Priorities of the EU German Presidency

Germany has taken over both the EU presidency and the Presidency of the G8 on the 1st January 2007.

The German EU presidency’s website will be launched on the 1st January 2007 together with an ambitious programme that, according to Ms Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, will have two phases:

 Until March 2007 debates on reforming economic and social policies, and reducing red tape for the European industry will top the agenda.

 Phase two will follow the 50th birthday of the EU, celebrated in Berlin on March 25, and will herald the debate on Europe’s future after the rejections of the European constitution in 2005.

Inclusion of Civil Society

In order to ensure that civil society has a say in the issues that the Presidency plans to address, the Social Platform, of which EPHA is a member, has designed 9 tests to monitor and evaluate the extent to which civil society is included throughout the German Presidency.

Mental Health Europe (MHE) have also issued a test for the German EU Presidency on mental health and well-being. For more information conatct Mental Health Europe.

Health priorities of the German EU Presidency

The Berlin health priorities will be health promotion, innovation, and access to healthcare.

The Presidency will aim to:

 Finalise the health action programme until 2013;

 Develop a Community framework on health services;

 Implement International Health Regulations;

 Co-operate with the WHO on health promotion;

 Develop pandemic preparedness further;

 Co-operate with the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control;

 Adopt Council conclusions on AIDS and civil society prevention;

Health events planned by the German presidency are:

The incoming German presidency is also planning to launch the so-called “team presidency” which means that three countries Germany, Portugal and Slovenia (whose Presidencies follow in the second half of 2007 and first half of 2008), will work together over the 18-month period. This new approach seeks to build continuity with regards to the content of strategies and policies. As such, the team members will work together on various issues and will jointly organise conferences and events.

Development Priorities of the German EU Presidency

In 2006, the Council of the European Union agreed that programmes on development policies should cover an 18 month period to ensure consistency between three consecutive EU presidencies.

The German, Portuguese and Slovenian EU Presidencies have recently published their 18-month Programme on Development Policy, to cover the period January 2007 - June 2008.

All three Presidencies shall concentrate on implementing the European Consensus on Development, the EU’s commitment to increasing Official Development Assistance (ODA), and implementing the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness. The three Presidencies will focus on Africa and the current EU Strategy for Africa, as well as trade and development and the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs).

The specific priorities for the German Presidency will include:
 A better division of labour within the EU in order to improve aid effectiveness through more efficent interaction among donors.
 Sustainable development and the EU’s energy policy, including energy access and support for renewable energy and energy resources in Africa.

German G8 Presidency

Following 1978, 1985, 1992 and most recently 1999, Germany is once again the host to this major international forum.

The Group of Eight (G8) is one of the most important international forums for dealing with global issues. The G8 Presidency plays a very important role due to the organisation’s loose structure.

Growth and responsibility will be central themes of next year’s G8 presidency. Shaping globalization, and helping Africa to develop, will be key focuses of the summit when it is held in Heiligendamm from 6-8 June 2006.

A series of G8 ministerial meetings will be held in Germany on a variety of subjects in preparation for the summit. An initial discussion of the summit agenda by representatives of the G8 countries is scheduled for the end of 2006. Please refer to the German G8 Presidency website for up to date information.

EPHA will be following the developments of the German G8 Presidency as part of its membership to the European Global Health Network.

EPHA report of the briefing from the Permanent Representation of Germany to the EU

At the Breakfast Policy Briefing organised by the European Policy Center, Wilhelm Schönfelder, Germany’s Permanent Representative, outlined the main issues the German Presidency would have to deal with, beginning with the membership negotiations with Turkey. He said Germany felt "it could live with" the European Commission’s proposal to freeze negotiations on some chapters, while opening others, but not closing them until the dispute over Greek Cypriot access to Turkish ports was resolved.

Energy was described as the second "difficult issue" and the Presidency would welcome the Commission’s suggestions for tackling this. The Commission is drawing up an ambitious energy action plan, which will tackle issues such as: energy efficiency, bio energy, innovation, as well as energy solidarity, national energy mix and national solidarity.

Concerning the Constitutional Treaty, the German Presidency plans to keep the discussions on the way forward "out of Brussels machinery" and has nominated two "sherpas" to represent Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and to consult with their counterparts across the EU. The final treaty should be agreed by 2007, in order for the new text to be ratified ahead of the June 2009 Euro-elections.

The Presidency will present a report to the June European Council, which will be divided into three parts: an analysis of the situation; recommendations on the substance of the new treaty; and recommendations on the procedure and timetable for moving forward.

Another issue debated was the status of Kosovo. Health and social issues were not at all mentioned in Ambassador Schönfelder’s speech.