Priority Issues for Latvia during the Hungarian EU Presidency, First Half of 2010

02.12.2014. 19:09

EU Budget Review, Future of Cohesion Policy and Common Agriculture Policy

  • Discussions on the principles and priorities for the next EU Multi-Annual Financial Framework after 2013, i.a. on the reform of the financing of the EU budget (own resources).
  • Discussions on the future of Cohesion Policy, stressing the importance of focused support to reduce economic and social disparities in less developed regions. Active participation in public discussions on 5th Cohesion Report.
  • Discussions on the future of Common Agriculture Policy, ensuring competitive direct payments among all EU Member States.

Energy and Transport Policy

  • Further work on creating a common European Energy market, including the implementation of the Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan, in order to integrate currently isolated “energy islands”.
  • Further work on the priorities of the European Energy Strategy and integrated European energy network, including the discussions on financing the EU Energy infrastructure.
  • Discussions on future EU transport policy, including infrastructure (TEN-T).

Re-launch of the Internal Market

  • Completion of the single market with an emphasis on activities that will boost growth, improve the business environment and will provide practical benefits to citizens and businesses.

Overcoming of Economic and Financial Crisis

  • Approval of European Commission legislative proposals concerning the budget and the reforms of Stability and Growth Pact, as well as the legislative proposals to ascertain and prevent risk of macroeconomic imbalances in the eurozone and the EU.
  • Approval of the regulatory framework and supervision of the financial markets to promote stability of the financial system and renew the investors' and consumers' confidence.
  • Approval of amendments to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, that provide for the establishment of permanent stability mechanism for the eurozone EU Member States.

Europe 2020 Strategy

  • Preparing and submitting the Latvian National Reform Programme to the European Commission, including the measures to achieve national targets and to remove the bottlenecks to competitiveness and growth.

EU External Relations Agenda

EU as a Global Player

  • Strengthening relations with global partners, i.a. the United States, Russia, China, and India.
  • Strengthening global security by facilitating solutions to situations of conflict and instability (i.a. Middle East, Afghanistan, Iran, Somalia).
  • Increased EU competitiveness in external markets in line with the Europe 2020 Strategy. Implementation of the EU Market Access Strategy and identification and elimination of trade barriers in countries and regions such as Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Central Asia.

Eastern Partners and Central Asia

  • European Neighbourhood Policy review process. Second Eastern Partnership Summit.
  • Negotiations with Ukraine on the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, including the Free Trade Area aspects of the Agreement. Implementation of the Visa Action Plan.
  • Negotiations with Moldova on political part of Association Agreement. Preparation of an Action Plan on visa liberalisation.
  • Negotiations on Association Agreements with Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan.
  • Assistance to Moldova, Georgia and Armenia in their preparations to start negotiations on free trade area with the EU.
  • Discussions on mandate for negotiations on visa facilitation with Belarus.
  • Dialogue with Central Asia within the framework of the EU Strategy for Central Asia.

Transatlantic Relationship

  • Cooperation between the EU and the US on issues of mutual interest (i.a. Iran, Afghanistan, Middle East) and within various international frameworks.
  • Strengthening of the EU-US economic relations within the frameworks of Transatlantic Economic Council and Energy Council.

EU – Russia Relations

  • Negotiations on a new EU-Russia Agreement.
  • Russia’s accession to the WTO.
  • Implementation of the Road Maps for the four common spaces. Work on the Partnership for Modernisation.
  • Discussion within the visa dialogue on a list of common steps in view of visa-free travel as a long term goal.

EU Enlargement and Western Balkans

  • Continuation of the EU enlargement and the EU integration process with candidate and potential candidate countries in accordance with each country’s progress in meeting the set criteria.
  • Conclusion of accession negotiations with Croatia.

Common Security and Defence Policy

  • Further development of the EU Civilian Headline goals and civil and military capabilities.
  • Continued improvement of the EU and NATO strategic cooperation in operations and in capability development.
  • Continued EU involvement in Afghanistan and coordination of activities with other international players.
  • Continued EU involvement in facilitating stability in Georgia (EU monitoring mission; Geneva process).
  • Discussion on the implementation of CSDP provisions included in the Treaty of Lisbon.

Development Policy

  • Discussions on the European Commission’s Green Paper on the Future of the EU Development Policy.
  • Increasing the EU aid efficiency: elaboration of a common EU position in preparation for the IV High Level Forum on Aid Efficiency (Busan, South Korea).