I welcome this opportunity to review with the committee the agenda for next week's General Affairs and External Relations Council. With the Chairman's permission, I propose to give members a brief outline of the key items discussed at the October meeting before turning to the items on the agenda for this month.
The General Affairs Council adopted conclusions on the Baltic Sea strategy and discussed what were then draft conclusions for the European Council. Yesterday, the Taoiseach and I gave a full account to the Dáil of that European Council meeting. Many of the Ministers at the general affairs Council meeting expressed warm congratulations to Ireland on the outcome of the recent referendum. Over dinner, Ministers discussed the Iranian nuclear programme and the political situation in Iran.
On 27 October the external relations Council discussed the situation in Afghanistan, with Ministers agreeing that it is facing a critical period after the next round of elections and requires a truly new start. Ministers discussed developments in the Middle East, agreeing on the need to develop the EU's input into the peace process. Ministers also discussed the situation in Sri Lanka. In addition, they agreed on the need to give support to the new Government of Moldova.
Next week's meeting will be a so-called "jumbo" General Affairs and External Relations Council session in which Ministers for Defence and Ministers for Development also take part. I propose to outline those issues to be discussed at sessions which will be attended by Foreign Ministers only or at which they will be joined by colleagues. My fellow Minister of State, Deputy Peter Power, will comment on the other key matters.
The general affairs Council will meet on the afternoon of 16 November. As outlined in the Dáil yesterday, the Presidency plans to hold an orientation debate on the sustainable development strategy. It also intends to structure debate on this around two questions. The first of these relates to the priority areas on which the strategy should focus in the future and the second concerns how the strategy should be brought forward, particularly in light of the review of the Lisbon strategy.
There will be an orientation debate on the post-Lisbon strategy. The spring European Council is expected to deal with the question of a follow-up strategy. There is a clear wish on the part of the Presidency to ensure that this discussion will complement work going on elsewhere, including that being done by the ECOFIN and the competitiveness councils. Europe faces a serious economic challenge during the next decade, not just in recovering from the current financial crisis but also in respect of competing Asian and other countries as our population begins to age. The successor to the Lisbon strategy must focus on actions member states can take, collectively and at national level, in order to allow the EU to compete successfully in world markets.
Ministers are expected to hold a short preliminary discussion on preparations for the next European Council meeting, which is scheduled to take place on 10 and 11 December. Issues that are expected to arise at that meeting include the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, which commences on 7 December, the Stockholm programme, financial supervision, the current economic and financial situation, immigration and asylum. It can be expected that, with its entry into force on 1 December, matters related to implementation of the Treaty of Lisbon will be also discussed.
The UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen will commence on 7 December and the Council is expected to take the opportunity provided by its December meeting to reaffirm its commitment to an ambitious outcome from the conference. The Stockholm multi-annual programme for EU work in the area of freedom, security and justice, is expected to be adopted. On financial supervision and the current economic situation, there is expected to be a discussion which will follow on from that which took place at the October meeting of the European Council. The Council is also expected to discuss the establishment of the new European asylum support office.
Foreign and Defence Ministers will meet in an informal session on Monday evening to discuss current challenges in the field of crisis management. The Secretary General of NATO, Mr. Rasmussen, has been also invited to attend this session. Discussion is likely to focus on the areas, particularly Afghanistan, where both the EU and NATO have operations. The situation in Kosovo and the efforts of the two organisations to combat piracy off Somalia may be also discussed.
Over dinner on Monday, 16 November, Foreign Ministers will discuss Russia in the context of the forthcoming EU-Russia summit, which will take place in Stockholm on 18 November. Russia is an important strategic partner for the EU, particularly in the context of trade, energy and the common neighbourhood. The EU has proposed the following agenda items for the summit: climate change and energy; the economic and financial crisis; EU-Russia relations — including negotiations on the new EU-Russia agreement; and international issues. Other matters which may arise include: human rights -particularly the situation in the northern Caucasus; the common neighbourhood; and Russia's WTO membership.
The external relations Council will open on the morning of Tuesday, 17 November. The first item on its agenda will be Ukraine. Ministers will discuss Ukraine in the context of the forthcoming EU-Ukraine summit, which will take place in Kiev on 4 December 2009. The summit will discuss the financial and economic crisis, climate change and energy, internal developments in Ukraine, internal developments in the EU, EU-Ukraine relations, the Eastern Partnership, and other international issues. The serious economic difficulties being experienced by Ukraine and its crucial energy relations with Russia, which are constantly monitored by the EU, are also likely to be discussed at the summit. Members will recall that the breakdown in that relationship last year led to significant difficulties, particularly in Bulgaria and Romania. Ireland supports the ongoing development of the EU-Ukraine relationship and welcomes the progress made on the new association agreement.
