Michael Noonan
Question:161 Mr. Noonan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report progress on the operational programme of the EU Council submitted by the Greek and Italian Presidencies for 2003. [6560/03]
Written Answers - EU Council.
The conclusions of the Seville European Council in June 2002 mandated the two presidencies in any given year to present to the European Council a joint Council operational programme. The first such programme was presented to the Copenhagen European Council in December 2002 by the incoming Greek and Italian Presidencies.
The programme identified enlargement and the draft constitutional treaty, arising from the work of the convention, as the principal challenges for the European Council in 2003. Drafting of the accession treaty has been successfully concluded and is due to be signed in Athens on 16 April.
Work on the European Convention is continuing. It was agreed at the Copenhagen European Council that the European Convention would report to the European Council at Thessalonika in June.
The operational programme also identified priorities across the whole range of the Council's activities.
These include reinvigorating Europe's economy and social cohesion; promoting sustainable development; and the full and rapid implementation of the decisions taken by the Seville European Council in the fields of asylum and immigration and the control of external borders. Work in all of these areas is proceeding in the relevant Council formations.
Question No. 162 answered with Question No. 142.