European Commission: A New Start - The 2015 Work Programme

16 December 2014

The Work Programme sets out the Commission's plans for the 12 months ahead. It identifies actions which will make a positive difference for jobs, growth and investment in 2015.

President Jean-Claude Juncker said: “This Commission was elected on the basis of a clear political mandate: the ten priorities set out in our Political Guidelines. Today’s Work Programme is the translation of those ten priorities into concrete first deliverables. Citizens expect the EU to make a difference on the big economic and social challenges and they want less interference where Member States are better equipped to give the right response. That is why we committed to driving change and to leading an EU that is bigger and more ambitious on big things, and smaller and more modest on small things.”

The Commission's 2015 Work Programme sets out: 23 new initiatives proposed by the Juncker Commission, following the Political Guidelines presented to the European Parliament; 80 existing proposals which the Commission proposes to withdraw or amend for political or technical reasons. The Work Programme presents focused actions where the Commission will deliver in 2015. In addition, in many areas, the Commission will also continue to work hard to ensure that existing policies and rules are fit for purpose, deliver concrete results on the ground and are properly implemented.

The Commission notably committed to deliver in 2015:

• An Investment Plan for Europe: the legislative follow-up to the Plan announced last month, unlocking public and private investments in the real economy of at least € 315 billion over the next three years.
• An Ambitious Digital Single Market Package: creating the conditions for a vibrant digital economy and society by complementing the telecommunications regulatory environment, modernising copyright rules, simplifying rules for consumers making online and digital purchases, enhancing cyber-security and mainstreaming digitalisation.
• The first steps towards a European Energy Union: to ensure energy supply security, further integrate national energy markets, reduce European energy demand and decarbonise the energy mix.
• A Fairer Approach to Taxation: An Action Plan on efforts to combat tax evasion and tax fraud, including measures at EU level in order to move to a system on the basis of which the country where profits are generated is also the country of taxation; including automatic exchange of information on tax rulings and stabilising corporate tax bases.
• A European Agenda on Migration: developing a new approach on legal migration to make the EU an attractive destination for talent and skills and improving the management of migration into the EU through greater cooperation with third countries, solidarity among our Member States and fighting human trafficking.
• Deeper Economic and Monetary Union: Continued efforts to promote economic stability and attract investors to Europe.

Full press release

Work Programme 2015 website

Key documents

Questions and answers

Speaking Points of First Vice-President Frans Timmermans, Presentation of the 2015 Commission Work Programme to the European Parliament

European Economic and Social Committee: A work programme that is on the right track but that needs fast-track achievements to be convincing

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