Dara Murphy (Cork North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am very pleased to be here today. I apologise for the fact that due to diary constraints we were not able to schedule a meeting prior to the October General Affairs Council, GAC. However, I will provide the committee now with a brief update on discussions at that meeting and at the September General Affairs Council.

I will start with the October GAC. The focus of our attention last month was on preparations for the October European Council, which concentrated in particular on the climate and energy policy framework for 2030. During the Council, Ministers worked to whittle down the number of issues which would remain for decision by the Heads of State and Government.

As members will be aware, agreement on the framework was by no means a foregone conclusion, given the differing priorities and constraints of member states. We can be very pleased that an agreement was achieved at the European Council, and that the compromise text represents a successful outcome both for the European Union and for Ireland. As the Chairman will be aware, the Taoiseach briefed the Dáil on the detail of the agreement, as well as on Ireland’s approach to the negotiations, during his post-European Council statement on 5 November. At the October General Affairs Council, Ministers also held a short thematic debate on follow-up to the Union’s strategic agenda. This focused on implementation of the fourth chapter on freedom, security and justice. The UKprovided an update on efforts to secure agreement on its opting back in to certain EU policing and criminal justice measures, in tandem with a block opt-out on 1 December. I will return to this issue in more detail when I brief the committee on the November General Affairs Council agenda.
In addition, the future composition of the Committee of the Regions, to take account of the accession of Croatia, was discussed but this was inconclusive. Finally, Ministers agreed to mandate the Presidency to engage with the Commission and Parliament with a view to strengthening inter-institutional engagement on annual and multi-annual programming. Again, I will return to this issue shortly.
At the September GAC, in addition to an initial consideration of the October European Council agenda, Ministers held their first thematic debate on the follow up to the Union’s Strategic Agenda. The focus of the debate was on a union of jobs, growth and competitiveness. As we all know in this House and outside it, these are issues which are weighing heavily on the minds of European governments and our citizens, and which will feature prominently at the December European Council. Conclusions were adopted on an EU strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian regions, and Ministers also received an update on the work of the friends of the Presidency group on improving the functioning of the EU.
I will now turn to the agenda for this month’s General Affairs Council. I should clarify that my remarks will focus on the agenda for 18 November, which will be attended by Ministers with responsibility for European Affairs. On 19 November, I will also deputise for the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin at the General Affairs Council cohesion meeting. This is a special formation of the GAC to allow Ministers responsible for cohesion policy to meet in formal session. However, as the committee will be aware, lead responsibility for cohesion policy continues to lie with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and his Department.
The regular General Affairs Council on 18 November will provide a first opportunity for the GAC to engage with the new First Vice President of the Commission, Mr. Frans Timmermans. Members will be aware of the new structure of the Commission. Vice President Timmermans has been given a key role in terms of inter-institutional relations, better regulation, rule of law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights. It will be very interesting to hear his perspectives on the General Affairs agenda specifically, and on how he intends to conduct his very important role.
Next week's GAC will begin preparations for the December European Council by reviewing the draft annotated agenda. We received the first draft of the agenda earlier this week and, as expected, the focus will be very much on economic and social policy. Discussions at the European Council will be informed by a number of key contributions expected over the coming weeks. First, the Commission will be producing its annual growth survey, marking the beginning of European semester 2015. The annual growth survey sets out the EU’s broad economic priorities for the year ahead and provides an important frame of reference for national economic and budgetary decisions.
Second, the EIB-Commission task force which was recently established to identify impediments to investment and to strengthen the investment project pipeline across Europe will report in December. This will be an important input to President Juncker’s plans for an ambitious jobs, growth and investment package, which aims to mobilise €300 billion in additional private and public investment in the real economy over the next three years and which he is expected to elaborate upon at the European Council.
Third, the Italian Presidency will be presenting a synthesis report in December on the political debates across the different Council configurations on the forthcoming mid-term review of the Europe 2020 Strategy. This will be produced for endorsement by the GAC in December in the first instance. Also, as the Committee will be aware, the new Commission will adopt an opinion by the end of this month on the draft budgetary plans submitted by the member states in October. Commission Vice President Katainen indicated on 29 October that, while not prejudging the final outcome, the Commission has not identified any cases of particularly serious non-compliance. I would be pleased to discuss these issues in more detail at our next meeting when we will have more information. Allow me to commend once again the tremendous work of this committee and its Chairman in contributing to the Commission’s public consultation on the Europe 2020 Strategy, including the sessions with key stakeholders which were held recently. The report launched here this morning represents an important milestone in terms of Oireachtas engagement on Europe 2020 and the European semester process in total.
In addition to economic issues, the European Council is scheduled to review the EU’s response to the Ebola virus crisis, following the significant ramping up of financial assistance pledged last month. Efforts to stem the flow of foreign fighters to conflicts such as those in Iraq and Syria will also be considered, and other external relations issues may be addressed in light of developments as they arise.
The second issue to be discussed by the GAC is an initiative to promote and ensure respect for the rule of law in the EU. This stems from a sense among member states that the EU could benefit from more open and honest discussions of the challenges within its own borders in upholding the fundamental values upon which the Union is based – the so-called "Copenhagen criteria". Given that the EU provides a benchmark, and indeed an anchor, for reforms in the area of rule of law in many third countries, it is important for our own credibility that the standards continue to be respected in EU member states.
The Committee may recall that this issue was reviewed at the GAC last March on the basis of a Commission communication on a new EU framework to strengthen the rule of law. Following an initial exchange of views, including legal questions raised, Council agreed to revert to the issue. The specific proposal to be considered by the GAC now is that the Council would play a central role in protecting the rule of law by promoting a transparent dialogue at political level amongst our member states. Ireland is supportive of such dialogue. I would recall that, during our Presidency, Ireland initiated a separate, though related, debate in the Justice and Home Affairs Council about protecting fundamental rights and enhancing the rule of law as a means of tackling the growth in hate crime, xenophobia and other forms of extreme intolerance across member states. The EU cannot afford to be complacent about these important issues.
The GAC will continue its series of thematic debates on the five overarching priorities of the EU's strategic agenda adopted at the June European Council, by looking this month at the third priority, "an energy union with a forward-looking climate policy". Building an affordable, secure and sustainable energy union is in all our interests.However, to ensure our energy future is under full control, it is essential that all three pillars of EU energy policy – security of supply, competitiveness and sustainability – are considered in the context of an EU energy union.

