout the lifecycle with a view to increase labour participation

and better match supply and demand.

– “A European Platform to combat poverty” (strategic initiative 15): This initiative will set

out how to ensure that the benefits of growth and jobs are widely shared so that people

experiencing poverty can be enabled to take an active part in society. The initiative will

notably build on the lessons of the 2010 European Year to combat poverty and social

exclusion.

– Work will also be taken forward on the “Resource efficient Europe” flagship initiative. The

aim is to decouple growth from resource use which will give Europe a competitive

advantage. Such an approach will help the EU to prosper in a low-carbon, resource

constrained world while tackling climate change, environmental degradation, biodiversity

loss and improving sustainable mobility. The Commission will work on a plan defining the

key actions necessary to achieve the energy saving potential of 20%, in the building and

transport sectors and on a strategy to ensure secure, sustainable and competitive energy

supplies for households and firms. The Commission will also work on a revision of the

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energy taxation directive in order to tax energy products on their energy content and their

carbon emission level. During 2010 the Commission will:

– develop its vision for Europe's transition to a low carbon, resource efficient and

climate resilient economy by 2050, in particular for the decarbonisation of the

energy and transport sectors, to provide a long-term framework for policy and

investment, including an analysis of what practical policies would be required to

implement a 30% reduction in 2020 and of the necessary scenarios for 2030 .

– work to ensure that a sustainable, productive and competitive agriculture can

make an important contribution to Europe 2020, considering the growth and

employment potential of rural areas while ensuring fair competition; it is a key

component of economic, social and territorial cohesion, as well as for

guaranteeing food security. This work will address issues such as the food and

renewable production base, and the dynamism of rural areas, and will serve as a

basis to explore avenues on the future of the Common Agriculture Policy

(strategic initiative n° 33)

– prepare future reform of cohesion policy in pursuit of economic, social and

territorial cohesion, in harmony with Europe 2020 to modernise the EU economy

in partnership with national, regional and local actors; in this context, the Fifth

Cohesion Report will explore options for the future of cohesion policy post-2013

(strategic initiative n° 34).

– The Commission is also preparing the ground for a fundamental reform of the

common fisheries policy to create the conditions for a genuinely viable and

sustainable EU fishing industry and the development of an Integrated Maritime

Policy.

2.3. Tackling Europe’s bottlenecks and missing links

To support the advancement of the Europe 2020 flagship initiatives, and respond to the

invitation of the Spring European Council, the Commission is committed to tackling Europe’s

missing links and bottlenecks. In 2010, this will notably translate into the following strategic

initiatives:

– A communication on the relaunch of the single market (strategic initiative 16): This will

build on the findings of the report which President Barroso has commissioned from

Professor Monti and lay the groundwork to develop a major package for tomorrow's single

market on the twentieth anniversary of the single market in 2012.

– A regulation on translation requirements for the future EU patent, designed to solve the

critical translation issues necessary to make the EU patent a reality (strategic initiative n°

17).

– A white paper on transport (strategic initiative 18): This will outline a strategy and an

action plan for transport policy and transport infrastructures over the next decade. The aim

is to achieve transport sustainability, which requires actions to remove bottlenecks to

competitiveness, progress towards a transport system less dependent on fossil fuels and

improvements in safety, security and working conditions.

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– A package on energy infrastructure (strategic initiative 19): This will set out priorities for

interconnections and the development of smart grids in the EU.

At the same time, the Commission will be working to ensure that the tools at its disposal are

geared up to assist the work of implementing the 2020 vision. At the same time, proper

implementation of EU law is essential for the realisation of EU policies and the equal

protection of the rights of EU citizens and businesses. Improved implementation and

enforcement of single market legislation is therefore a major objective, including the full

implementation of the “services directive”.

CITIZENS

AGENDA

PUTTING PEOPLE AT THE HEART OF

UROPEAN ACTION

The “raison

d’être”

of the EU is to improve the well-being of its citizens and to further their

interests. Citizens’ needs, concerns and questions are diverse and in rapid evolution in today’s

world. Several provisions of the Lisbon Treaty will help put the interests of citizens at the

centre of EU’s activities, and make the concept of European citizenship more concrete.

