Det Europæiske Råd 13.-14. december 2018 - Bilag 7: Konklusioner vedr. DER 13-14/12-18

Europaudvalget 2018-19 (1. samling)
Det Europæiske Råd 13-14/12-18 Bilag 7
Offentligt

European Council

Brussels, 14 December 2018

(OR. en)

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CO EUR 22

CONCL 7

NOTE

From:

To:

Subject:

General Secretariat of the Council

Delegations

European Council meeting (13 and 14 December 2018)

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Conclusions

Delegations will find attached the conclusions adopted by the European Council at the above

meeting.

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Det Europæiske Råd 13.-14. december 2018 - Bilag 7: Konklusioner vedr. DER 13-14/12-18

Conclusions

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13 and 14 December 2018

MULTIANNUAL FINANCIAL FRAMEWORK

The European Council welcomes the intensive preparatory work carried out during this

semester on the future Multiannual Financial Framework and takes note of the Presidency's

progress report. It calls on the incoming Presidency to continue that work and develop an

orientation for the next stage of the negotiations, with a view to achieving an agreement in the

European Council in autumn 2019.

II.

SINGLE MARKET

The Single Market is one of the great achievements of the Union which has delivered major

benefits to Europeans. It is our main asset for ensuring citizens' welfare, inclusive growth and

job creation, and the essential driver for investment and global competitiveness. Twenty-five

years on, we need to press ahead with the Single Market agenda in all its dimensions and

develop a forward-looking approach. The European Council:

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invites the European Parliament and the Council to agree, before the end of the current

legislature, on as many of the pending proposals relevant for the Single Market as

possible. It is also important to remove remaining unjustified barriers, in particular in

the field of services, as well as to prevent any new barriers and any risk of

fragmentation. The European Council calls on the Commission to continue its analysis

and its work in this respect;

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calls for implementing and enforcing, at all levels of government, decisions taken and

rules adopted, as well as upholding standards and ensuring the smart application of

better regulation principles, including subsidiarity and proportionality;

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stresses that more needs to be done to ensure that the Single Market provides a solid

underpinning for an outward-looking, confident and more autonomous European Union

in a challenging global environment;

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Conclusions

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13 and 14 December 2018

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underlines the need for the Single Market to evolve so that it fully embraces the digital

transformation, including Artificial Intelligence, the rise of the data and service

economy, connectivity, and the transition to a greener economy;

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calls for strengthening the coherence with all related policies.

The European Council will hold an in-depth discussion next spring on the future development

of the Single Market and European digital policy in preparation for the next Strategic Agenda.

III. MIGRATION

The European Council addressed the implementation of its comprehensive approach to

migration, which combines

more effective control of the EU’s external borders, increased

external action and the internal aspects, in accordance with its conclusions of June and

October 2018.

The European Council notes that the number of detected illegal border crossings has been

brought down to pre-crisis levels, and that the overall downward trend is continuing. This is

the result of the external migration policy of the Union and its Member States, based, in

particular, on control of the external borders, the fight against smugglers and cooperation with

countries of origin and transit, which has been intensified in recent months. This policy

should therefore be continued, further developed and fully implemented. Vigilance on all

existing and emerging routes should be maintained, in particular in view of recent increases

on the Western and Eastern Mediterranean Routes.

As regards the internal policies, the European Council invites the co-legislators to rapidly

conclude negotiations on the European Border and Coast Guard (EBCG). It welcomes the

agreement reached at the level of the Council on 6 December 2018 with regard to enhancing

the EBCG's mandate in the area of return and cooperation with third countries. It also calls for

further efforts to conclude negotiations on the Return Directive, on the Asylum Agency and

on all parts of the Common European Asylum System, respecting previous European Council

conclusions and taking into account the varying degree of progress on each of these files.

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Conclusions

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13 and 14 December 2018

IV. OTHER ITEMS

External relations

The European Council discussed preparations for the upcoming summit with the League of

Arab States on 24 and 25 February 2019.

The European Council expresses its utmost concern regarding the escalation at the Kerch

Straits and the Azov Sea and Russia's violations of international law. It reconfirms its

commitment to international law, the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of

Ukraine and the EU's policy of non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea. There is

no justification for the use of military force by Russia. The European Council requests the

immediate release of all detained Ukrainian seamen as well as the return of the seized vessels

and free passage of all ships through the Kerch Straits. The EU stands ready to adopt

measures to strengthen further its support, in particular in favour of the affected areas of

Ukraine.

The European Council warmly welcomes the positive vote in the European Parliament on the

EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement and looks forward to its imminent entry into

force.

Climate change

10.

Further to the presentation of the Commission Communication "A Clean Planet for all" and

taking into account the outcome of COP24 in Katowice, the European Council invites the

Council to work on the elements outlined in the Communication. The European Council will

provide guidance on the overall direction and political priorities in the first semester of 2019,

to enable the European Union to submit a long term strategy by 2020 in line with the Paris

Agreement.

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Conclusions

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Security and Defence

11.

The European Council welcomes the significant progress made in the area of security and

defence, including in implementing Permanent Structured Cooperation, in improving military

mobility, in implementing the European Defence Industrial Development Programme and in

the negotiations on the proposed European Defence Fund. It endorses the Civilian CSDP

Compact. These initiatives contribute to enhancing the EU's strategic autonomy and its

capacity to act as a security provider, while complementing and reinforcing the activities of

NATO and strengthening EU-NATO cooperation, in full respect of the principles of

inclusiveness, reciprocity and decision-making autonomy of the EU.

Disinformation

12.

The spread of deliberate, large-scale, and systematic disinformation, including as part of

hybrid warfare, is an acute and strategic challenge for our democratic systems. It requires an

urgent response that needs to be sustained over time, in full respect of fundamental rights. The

European Council:

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stresses the need for a determined response, that addresses the internal and external

dimensions and that is comprehensive, coordinated and well-resourced on the basis of

an assessment of threats;

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calls for the prompt and coordinated implementation of the Joint Action Plan on

disinformation presented by the Commission and the High Representative so as to

bolster EU capabilities, strengthen coordinated and joint responses between the Union

and Member States, mobilise the private sector and increase societal resilience to

disinformation;

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calls for swift and decisive action at both European and national level on securing free

and fair European and national elections.

13.

The Council is invited to continue work on this issue and to report back to the European

Council in March 2019.

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Conclusions

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Fight against racism and xenophobia

14.

The European Council condemns all forms of antisemitism, racism and xenophobia, and

underlines the importance of combating intolerance. It welcomes the adoption on

6 December 2018 of the Council Declaration on the fight against antisemitism.

Citizens' Dialogues and Citizens' Consultations and Preparations for the Strategic Agenda

15.

The European Council welcomes the holding of Citizens' Dialogues and Citizens'

Consultations, which was an unprecedented opportunity to engage with European citizens and

which could serve as an inspiration for further consultations and dialogues. The joint report

prepared by the current and the incoming Presidency, together with the different national

reports and input from the other European institutions, identify a number of concerns and

expectations on the part of the participating citizens in terms of concrete results from the EU.

At their informal meeting in Sibiu on 9 May 2019, Heads of State or Government will discuss

priorities for the next institutional cycle, with a view to agreeing on the next Strategic Agenda

in June 2019.

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