Before 12 December ” “

A series of appointments of the utmost importance will succeed each other in the days ahead, from the “conclave” of EU Foreign Ministers at the end of this week to the summit of the Heads of State and of Government in mid-December. Foreign Ministers in “conclave”. A meeting of EU Foreign Ministers is scheduled for Friday 28 and Saturday 29 November in Naples. It is a meeting in the framework of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) that could turn out to be of extreme importance. The current Italian Presidency of the EU will present a document of its own to seek a mediation between the opposing positions on many still unresolved questions concerning the future Constitution, including: unanimous vote; qualified majorities; composition of the Commission; ‘emendability’ of the Constitution; and powers of the European Parliament. EuroMed in the shadow of Vesuvius. Naples once again will be the venue of the euro-mediterranean ministerial Conference scheduled for Tuesday 2 and Wednesday 3 December. A fundamental mainstay of the new “policy of proximity” of the EU is its partnership with the countries of the Mediterranean shores. Some proposals of the EU Council are moving in this direction: in particular, the creation of a euromed parliamentary assembly, a Foundation for the dialogue between cultures, and a financial Fund as part of the European Investment Bank. The recommendations of Parliament. The next session of the European Parliament will be held in Brussels on Wednesday 3 and Thursday 4 December. Its main priority will be to review the work of the IGC, in preparation for the EU summit in mid-December. The EP will not fail to send precise requests to the Council about the constitutional Treaty, with particular attention to “European citizenship” and the balance of power between EU institutions. Results of the year for the disabled. The European Year of the Disabled will officially close in Rome, from Friday 5 to Sunday 7 December. It will be an occasion to review the situation – after 12 months of meetings, competitions, festivities, cultural and political projects – regarding the safeguard of the rights of the handicapped and anti-discriminatory policies. EU, environment and Kyoto protocol. Milan will host the 9th Conference of the signatories of the UN Convention on climate on 1st and 2nd December. Cop9 is aimed at finding an agreement between States to make the Kyoto Protocol binding (safeguard of the environment; control of climate-changing emissions). The EU, among the most active protagonists on this front, will be attending the Conference with a high-level official delegation of its own. Summit: “day of reckoning” for the IGC. The summit of the Heads of State and of Government of the EU, concluding the six months’ Italian Presidency, will be held in the Belgian capital on Friday 12 and Saturday 13 December. The summit will monitor the progress achieved by the IGC and take key decisions for the drafting, approval and ratification of the new constitutional Treaty.