News | Climate Change

http://www.isria.com/pages/23_March_2010_12.php

Spanish Minister Miguel Ángel Moratinos believes that the time has come to give “a clear political signal” to determine the direction of the economic development model for the next decade in the European Union.

He assured this after chairing the General Affairs Council, in which the EU foreign ministers prepared the conclusions of the meeting held by the Heads of State and of Government on the 25th and 26th.
This meeting is going to determine the concept of a common economic government and will discuss the vigilance and stimulus measures for meeting growth targets set, which are still not going to be quantified.
At the end of the press conference, the ministers met with the permanent President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, to discuss in greater detail these quantitative targets, which will foreseeably be set at the next Summit meeting.
It is intended that the “Europe 2020” strategy will receive final approval at the European Council next June, at which Spain will culminate its Presidency-in-turn.
“Europe has just gone through one of its worst economic crises, and what we want is to come out of it with a model for development and sustainable economic growth, commensurate with the challenges faced, and create what some have called a European economic government", stressed Moratinos.
The European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth, Inter-institutional Relations and Administration, Slovak Maros Sefcovic, confirmed that the European Commission and the Spanish Presidency “are in harmony” with this agenda and its goals.
The Spanish Presidency has tried to incorporate the works and contributions of sector councils, such as Competitiveness, Economy and Finances, Education, Social Policy and Employment or Environment, so that all of these aspects are articulated in the future Strategy 2020.
The other subject highlighted at the summit meeting is evaluation of the work on the fight against climate change.
The Council will attempt to impress a new dynamic following the Copenhagen climate summit, to adequately prepare upcoming meetings in Bonn and Cancun.
The idea is to maintain and confirm financial and emissions reduction commitments, said Moratinos.
With regard to possible aid to Greece, a subject which is not on the European Council agenda, Moratinos reiterated that the Spanish Presidency is in favour of supporting the measures that Greece may adopt from the European framework and will work with key players to find a satisfactory way out of its economic crisis.