The Commission's work program for 2009

 

On November 5 the European Commission presented the work program for 2009, a year that will see European elections in June and the end, therefore, of Commission’s mandate.
The President, José Manuel Barroso, said: "Today we present an ambitious work schedule for 2009. On our side, we will try to consolidate the achievements of the past four years, with the aim to obtain results which can benefit the people of Europe and European companies. The Commission will try first of all to react to the crisis and the problems which concern European citizens, such as climate change, migration and development, in  order to keep Europe able to control the effects of globalization."
The work program aims to achieve well defined objectives through 12 strategic initiatives, 37 priority initiatives, 33 proposals for simplification and 20 withdrawals of proposals.
The Commission's work will focus therefore on four priorities:
- Tackle the current economic and financial crisis through economic reforms and specific measures to boost consumers confidence.
- Combating climate change and promoting sustainable development through the adoption of the energy set of rules and working towards a shared European proposal to be submitted to the Copenhagen summit in December 2009 (the fifteenth UN Conference on Climate (COP-15)).
- Initiatives and actions to the benefit of citizens about freedom, security and justice.
- on an international level Commission intends to play a key role in Georgia and establish a fruitful relationship with the new U.S. administration.
Another priority of the Commission is to promote a simplified and more efficient legal framework, free of unnecessary administrative burdens and in line with the objectives of the Lisbon strategy.
Among the sectors which should simplify administration will be environment and agriculture.