http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/gena/110776.pdf
Mediterranean Sea - Protection against land-based pollution
The Council adopted a decision supporting the adoption of regional plans on the reduction of BOD5
in urban waste water, the elimination of aldrin, chlordane, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, mirex and
toxaphene and the phasing out of DDT under the protocol for the protection of the Mediterranean
Sea against land-based pollution.
BUDGET
Financing of three new agencies
The Council confirmed an agreement with the European Parliament and the Commission on the
financing of three new agencies, namely the European Asylum Support Office (EASO), the
European Agency for Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) and the Office of the Body of
European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC Office). See below page, 17.
Croatia - Accession negotiations
The Council adopted EU common positions on a number of negotiating chapters with regard to
negotiations with Croatia on its accession to the EU.
The common positions relate to the following negotiating chapters:
– Chapter 2 - Freedom of Movement for Workers
– Chapter 4 - Free movement of Capital
– Chapter 6 - Company law
– Chapter 11 - Agriculture and rural development
– Chapter 12 - Food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary policy
– Chapter 16 - Taxation
– Chapter 18 - Statistics
– Chapter 21 - Trans-European networks
– Chapter 22 - Regional policy and coordination of structural instruments
– Chapter 24 - Justice, freedom and security
– Chapter 29 - Customs Union
Treaty of Lisbon implementation including the European External Action Service
The Council reached broad agreement on guidelines for the establishment of a European External
Action Service (EEAS), as presented in a report by the presidency, and took note of progress in
preparatory work on implementation with a view to entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon.
The EEAS guidelines will be submitted to the European Council for approval at its October
meeting.
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14657/09 (Presse 298) 8
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STRATEGY FOR THE BALTIC SEA REGIO - Council conclusions
The Council adopted the following conclusions and agreed to forward them to the European
Council, with a view to its meeting in Brussels on 29 and 30 October.
"THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
RECAPITULATING the European Council conclusions of 14 December 2007, welcomes the
Commission’s Communication concerning the European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region1,
and COMMENDING the Commission on the extensive consultation process conducted in preparing the Communication.
WELCOMING the innovative integrated approach in addressing challenges of common aspiration within the EU through current and possible future macro regional strategies, on a voluntary basis.
NOTING that the Commission intends to present in the near future an EU Strategy for the Danube region as the next macro regional strategy as outlined by the European Council on 19 June 2009.
RECOGNISING the potential of territorial strategies, in this particular case at the macro regional level, for contributing to the economic, social and territorial2 cohesion of the EU. For achieving EU objectives, amongst others the ones expressed in the Lisbon Agenda and the European economic recovery plan, and for helping to adapt to future challenges facing the EU, inter alia climate change.
RECOGNISING, without prejudice to the situation in, and the diversity and needs of, other
geographical areas and individual Member States, the serious environmental state and fragility of the Baltic Sea, and NOTING the implementation of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan in this regard3.
CFSP
PROVISIONAL VERSION 26.X.2009
14657/09 (Presse 298) 7
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ITEMS DEBATED
PREPARATIO OF THE OCTOBER MEETIG OF THE EUROPEA COUCIL
Draft European Council conclusions
The Council examined draft conclusions prepared by the presidency for the European Council
meeting to be held in Brussels on 29 and 30 October.
Issues to be addressed by the European Council, set out in a an annotated draft agenda issued in
September (12942/09), include:
– institutional issues;
– climate change;
– the economic situation;
– macro-regional strategies;
– illegal immigration;
– external relations.
The draft conclusions will be reviewed by the presidency in the light of the Council's discussion.
1 Where declarations, conclusions or resolutions have been formally adopted by the Council, this is indicated in the heading for the item concerned and the text is placed between quotation marks.
Documents for which references are given in the text are available on the Council's Internet site
(http://www.consilium.europa.eu).
Acts adopted with statements for the Council minutes which may be released to the public are indicated by an asterisk; these statements are available on the Council's Internet site or may be obtained from the Press Office.
14657/09 (Presse 298) 3
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COTETS1
PARTICIPATS........................................................................................................................... 5
ITEMS DEBATED
PREPARATION OF THE OCTOBER MEETING OF THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL.................... 7
Draft European Council conclusions ............................................................................................... 7
Treaty of Lisbon implementation including the European External Action Service.......................... 7
STRATEGY FOR THE BALTIC SEA REGION - Council conclusions ......................................... 8
OTHER ITEMS APPROVED
ENLARGEMENT
– Croatia - Accession negotiations ......................................................................................................................12
GENERAL AFFAIRS
– Proceeding in the Council's different configurations.........................................................................................13
ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL AFFAIRS
– Economic co-operation between Portugal and São Tomé and Príncipe - Council conclusions............................13
BUDGET
– Financing of three new agencies ......................................................................................................................13
PROVISIONAL VERSION 26.X.2009
14657/09 (Presse 298) 4
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ENVIRONMENT
– Eco-management and audit scheme..................................................................................................................14
– EU eco-label ..................................................................................................................................................15
– End-of-life vehicles ........................................................................................................................................15
– Mediterranean Sea - Protection against land-based pollution ............................................................................15
– Convention on biological diversity - Access to genetic resources......................................................................16
TRANSPORT
– Aircraft certification - Train driving licences - Road transport equipment - Passenger ships ..............................16
