The five priorities” “

Greece assumed the rotating presidency of the European Union on 1st January 2003. The government of Athens, led by the Socialist Konstantinos Simitis, has chosen “Our Europe” as its slogan for the semester and intends to concentrate on five fundamental priorities: enlargement, social model and European development, immigration, EU foreign relations, and institutional reforms. As far as enlargement is concerned, as stressed by deputy foreign minister Tassos Giannitsis, “the Greek objective consists in bringing to a successful conclusion the decision taken in Copenhagen and transforming it into a success for everyone”. An “historic” signature. The Greek capital will host the official ceremony for the signing of the membership Treaties by the ten new countries on 16 April 2003. At the same time the presidency will take steps to promote the entry of Bulgaria and Romania (scheduled for 2007) and to support the process of Turkey’s rapprochement with the Union with a view to the possible beginning of her membership negotiations in 2005 at the earliest. In the social sector, the reinforcement of the so-called “Lisbon Strategy” will see the Greek presidency involved in seeking the right balance between competitiveness, employment, social cohesion and sustainable development: particular attention will be devoted to European economic policy, to the promotion of the entrepreneurial spirit (in particular for small and medium businesses), to the pursuit of the historic objective of a knowledge-based economy through greater investments in technological research and development, to the provision of higher quality services for citizens and to the harmonization of basic economic and social policies, so as to improve welfare, pension and health-care systems and honour the pledge of achieving full employment by 2010. Strategies for employment. Premier Simitis has announced the intention to proceed to a re-examination of the European strategy for employment “to redefine and improve the mechanisms and policies aimed at creating a quantitatively and qualitatively higher number of jobs”. In terms of immigration, Greece will dedicate part of the European Council of Salonika in June to the application of the guidelines of the Seville summit on the common management of frontiers, on cooperation with third countries for the control of migratory flows and on the campaign against clandestine immigration, though without ignoring the fundamental questions of legal immigration and the policy of integration. According to deputy foreign minister Giannitsis, in fact, “the issue of immigration also presents equally important domestic, social and political aspects, such as employment, social integration, family reunification, which must be tackled by the involvement of all the countries of the Union on the basis of the principle of subsidiarity and their own national needs and responsibilities”. A diplomatic solution to the Iraqi crisis. With regard to the external relations of the Union, much will depend on how the Iraqi crisis unfolds. Athens has long declared its support for a diplomatic solution of the crisis, strengthened also by the common European position supporting the essential role of the United Nations. The EU will continue to play a peacemaking role in the Middle East and in other trouble spots round the world, with particular regard for the situation in the Balkans which should lead to an international conference between the various sides, sponsored by the Greek presidency. Lastly, one of the most important tasks of the Greek presidency will consist in managing the final phase of the work of the Convention on the future of Europe. The final draft of a constitutional Treaty, resulting from the proposals of the Convention’s eleven work groups, should be discussed by the Heads of State and of Government of the EU during the Salonika summit in late June. If the Greek presidency is able to mediate between the various positions and obtain a substantial agreement on the project adopted by the members of the Convention, it should then be possible to conclude the subsequent intergovernmental Conference on institutional reforms within the year with the signing of the new Treaties.