Italian Presidency of the Council of the European Union July – December 2014

Three main institutions  European Parliament - the voice of the people  Council of Ministers (European Council and Council of the EU) - the voice of the Member States  European Commission - Common interests 2

Institutions of the EU 3

Tasks of the Presidency:  to plan and chair the meetings in the Council of the EU;  to ensure the cooperation among Member States in order to reach common results;  to represent the Council with the other EU institutions. 4

Trio Presidency  The Lisbon Treaty institutionalized the so-called Trio Presidency, under which three successive Presidencies work together to develop an 18 month political program. This ensures a high level of consistency and coordination in the work of the EU.  Italy is part of the Trio Presidency with Latvia and Luxembourg, spanning the period from July December

Priorities of the Trio Presidency  Economic growth and job creation;  Europe 2020;  Single Market, including Digital Single Market;  Progress in the EMU;  Climate and energy policy framework 2030;  Implementation of the post-Stockholm Program, JHA; 6

 Open and fair trade and strategic partnerships with the U.S., Canada and Japan;  EU Neighborhood policy;  Enlargement policy;  Post-2015 Development agenda;  The global role of the EU, inter alia, foreign affairs and review of EEAS in Priorities of the Trio Presidency

Council Configurations chaired by the Rotating Presidency  General affairs  Economic and financial affairs (including budget)  Justice and home affairs (including civil protection)  Employment, social policy, health and consumer affairs  Competitiveness (internal market, industry, research and space)

 Transport, telecommunications and energy  Agriculture and fisheries  Environment  Education, youth, culture and sport (including audiovisual matters) Council Configurations chaired by the Rotating Presidency

Other Formations which the Rotating Presidency is NOT chairing  European Council  Foreign Affairs Council (chaired by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy)  Eurogroup

New Europe after the EP Elections  European Parliament (July 1 st )  European Commission (November 1 st )  President of the European Council (December 1 st )  High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (November 1 st ) 11

The Main Priorities of the Presidency: 1.A job friendly Europe and economic growth 2.EU an area of democracy, rights and freedom 3.Global role of the EU 12

1. A Job-Friendly Europe and Economic Growth  Job and Growth at the heart of EU economic policy;  Full implementation of the Youth Employment Initiative;  Re-launch the Europe 2020 Strategy;  Deepening and strengthening the EMU;

 Fostering competitiveness in the EU;  Realize the Single Digital Market;  Industrial Renaissance;  Common EU Position on Climate and energy A Job-Friendly Europe and Economic Growth

2. EU - an Area of Democracy, Rights and Freedom  Well-functioning and effective European institutions;  Common European Asylum and Migration Policy;  External border management;;  Deepening judicial cooperation. Establishing the European Public Prosecutor’s Office;  Fundamental human rights protection, inter alia, the principle of non-discrimination and equal treatment of men and women.

3. Global Role of the EU  External dimension of migration policy;  Progress in the enlargement process to promote peace, democracy and security in Europe;  Address regional challenges, focus on the Mediterranean region, transition process in North Africa, Middle East, Libya, Syria and Ukraine;

 Reinforce strategic partnerships and trade and investment negotiations, inter alia, with the U.S. and Canada;  Promotion of the macro-regional strategies (Adoption for the Adriatic and Ionian Region and Action Plan for the Alpine Region); 3. Global Role of the EU

Presidency Major Events:  18 Informal Ministerial meetings;  “Digital Venice” event, 8-9 July 2014;  ASEM Summit on October 2014 in Milan;  Conference on Beijing Platform for Action on October 2014 in Rome;  Euro-African Ministerial Conference on Migration and Development within the Rabat process on November 2014 in Rome;  Youth Employment Summit;

The Presidency events will take place mostly in Milan and Rome. Webpage of the Italian Presidency:

20 Milan will host the EXPO 2015 (May – October 2015)