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SPECIAL EDITION
Spring European Council
Results of the Spring European Council, 23-24 March
The 2006 Spring European Council focused on growth and jobs. The conclusions of the Council are:
An energy policy for Europe
The Common External Energy Policy will be reinforced. Dialogue between the EU and producer countries will be further developed. The EU will intensify its policy of energy diversification. New gas supply routes should be opened, in particular from the Caspian region. The network infrastructure East-West should be completed. The attention given to energy shows how the challenges facing Europe have given a new profile to European energy policy. The Commission’s Green paper on energy was welcomed as an important basis for debate and decision. It set out six areas of work and over thirty concrete measures to shape a real energy policy for Europe, built around the key goals of sustainability, security and competitiveness in European energy. This is the inspiration for the conclusions, which gives the Commission a clear mandate to move the policy forward and to develop a clear action plan for adoption at the Spring Council next year.
Increasing employment opportunities for priority categories
The conclusions point to a headline goal of 2 million new jobs a year and point to how this means bringing everyone into the labour market. The decision to fix a limit for finding a job, training or employment support for every young unemployed represents an important sign that the growth and jobs strategy is for all.
Investing more in knowledge and innovation
Clear targets are set Member State by Member State for the proportion of national wealth to be devoted to R&D by 2010. Freeing constraints on universities and researchers is another theme. The conclusions also note how EU initiatives – the Framework Programme for research, the Lifelong Learning Programme, and now the European Institute for Technology (EIT) – are leading the way in providing practical solutions to Europe’s shortcomings in this area. The Commission’s proposal on the EIT is recognised as an important step in filling the gap between higher education, research and innovation and the Commission is invited to submit a proposal on further steps by mid June 2006.
Unlocking business potential, especially of SMEs
The importance of a welcoming environment for business is recognised in a set of proposals drawn from best practice experience. The conclusions adopt a set of commitments to make business start-ups easier by the end of 2007, of both practical help to SMEs. Better regulation and simplification are highlighted as particular EU contributions to a better business environment.
The results of the Spring European Council are available on:
European Council, Conclusions of the Presidency
For further information, please contact:
EC Delegation in Kazakhstan accredited to Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan
Bella Tormysheva/Tatyana Matveyeva
20 A, Kazibek Bi, 050010 Almaty, Kazakhstan
Tel: (7-3272) 91 76 76 Fax: (7-3272) 91 07 49
E-mail:
Delegation-kazakhstan@cec.eu.int
Website:
www.delkaz.cec.eu.int
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