Mit - Index

Mit - UVK_Sinfo_2008_06_št.11 - Index

GOOd AS THE PRESIdENCy OF OTHER,
bIGGER ANd MORE ExPERIENCEd
COuNTRIES? wHAT HAVE wE LEARNEd
FROM THIS IMPORTANT ExPERIENCE?
Slovenia set itself realistic, yet still very ambitious goals, and
reached them successfully. Our Presidency may not have been
as glamorous or resounding as the presidencies of some bigger
Member States, but nevertheless we achieved some important
substantial breakthroughs. On the European as well as the world
map, during its Presidency Slovenia proved itself a competent
country with a vision. We were successful in determining
principles for the distribution of burdens of the environment
protection, as well as the stabilisation of the Western Balkans.
We initiated a new and ambitious cycle of the Lisbon Strategy;
we placed the European Union at the head of the fight against
climate change, strengthened intercultural dialogue and enabled
the Western Balkans to start down the road to the European
Union. After almost two years of complications, we made a
breakthrough in negotiations on a new agreement with Russia.
If there had not been a rejection of the Lisbon Treaty in Ireland,
we could have crowned our list of successes with encouraging
statistics on the ratification of this document in Member States.
In addition, Slovenia gained valuable experience during the
Presidency, made alliances and systematically gained knowledge
on world problems. From now on we will be able to actively
participate in and make suggestions about all important
international debates.
THE PRESIdENCy PAId A LOT OF
ATTENTION TO THE STATES OF wESTERN
bALkANS, TO MEASuRES THAT wOuLd
bOOST THE COMPETITIVENESS OF THE
EuROPEAN uNION ANd TO dISCuSSIONS
ON MEASuRES AGAINST CLIMATE
CHANGE. wHAT ARE THE GREATEST
SuCCESSES IN THESE AREAS?
During the Slovenian Presidency, the European perspective on
the Western Balkans was confirmed. Two key achievements of
the Presidency are the completion of a network of Stabilization
and Association Agreements with all the countries in the Western
Balkans region except Kosovo, and the beginning of a dialogue
on visa liberalization. We successfully initiated a new cycle of
the Lisbon Strategy, which is focused on the implementation of
national reform programmes. The decision by Member States
that the reform process should be continued even after 2010
is of special importance. At the European Council meeting in
March EU leaders implemented the so-called fifth freedom - free
flow of knowledge. We agreed on initiatives for strengthening
business competitiveness, particularly for small and medium-sized
companies. We called for enhanced investment in people, as well
as for the implementation of a flexible yet secure labour market.
We also determined a time frame and principles for the
adoption of the energy/environment package. By doing this
we set an example even to our world partners in combating
climate change. Climate change is one of the key issues at a
world level at the moment, demanding global partnership. This
is the reason climate change was one of the key issues at all the
summit meetings with third countries I chaired as president of the
17
INteRviEw
Council of the European Union during Slovenia’s Presidency. Our
partners from Japan, Latin America and Caribbean, the United
States of America and the Russian Federation are all aware of this
issue. But what is missing is the next step − a clear commitment
to the ‘green revolution’. By adopting the energy/environment
package the European Union has already taken that step.
THE IRISH ‘NO’ ON THE REFERENduM
ON THE LISbON TREATy ON 12 JuNE
bECAME A CENTRAL ISSuE OF THE
SECONd SuMMIT MEETING OF THE
EuROPEAN uNION duRING THE
SLOVENE PRESIdENCy. wHAT ExACTLy
dOES THE IRISH CASE MEAN FOR
THE FuTuRE dEVELOPMENT OF THE
EuROPEAN uNION?
The ratification procedures in Member States continue. The
European Council will determine possible solutions to this
situation in October - until then, the European Union and life in
it will go on. I believe we will find a solution for implementing
the Lisbon Treaty. The new institutional foundation, enabling the
efficient and democratic functioning of the enlarged Europe in
times of globalisation, remains one of central political priorities
of the EU.
yOu PLACEd SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON THE
AdOPTION OR ON THE AGREEMENT ON
SOME LEGISLATION wHICH wILL HAVE
IMPORTANT CONSEquENCES FOR ALL
CITIzENS OF THE Eu, buT THEy ARE NOT
NECESSARILy THE CENTRE OF PubLIC
ATTENTION. wHAT IS THIS LEGISLATION?
During our Presidency, a number of legislative acts or European
directives with important consequences for the lives of individuals
were adopted. One of these is an agreement on the European
Satellite System Galileo. When we will all be using the Galileo
system instead of GPS in our cars in 2013, there probably won’t
be anyone who remembers that the agreement was achieved
during the Slovene Presidency. Just as there is nobody today who
remembers which Member State presided when the Community
negotiated the introduction of the euro.
In the first half of 2008 we also managed to agree on the
Working Time Directive, which protects the rights of employees
in Europe. The common EU standard will substantially increase
the rights of employees in some Member States, where the
maximum work limit is up to 78 hours a week.
We have also achieved a compromise over the ownership
unbundling of energy companies. The debate lasted for a long
time before the ‘big players’ were willing to negotiate and open
the way to cheaper energy. Sooner or later this will affect our
electricity bills, lowering the costs.
The Directive on Returning Refugees also falls in this category,
as well as the determination of the seat of the European
Technological Institute. We all know that European knowledge
will be germinating in Budapest and our best minds won’t always
have to cross the sea to gain extra knowledge.
11 sinfo