A key element of this policy agenda is the Stockholm Programme for "an open and secure

Europe serving and protecting the citizen" adopted by the European Council at its December

2009 meeting. The Commission will now present (strategic initiative 20) a comprehensive

Action Plan for its implementation (2010-2014) with a view to ensuring that the benefits of

the area of freedom, security and justice become more tangible to the citizens.

3.1. Building a citizens' Europe

The new Commission has already taken important initiatives under the Treaty of Lisbon: by

proposing to put in place a “citizens’ initiative” enabling people to call for action by the EU

institutions and by paving the way for the EU to join the European Convention of Human

Rights, thereby strengthening the enforcement of fundamental rights across Europe.

Moreover, a Communication on EU fundamental rights policy will be presented during 2010.

The Commission will complement its recent proposals by new proposals to improve

procedural rights for citizens.

In 2010, the Commission will continue to promote existing proposals before the EU legislator

and complement its citizens’ agenda with the following initiatives:

– A proposal on jurisdiction and enforcement of judgements in civil and commercial matters

(strategic initiative 21): This will improve the recognition of judicial decisions across

borders.

– A proposal to revise the working time directive (strategic initiative 22): This will draw the

lessons from the on-going consultation of the social partners to clarify and amend the

existing legislation.

– The development of a European judicial area, including a reference framework for contract

law (strategic initiative n° 23), and the analysis of obstacles to free movement of citizens

(strategic initiative n° 24).

Proposals will be prepared to clarify the implementation of the posted workers’ directive; and

to tackle new challenges, such as the protection of personal data (strategic initiative n° 25). At

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the same time, the Commission will, starting in 2010, analyse in depth the issue of policy

coherence in the field of collective redress and carry out

a public consultation

on the

common legal principles and concrete issues which should guide any future proposals for

collective redress in EU legislation. The Commission will also work on proposals to improve

the protection of victims of crime.

3.2. Ensuring an open and secure Europe

The Action Plan implementing the Stockholm Programme will in particular focus on tackling

cross-border criminality and will consolidate the common immigration and asylum policy. It

will notably cover areas such as:

– The fight against organised crime, terrorism and other threats through improved police and

judicial cooperation, including an internal security strategy of the EU (strategic initiative

n° 26).

– A focus on integrating the immigrant population while addressing illegal immigration and

improving the management of immigration flows, including through an integrated

approach to the management of EU borders.

3.3. Addressing long-term societal challenges

European society faces a number of long-term trends which will have a direct impact on the

daily life of citizens: these include the spread of new technologies, immigration and the

pressure of demographic ageing, the consequences of climate change and environmental

threats. Public policy needs to address these trends, both mitigating their risks and factoring

their opportunities into future initiatives. These trends require careful analysis and the input of

a wide range of stakeholders. The Commission will open public debates and work on the

following issues:

– The future of pensions by presenting a green paper (strategic initiative n° 27): This will

look at options for ensuring the sustainability and adequacy of pensions in the light of

ageing, mobility patterns in Europe and the functioning of financial markets.

– The need to further develop legal immigration policies to alleviate the pressures of

demographic ageing and to enhance Europe'scompetitiveness, combined with renewed

integration policies.

– A new EU biodiversity strategy by presenting a communication (strategic initiative n° 28):

This will set out the concrete actions that the EU should consider to meet its international

commitments and in the light of the pressures on the ecosystem.

– An EU rapid response capacity by presenting a Communication on the EU's disaster

response capacity (strategic initiative n° 29) to improve the EU’s response to disasters.

Public debates will also be launched in the light of scientific progress on issues such as animal

cloning, biotechnology and nanotechnology.

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HE EXTERNAL AGENDA

A COHERENT AND INFLUENTIAL

UROPEAN

NION

As a major political, economic and trading power, the EU must play its full role on the

international stage. A high degree of ambition, coordination and discipline is necessary for the

EU to speak with one voice and to be heard. The Lisbon Treaty gives new tools to better

project European interests worldwide, which the EU must tap to the full.

4.1. A strong and coherent external representation – the EU as global player

2010 will see the new external arrangements under the Treaty of Lisbon fully in place. The

new post of High Representative, the new clarity over the external representation of the EU

and the establishment of the European External Action Service will give the EU's external

policies a new dynamism and focus. As the EU's external representative outside CFSP/ESDP

and with its responsibility for proposing and implementing a wide range of policies, the

Commission has a key role to play in delivering the EU's external policy ambitions.

