Still at work

The Community’s highest offices are not on holiday yet. A string of very important political and legislative activities are underway, while the Lisbon Treaty ratification is on top of the French presidency agenda.Budget and the Euro Area. Last week the Economic and Financial affairs Committee (Ecofin), headed by the French budget minister, Eric Woerth, approved during the first reading the European Union Budget for 2009. It is the first step of a long procedure involving the Council, Parliament and Commission ‘ which should end by December, in order to pass the budget on January 1, 2009. Meanwhile, the Commission is monitoring Slovakia’s preparation to the adoption of the single currency next year: a report published a couple of days ago revealed advanced procedures for public accounts, while further efforts are necessary to sensitize economic operators and consumers. “Now that it has obtained the green light from the Euro – Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs, Joaquìn Almunia explained-, Slovakia must concentrate on finalising the preparations to ensure a smooth changeover “. Almunia mentioned consumers, enterprises and the retail sectors. The Lisbon Treaty. As part of July’s agenda, on Saturday 19 the EU inaugurated the Community Fisheries Control Agency, premises in Vigo, Spain. On Wednesday July 23 the Commission will publish its report on Rumania and Bulgaria, the two other Members States that adhered to the “common house”, on progress made on judiciary reforms and fight against corruption. The Summit between EU and South Africa has been scheduled on July 25 in Bordeaux. On top of Nicolas Sarkozy ‘s Presidency agenda is the ratification of the reform Treaty, which calls for the final approval of 27 Member States to be enforced. After Ireland’s negative referendum, the issue had been tackled during the Heads of State and government Summit at the end of June that suggested to continue the ratification procedure and weigh the results at another Summit set on October 15. Mr. Sarkozy, himself is pressing Dublin to find a solution to the problem: 23 Member States have ratified the Treaty: the Czech, Italian and Swedish Parliaments are the only ones that still have to vote.. Food Prices: An EU initiative. The Commission is taking a stand on the price issue, after failing to approve a common project in June’s Summit. On July 18, the Commission launched a proposal to support agriculture production in developing countries, in order to reduce the prices of food on world markets and help poor people. The Commission will allocate a 1 billion euro fund that will operate for two years 2008-2009; the funding will be taken from unused money from the European Union’s agriculture budget. However since the proposal falls under the co-decision procedure of the Council and Parliament, the Commission is trying to streamline it. The approval must be reached by November “to avoid loosing unused 2008 budget grants” . According to Commission sources ” The funds will be allocated to the most needy developing countries that will be selected based on a set of objective criteria”. Among the priorities of this “rapid alert system” we must find “ways to boost supply and favour better access to farm input, such as seeds and fertilizers, eventually through credit”.Solidarity and stability. The European Commission president, José Manuel Barroso, said : “The impact of high food prices is particularly severe for the world’s poorest populations. It may put at risk our progress towards the Millennium Development Goals and exacerbate tensions in poor countries, namely Africa” .Through this funding “we want to provide a strong and rapid agricultural supply response. It is an act of solidarity with the world’s poorest but also a way to promote stability”. Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Louis Michel added: “The food price increase has hit farmers and population in developing countries the hardest. This major cash injection will help boost agricultural production in these countries. This is Europe responding in real time with effective actions” and ” effective solutions to help farmers in Africa and other developing countries”.