The completion of the internal energy market will be a key step towards energy union. In this regard, Ireland welcomes indications that Commission Vice President Šefèoviè intends to place particular emphasis on security of supply and solidarity among member states. The importance of integrating peripheral and poorly connected member states into the internal energy market is a key interest for us and was a theme which featured prominently during negotiations on the 2030 climate and energy policy framework. I am hopeful that we can build on the momentum of the October European Council, both in progressing our energy union goals, but also in realising the EU ambition of becoming a competitive low carbon economy by 2050.

Strengthening inter-institutional annual and multi-annual programming is also an agenda item at the November GAC. The European elections in May were the first step in a major institutional transition which has since seen the designation of a new European Commission and High Representative and the confirmation of a new President of the European Council. This institutional renewal marked the opening of a new legislative cycle within the EU and provides an opportunity to refocus on what we want the EU to do and how we want it to function. Following a tasking from last month's Council, the Presidency has been engaging with the Commission and Parliament with a view to strengthening inter-institutional engagement on annual and multi-annual programming. The Presidency will report to the November GAC on these efforts.

As part of the engagement on annual programming, it is also planned that the GAC will have the opportunity to discuss and have an input into the Commission's draft annual work programme prior to its finalisation. The work programme, which sets out the schedule of legislative proposals to be brought forward by the Commission next year, is informed by the political guidelines which President Juncker presented to the European Parliament in July. A letter of intent from the Commission President, listing the broad priorities for the work programme, was received just this morning. I think the joint committee also received a copy. The Department of the Taoiseach is in the process of co-ordinating the views of Departments. From an initial reading, I am satisfied that the priorities are broadly in line with the strategic agenda negotiated by the European Council. Ireland is supportive of closer co-ordination between the EU institutions in framing an approach to legislative programming and we welcome the opportunity for the GAC to provide feedback to the Commission on its annual work programme before finalisation. We consider it essential that the institutions work effectively together, not as an end in its own right, but to ensure that the Union is delivering as efficiently and effectively as possible in the areas of most importance to its citizens.

Protocol 36 to the treaties has been added as a possible item on the GAC agenda. The joint committee will be aware that the UK is exercising its right under Protocol 36 to opt out of more than 130 EU police and judicial co-operation measures on 1 December. The UK has indicated that it wishes to rejoin 35 of these measures, including the European arrest warrant, on the same day. Negotiations on the UK rejoining these measures continued throughout 2014 and the issue also featured on the agenda of last month's GAC. I am pleased to report that Spain has lifted the final reservation on this file which means that all member states are now likely to support the UK rejoining the 35 measures. In addition, a vote on Monday in favour of a statutory instrument in the UK House of Commons was interpreted by the British Government as a vote in favour of rejoining the 35 measures. This means another significant hurdle has been crossed. A vote is required in the House of Lords and this is expected to take place next week. It is expected that the UK will use the occasion of the GAC to read into the Council minutes the details of its agreement with Spain in relation to the 35 measures that the UK wishes to rejoin.

Ireland has been following developments in relation to Protocol 36 with close interest and we have been actively encouraging a speedy resolution of the issue. We are very pleased that the way is now open for the UK to rejoin the most important 35 measures, including the European arrest warrant. It is vital for both countries that we have the closest co-operation possible in the fight against crime and that co-operation can continue in a seamless fashion after 1 December.

Under any other business, the Presidency will provide an oral update from the third meeting of the Friends of the Presidency group on improving the functioning of the EU. This group, which operates at official level, has been considering a variety of questions relating to the functioning of the EU system with a view to recommending how, within the framework of the current treaties, EU action might be made more effective. Topics discussed by the group include how inter-institutional co-operation could be strengthened in respect of annual and multi-annual programming, how to improve regulatory fitness and reinforce the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality, how national parliaments might be supported in their EU engagement, and how the functioning of the Council and the General Affairs Council specifically might be improved. The group is due to meet once more in early December, after which the Presidency will prepare a report for presentation to the December GAC. Ireland has contributed actively to the three meetings of the Friends of the Presidency group held to date and I look forward to the presentation of the Presidency report in December.

As mentioned at the outset, I will also represent the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform at the segment of the GAC focused on cohesion policy. While I will not go into detail, I can confirm that there are two main items on the agenda for cohesion Ministers. The first will be an exchange of views on the Sixth Report on Economic, Social and Territorial Cohesion, which analyses the socio-economic and governance challenges member states and the regions face and assesses the impact of cohesion policy and public investment on economic and social disparities. The second item deals with the role of cohesion policy in the implementation of the Europe 2020 strategy. As the joint committee will be aware, cohesion funding has played an important role in Ireland's economic development. The Government has identified its priorities for cohesion funding for the 2014 to 2020 period. These include promoting growth and competitiveness; combating unemployment and social exclusion; promoting research, technology development and innovation and the competitiveness of the business sector; and promoting an environmentally friendly and resource efficient economy. These are all priorities that are closely aligned with the Government's overall focus on jobs and growth.

I thank the joint committee for its attention. I am happy to take any questions members have on the GAC agenda for 18 November 2014.