Commission, work program for 2012″Delivering European renewal” is the title of the 2012 Work Program of the Commission, adopted on November 15, whose purpose is to translate the political priorities identified by President Barroso in the State of the Union address into concrete actions for the next year. The program underlines that in the coming 12 months “significant attention will have to be given to taking forward proposals already adopted or in the pipeline for the coming weeks, which include measures on the economy and the Single Market”. Growth and job creation lie at the heart of the Executive’s commitment. Barroso said: “In my State of the Union Address I called for a European renewal. The top priority is to adopt and swiftly implement the ambitious package of proposals to restore confidence in the European economy. The Commission work programme goes even further and concentrates on measures that will support all possibilities to counter the current difficult economic prospects”. The main priorities – which encompass further actions and initiatives – over the next 12 months include: building a Europe of stability and responsibility; building a Union of growth and solidarity; giving the EU an effective voice in the wider world”. “In all these areas”, Barroso said, “the Work Programmes underline the need for the EU to be united, and to work together to ensure that proposals and ideas are translated into laws and practical implementation on the ground”.Food aid, “EU funds until after 2013″”We will ensure that EU funding for food banks continues even after 2013”. In his address at the European Parliament delivered at the beginning of the week José Manuel Barroso confirmed that the EU’s food distribution scheme has a crucial role and that the Commission and the EU Parliament will continue fighting for the allocation of funds. The EU Agriculture Commission a few days ago had reached a compromise that recuperated funding for food to 18 million destitute citizens across 20 European countries provided that the programme ended by 2013. EU Commissioner for Agriculture Dacian Ciolos believes that 500 million euro a year for two years (subidies come from the agricultural funds that are part of community budget) are a “commitment” that the EU cannot renounce. The President of the Commission for Agriculture of the European Parliament, Paolo Di Castro (Italy) further reiterated that: “This bridge-scheme, valid for two years, is a good news for 18 million European citizens. However, we are worried about the joint declaration of the French and German governments aimed at cutting food aid after 2013. The committed of EU Commission and Parliament will continue along these lines”. The fund for food aids – distributed thanks to “food banks” and to various charities and social service bodies, lay and religious alike, are part of the European Platform for combating poverty and social exclusion adopted by the EU Parliament on November 15.Green book: migrants and family reunificationA few days ago the European Commission launched a public debate on the right to family reunification of third-country nationals living in the EU, “depending on the outcome of the consultation, the Commission will decide whether any policy follow-up is necessary – such as setting up clear guidelines, modifying the current rules or leaving the legislation as it is”. Since 2003, common EU rules specify the conditions under which family members of a non-EU citizen, legally resident in a Member State, are allowed to enter and reside in the EU. “Family reunification gives immigrants the possibility to have a family life and helps their integration into society”, underlined Cecilia Malmström, Commissioner for Home Affairs. “I hope that all stakeholders will participate in the consultation, and share their experiences and opinions on how to have more effective rules on family reunification. Member States are especially invited to outline and quantify the problems they claim to have with abuse of the current rules”, she added. The Green Paper focuses on a number of questions. All stakeholders are now invited to reply – before 1 March 2012 – to questions such as: To whom the directive should apply, namely, “how to best define the migrants who benefit from the EU rules”; “the conditions for family reunification”; “the problems experienced with forced marriages”; “the functioning of certain obligations for Member States, such as taking the best interest of children into account when examining” a family reunification application.