One of the key lessons of the global crisis is that the size of the EU and the euro area matter in

influencing global policy responses. The Lisbon Treaty provides for more coherent external

representation of the EU to ensure that the international role of the EU matches its economic

weight. The Commission will propose to consolidate the European representation in

international financial institutions.

4.2. Deepening Europe’s trade agenda

International trade is one of the motors of growth, employment and investment in the

European Union, thus very much in the interest of European citizens. The EU is committed to

open societies and open markets, and determined to defend European interests. It will

continue working towards reducing barriers to international flows of trade and investment.

The Commission will present a communication setting out a trade strategy for Europe 2020

(strategic initiative n° 30). This will focus in particular on concluding on-going multilateral

and bilateral trade negotiations, as well as on better enforcement of existing agreements, and

on trade opening initiatives for sectors of the future, such as, high-tech products and services,

environmental technologies and services and on international standardization. Priority will

also be given to proposals for high-level strategic dialogues to discuss issues ranging from

market access, regulatory framework, global imbalances, climate action and energy,

environment and access to raw materials and international standardisation. The Commission

will also work to reinforce its bilateral relationships with key trading partners such as the US,

China, Japan and Russia.

4.3. Delivering EU neighbourhood, enlargement and development policies

The Treaty gives the EU a particular responsibility to promote freedom, stability and

prosperity in its neighbourhood. The Commission is committed to developing the EU's special

relationship with neighbouring countries based on respect for the values of the Union and

aimed at fostering strong economic cooperation. Commission services will be cooperating

closely with the EEAS on these issues.

The Commission is also committed to steering the enlargement process. Progress in

negotiations will be linked to progress made by candidate countries, with a special emphasis

on the respect of the rule of law.

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Pursuing the international development agenda will be a key priority for the Commission: it

will propose an EU action plan in the run up to the 2015 Millennium Development Goals

Summit (strategic initiative n°31). The Commission remains committed to the Monterrey

goals on official development assistance and the Paris Declaration and Accra Agenda for

Action on aid effectiveness. Specific work has been launched to ensure aid efficiency,

accountability and consistent synergies between development policy and policies such as

migration, security, climate action and energy, food security, access to health care and

education.

ODERNISING

INSTRUMENTS AND WAYS OF WORKING

This Work Programme serves to highlight new initiatives, but a key focus of the

Commission’s work in 2010 will be about making effective use of existing policy instruments

and paving the way for their modernisation.

5.1. Smart regulation – ensuring that policies are effective

Ensuring a high quality regulatory framework for citizens and businesses is a shared

responsibility of all EU institutions and the Member States. Initiatives taken at European level

must demonstrate clear EU value added, and be proportionate in their scope and nature. The

Commission has put in place a number of smart regulation instruments to ensure that this is

indeed the case. It is now time for a further step-change in the practical application of these

instruments by fully connecting and integrating them along the regulatory cycle with a view

to delivering effective policy outcomes. For the preparation of strategic initiatives, internal

coordination will be supported by inter-departmental working groups, which will follow their

elaboration from the impact assessment to the conception and finalisation of the initiative

concerned.

Impact assessment

Our impact assessment system compares favourably with international best practice in terms

of transparency and effectiveness. Priority will now be given to ensuring that this system

delivers its full potential, both in terms of scope and content. All Commission initiatives with

significant impacts, including proposals of delegated and implementing acts, should be

supported by an impact assessment. In the current economic situation, employment and social

impacts are particularly important, and the Commission will work towards reinforcing its

analysis of such impacts.

To improve the transparency of impact assessment work, the Commission will prepare

roadmaps for all initiatives likely to have significant impact. It encourages stakeholders to

make use of these roadmaps in preparing their inputs to the policy-making process.

Ex-post evaluation and regulatory 'fitness checks'

A systematic ex-post evaluation of existing legislation is essential to ensure that our policies

form a coherent framework and deliver effectively on their objectives. Over time, a full ex-

post evaluation will become a requisite for the revision of important legislative acts to be

included in future Commission's Work Programmes.

To keep current regulation fit for purpose, the Commission will begin reviewing, from this

year onwards, the entire body of legislation in selected policy fields through "fitness checks".

The purpose is to identify excessive burdens, overlaps, gaps, inconsistencies and/or obsolete

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measures which may have appeared over time. Pilot exercises will start in 2010 in four areas:

environment, transport, employment and social policy, and industrial policy.

