-“On most of the key issues on the Seville agenda, EU leaders chose to tread water, and progress where it was made was rather modest” said John Palmer, Director of the European Policy Centre (EPC) in Brussels. “The debate on the reform of the European Council (and the Council system more generally) did not produce radical or far reaching changes either. An attempt to anticipate the Convention of The Future of Europe was squashed.”
“Seville did not throw any new light on how the last remaining hurdles to a successful conclusion of the accession negotiations will be handled”, Mr. Palmer concluded. “It will fall now to the incoming Danish Presidency to steer the 25 negotiating parties through some potentially very turbulent exchanges of agricultural and structural aid policy.”
The President of the European Council, José María Aznar, singled out the Council decisions, such as Immigration and asylum, and enlargement:
Immigration and asylum
'Immigration is beneficial if migratory flows are organised in accordance with the law,' said Mr Aznar, who went on to identify four groups of measures within the overall package:
Measures in the fight against illegal immigration and trafficking in human beings, with a set timetable and in accordance with the Plan approved by the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 28 February.
Action for coordinated management of external borders.
A set of measures designed to integrate immigration policy into cooperation with third countries. If the EU provides technical and financial cooperation both in the management of migratory flows and in border controls and readmission agreements, there needs, Mr Aznar said, to be an 'assessment mechanism' allowing the EU to reserve the right 'in exceptional circumstances,' to take the measures it deems appropriate.
The final group of measures is designed to 'speed up' work on a common policy on asylum and immigration for the European Union.
Enlargement
The European Council President said the Spanish Presidency had made “a very considerable effort in negotiating 83 chapters and closing the common positions of the Fifteen.” He remarked that “we have entered the final part of the enlargement negotiations and decision-making. The aim of completing the negotiations by the end of 2002 is within our grasp. It will mean that the accession treaties are signed in the first quarter of 2003 and that up to 10 candidate countries will take part in the European elections scheduled for 2004.”
Reform of the Council
Mr Aznar indicated his “satisfaction at the impetus the Seville European Council has lent to the process of reforming the Council, reducing the number of Council formations from 16 to 9, with transparency in decision-making, better procedure and coordination in decision-making, and the creation of a General Affairs and Foreign Policy Council, with different functions and agendas.”
Middle East
The High Representative for the CFSP, Javier Solana, underlined “the excellent relations and coordination” he had enjoyed with the Spanish Presidency during the first half of the year, which had included “some extremely difficult moments, especially with the situation in the Middle East.” Mr Solana said that “now more than ever we need a rapid political initiative to resume the peace process in the region.”
EU-NATO relations
Mr Aznar said the Spanish Presidency would “continue working with the greatest intensity over the next few weeks to try to reach an agreement enabling definitive relations to be established between the European Union and NATO for the EU’s security and defence operations.
Budget stability and economic reform
With regard to the economic chapter, the European Council President welcomed the approval of the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines and reaffirmed the Fifteen’s commitment to meet the objectives of fiscal consolidation, economic reform and full employment. He also emphasised the EU Member States’ will to maintain and strengthen the consensus achieved in Doha and Monterrey on trade liberalisation policies and sustainable development, and to present concrete initiatives on water management, energy and health at the forthcoming Summit scheduled to take place in Johannesburg at the end of August.
Presidency conclusions
John Palmers Report: The Seville European Council – Treading water
© Council of the European Union
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