– EU- China maritime transport agreement - EU enlargement .............................................................................17
SOCIAL POLICY
– Protection of workers from chemical risks........................................................................................................17
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
– Body of European Electronic Regulators for Communications..........................................................................17
– Citizens' rights in telecoms ..............................................................................................................................17
FISHERIES
– Tariff quotas for the period 2010 to 2012 .........................................................................................................18
– North-East Atlantic Fisheries Convention ........................................................................................................18
AGRICULTURE
– Statistics on plant protection products ..............................................................................................................18
PROVISIONAL VERSION 26.X.2009
14657/09 (Presse 298) 5
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PARTICIPATS
The governments of the Member States and the European Commission were represented as follows:
Belgium:
Mr Yves LETERME Minister for Foreign Affairs
Mr Olivier CHASTEL State Secretary for European Affairs
Bulgaria:
Ms Rumiana JELEVA Minister for Foreign Affairs
Czech Republic:
Mr Jan KOHOUT Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs
Mr Štefan FÜLE Minister for European Affairs
Denmark:
Mr Per Stig MØLLER Minister for Foreign Affairs
Germany:
Mr Frank-Walter STEINMEIER Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs
Mr Günter GLOSER Minister of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Estonia:
Mr Urmas PAET Minister for Foreign Affairs
Ireland:
Mr Micheál MARTIN Minister for Foreign Affairs
Mr Dick ROCHE Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach and
at the Department of Foreign Affairs with special
responsibility for European Affairs
Greece:
Mr Dimitris DROUTSAS Alternate Minister for Foreign Affairs
Spain:
Mr Miguel Ángel MORATINOS Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation
Mr Diego LÓPEZ GARRIDO State Secretary for the European Union
France:
Mr Bernard KOUCHNER Minister for Foreign and European Affairs
Mr Pierre LELLOUCHE State Secretary with responsibility for European affairs
Italy:
Mr Franco FRATTINI Minister for Foreign Affairs
Cyprus:
Mr Marcos ΚΥPRIANOU Minister for Foreign Affairs
Latvia:
Mr Māris RIEKSTIYŠ Minister for Foreign Affairs
Lithuania:
Mr Vygaudas UŠACKAS Minister for Foreign Affairs
Luxembourg:
Mr Jean ASSELBORN Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs and
Immigration
Hungary:
Mr Péter BALÁZS Minister for Foreign Affairs
Malta:
Mr Tonio BORG Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs
etherlands:
Mr Maxime VERHAGEN Minister for Foreign Affairs
Mr Frans TIMMERMANS Minister for European Affairs
Austria:
Mr Michael SPINDELEGGER Federal Minister for European and International Affairs
PROVISIONAL VERSION 26.X.2009
14657/09 (Presse 298) 6
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Poland:
Ms Grazyna BERNATOWICZ Under Secretary of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Portugal:
Mr Luis AMADO State Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs
Romania:
Mr Bogdan MAZURU State Secretary for European Affairs, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs
Slovenia:
Mr Samuel ŽBOGAR Minister for Foreign Affairs
Mr Mitja GASPARI Minister without Portfolio, responsible for Growth and
European Affairs
Slovakia:
Mr Miroslav LAJČÁK Minister for Foreign Affairs
Finland:
Mr Alexander STUBB Minister for Foreign Affairs
Ms Astrid THORS Minister for Migration and European Affairs
Sweden:
Mr Carl BILDT Minister for Foreign Affairs
Ms Cecilia MALMSTRÖM Minister for European Affairs
Mr Frank BELFRAGE State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
United Kingdom:
Mr David MILIBAND Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
Mr Chris BRYANT Minister of State for Europe and Parliamentary Under-
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
Commission:
Ms Margot WALLSTRÖM Vice President
Ms Benita FERRERO-WALDNER Member
General Secretariat of the Council:
Mr Javier SOLANA Secretary-General/High Representative for the CFSP
P R E S S
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press.office@consilium.europa.eu http://www.consilium.europa.eu/Newsroom
14657/09 (Presse 298) 1
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COUCIL OF
THE EUROPEA UIO
EN
14657/09 (Presse 298)
PROVISIONAL VERSION
PRESS RELEASE
2970th Council meeting
General Affairs and External Relations
General Affairs
Luxembourg, 26 October 2009
President Ms Cecilia MALMSTRÖM
Minister for EU Affairs of Sweden
* The 2971st meeting on External Relations is the subject of a separate press release
(14658/09).
PROVISIONAL VERSION 26.X.2009
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Main results of the Council
The Council reached broad agreement on guidelines for the establishment of a European External Action Service (EEAS), to be submitted to the European Council for approval at its October meeting.
It also endorsed an EU strategy for the Baltic Sea region, which is intended to address common
challenges faced by the countries of the region, including environmental and economic challenges.
The strategy is due to be adopted by the European Council at its October meeting.
PROVISIONAL VERSION 26.X.2009
1 Where declarations, conclusions or resolutions have been formally adopted by the Council, this is indicated
in the heading for the item concerned and the text is placed between quotation marks.
Documents for which references are given in the text are available on the Council's Internet site
(http://www.consilium.europa.eu).
Acts adopted with statements for the Council minutes which may be released to the public are indicated by
an asterisk; these statements are available on the Council's Internet site or may be obtained from the Press
Office.
14657/09 (Presse 298) 3
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COTETS1
PARTICIPATS........................................................................................................................... 5
ITEMS DEBATED
PREPARATION OF THE OCTOBER MEETING OF THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL.................... 7
Draft European Council conclusions ............................................................................................... 7
Treaty of Lisbon implementation including the European External Action Service.......................... 7
STRATEGY FOR THE BALTIC SEA REGION - Council conclusions ......................................... 8
OTHER ITEMS APPROVED
ENLARGEMENT
– Croatia - Accession negotiations ......................................................................................................................12
GENERAL AFFAIRS
– Proceeding in the Council's different configurations.........................................................................................13
ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL AFFAIRS
– Economic co-operation between Portugal and São Tomé and Príncipe - Council conclusions............................13
BUDGET
– Financing of three new agencies ......................................................................................................................13
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