Simplification, administrative burden reduction and withdrawals

The simplification of legislation and the reduction of administrative burdens will remain

priorities and be fully embedded in the smart regulation process. The Commission has already

tabled proposals going beyond the 2012 objective of reducing the administrative burden by 25

percent, and is committed to continuing its efforts in the coming years. A particular focus will

be on following up the work with the European Parliament, the Council and the Member

States, as businesses will only feel the benefits of these efforts when the legislator has adopted

the proposals and they have been implemented the proposals at national level. At the same

time, the Commission will put forward 46 simplification proposals in the coming years (see

annex III). Moreover, the Commission intends to withdraw a number of proposals which are

listed in annex IV.

Implementation

Making EU legislation deliver its full impact throughout the Union is a key responsibility of

the Commission. Wherever necessary, the Commission will continue to intervene, including

via legal steps, to ensure the full and correct implementation of existing legislation. Moreover,

the Commission will strengthen efforts to assist Member States to implement new legislation

in a timely and correct manner.

5.2. Communicating Europe

Communicating Europe in a transparent and accessible manner is a prerequisite for citizens'

participation in the democratic life of the Union and for Europeans to be fully aware of the

opportunities provided by EU policies. This is a shared responsibility of all actors at different

levels, with the Commission willingly taking up its part. In addition to general information

and communication activities, the Commission will put particular emphasis on three joint

communication priorities: driving the economic recovery and mobilising new sources of

growth; climate action and energy; making the Lisbon Treaty work for citizens.

5.3. Adapting the EU financial framework to serve policy priorities

The budget of the EU must serve to address the main challenges facing Europe and provide

real value added in promoting the Union's key policy objectives. As part of its broader

political vision, the Commission will put forward a Budget Review this year (strategic

initiative 32) to look at how changes in the balance of the budget, its priorities and its

procedures can secure the best return for European taxpayers and shape the process leading up

to the next Multiannual Financial Framework.

Within the overall context of the preparation for the next multi-annual financial framework,

the Commission will be holding in depth consultations with stakeholders during 2010 on the

future direction of key EU spending policies, such as the common agricultural policy,

cohesion policy and research policy. The aim will be to assess achievements to date and

challenges for the period after 2013, to get stakeholder views on the future direction of policy

and to assess the role of the EU budget in delivering effective results in these policy areas

across the EU. This work will build on the orientations of the Budget Review and will feed

into the preparation of the Commission's 2011 proposals for the next Multiannual Financial

Framework.

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This should include a reflection on the existing instruments for economic development in the

run-up to the set of proposals for the next financial framework, as well as exploring new ways

of leveraging EU private and public investment, for instance through the European Investment

Bank.

In parallel to this strategic approach, the Commission will continue to improve sound

financial management, while simplifying the implementation framework, putting strong

emphasis on performance, added value and value for money achieved through EU spending.

Attention will continue to be given to improve and implement sound, solid, coherent and cost-

effective management and control systems both within the Commission and in the Member

States. The Commission will also pursue its reflection on the future of OLAF.

ONCLUSION

MOVING AHEAD

This first Work Programme of the new Commission sets out its ambition and commitments,

for 2010 and beyond. It tackles issues of immediate concern and sets the policy direction to

respond to upcoming challenges, laying the ground for further work in the rest of the mandate.

To facilitate dialogue, provide predictability and ensure transparency, the following are

annexed to this Work Programme:

– A list of strategic initiatives on which the Commission commits to deliver in 2010 (annex

I).

– Major proposals under consideration during 2010 and beyond, which are tentative

prospects for the rest of the mandate (annex II).

– A list of simplification proposals and withdrawals (annexes III and IV).

The Commission will review its Work Programme every year, setting new annual strategic

initiatives and adapting the multi-annual strand where appropriate in the light of new

circumstances, including results from preparatory work and review of implementation.

The Commission will now work closely with the European Parliament and the Council, as

well as stakeholders, to ensure a broad ownership on the overall approach and on individual

initiatives. This Commission would like its Work Programme to act as a central building

block for the common inter-institutional programming proposed under Article 17(1) of the

Treaty of Lisbon. The Commission will remain in constant dialogue with EU institutions and

stakeholders to develop and implement its 2010 Work Programme.