Ministers may discuss Somalia, in particular, the possibility of further ESDP assistance to Somalia to complement the existing and successful EU anti-piracy naval Operation Atalanta. There is widespread agreement among EU partners and in the international community that there is an urgent need to address the root of piracy, which originates from the lawlessness plaguing Somalia. A number of United Nations Security Council resolutions have called for support to the Somali Transitional Federal Government and its security sector. In response to these resolutions, Ministers may discuss a Presidency proposal for a one-year mission to train the security forces of the Somali Government.
Belarus is also listed as a possible item for discussion at the GAERC. The EU is considering whether to extend the sanctions regime for senior officials, as well as the suspension of the travel restrictions element of the sanctions regime. Discussion on this will continue in Brussels at official level this week, with a view to agreement by Ministers at the GAERC.
Under any other business, Ministers will consider progress to date and future steps in enhancing civilian capabilities for EU missions. The Swedish Presidency has pursued an ambitious agenda this semester in the area of civilian ESDP, which has sought to address shortfalls in the areas of deployment, human resources, equipping and financing of civilian missions. Ministers for Defence will meet in separate session and discuss European Defence Agency activities, consider how best to enhance capabilities required for EU military missions, discuss the possibility of further ESDP assistance to Somalia, and discuss defence-related aspects of the Lisbon Treaty. Ministers for development will meet in separate session. My colleague, Deputy Peter Power, will brief the committee on that session shortly.
There will be a joint session of Foreign Affairs Ministers and Development Ministers. This will discuss Afghanistan in the context of democracy support in EU external relations. Council conclusions on democracy support in EU external relations will be adopted. These are aimed at increasing the effectiveness and coherence of the EU's support for building and supporting democracy. Ireland is broadly supportive of these efforts. Improved governance, accountability and transparency are all important yardsticks with which to measure progress toward an equitable and sustainable democracy. Furthermore, they are essential tools in the fight against poverty. The Council's discussion will focus on Afghanistan as an example for the draft conclusions on democracy support. We have supported the Afghan Reconstruction Trust Fund since 2002, and view this as an important mechanism for facilitating Afghan ownership of the development agenda. The Afghanistan context presents a formidable challenge. However, the difficult context illustrates the importance of the EU's approach to democracy support, which combines political and development efforts and instruments to maximum effect. The head of the UN assistance mission in Afghanistan, Kai Eide, will also attend this element of the GAERC, and I look forward to an update from him on events in the country.
There will be a joint session of Ministers for Defence and Foreign Affairs to discuss significant developments in European security and defence policy. With regard to current missions, Ministers will consider the future of Operation EUFOR Althea within the evolving political context in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Althea has substantially accomplished its current mandate and Ministers will look forward to transforming it into a support and training operation with a purely advisory role. This will take place within a broader context of stability, in particular, the stability which would be achieved by a transition from the Office of High Representative to an enhanced EUSR presence. The need to make political progress in Bosnia was underlined at the Camp Butmir talks held near Sarajevo last month. Presidency Foreign Minister Bildt, US Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg and EU Enlargement Commissioner Rehn jointly hosted meetings with the leaders of the three main communities in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The EU and the US made a series of proposals designed to improve the functioning of the political system there. There was a particular focus on the impediments to transition from the Office of High Representative. While the parties were not in a position to accept the necessary compromises at that stage, the Presidency felt there were grounds for cautious optimism. The Commission has said recently that, due to lack of progress in a number of key areas, there was concern that Bosnia-Herzegovina could be left behind while its neighbours progress towards their European perspective.
The Council is expected to issue a declaration, which will mark the tenth anniversary of ESDP. This will note how the Council, as the operational component of the CFSP, has enabled the Union to become a more effective global actor through its contribution to international peace and security. The declaration will note that the Union has deployed civilian and military operations across a wide range of peace support activities from conflict prevention to crisis management to post-conflict peace-building tasks. Special emphasis is placed on the need to strengthen the EU's common institutional framework, including through implementation of the Lisbon treaty.
I am grateful for the opportunity to set out GAERC's agenda to the committee and I will be pleased to take comments and to respond to questions.