Top 3 priorities of Polish presidency in the EU

The programme of Polish presidency rests on three pillars, said Konrad Niklewicz, the government’s spokesman on issues related to the Polish presidency in the EU Council, during a conference held by Procesy Inwestycyjne. 

The first pillar is called “European integration as a source of economic growth”. Here it's all about creating a new model for the economic development of the EU. In recent months, EU countries and institutions have focused largely on crisis management and fighting the economic crisis, which affects the whole world, including Europe. It can be said that Europe has learned from this crisis. Both procedures and institutions have been reformed. It suffices to mention the European stabilisation mechanism or the European economic semester. However, now, according to the Polish government, it is time to make the next step, to move on to the discussion of how the EU should evolve in the coming decades and what should be the basis for its growth. Polish presidency hinges on the assumption that one of the main sources of future growth should be deeper integration of the internal market. By that not only the physical market for services is meant, i.e. the flow of goods and services, which still faces barriers, but also the development of electronic market, which is to be the modern market of the 21st century. Unfortunately today 60% online cross-border transactions in the EU fail. Either the consumer resigns from the transaction because he or she discovers that the offered conditions are extremely unfavourable, for example, they do not give him or her any possibility of making a complaint or returning the goods, or the shop refuses to carry out the transaction referring for example, to the copyright law. An example is a well-known online music store belonging to an international corporation. To this day, Poles, Hungarians, Czechs, Hungarians, Romanians and a few other nations cannot buy music online via this store. The Polish, Romanian, Czech versions of this store have not been created, because the company believes that their legislation s unfavourable. The will of the Polish presidency is to address this issue, so that these market barriers disappear, both at the level of traditional services market, and at the level of the electronic market. Within this first priority a very important theme is also the long-term annual EU budget for the years after 2014. The debate on the budget will start during the Polish presidency. This will be the preliminary stage of the debate, it will be more a discussion about rules and principles, not about specific amounts, but according to the Polish government this preliminary stage is crucial and the Polish presidency may play a very important role here properly orienting the debate. Poland has never hid its position on the EU budget. It is known that the Polish government called for an ambitious budget, one in which Cohesion Policy plays a central role. In the opinion of the Polish government, the EU budget can be one of the main investment tools that will make the European economy develop in the expected direction. Obviously, in the negotiations Polish presidency will speak on behalf of the entire EU, there is no question about that. At no stage the Polish presidency will try to smuggle into the debate its national interests, it is not the role of the presidency and it's very clear. The second pillar is the “Secure Europe”. This is a very broad subject, because it includes both European defence policy and food and energy security. Food security is closely related to the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. It s expected that the EC, already during Polish presidency, will present the first drafts on the new CAP. It is expected that the debate will not be very far advanced, but at least it will start during Polish presidency. Polish presidency would also like to conclude the political discussions on the common fisheries policy. It is also an important topic, and Polish presidency could have the awaited success in it. The third pillar is the pillar of the Polish presidency is called “Europe benefiting from openness”. Here, the Polish government has primarily in mind the European Neighbourhood Policy. Events in North Africa and the Middle East mean that the Polish presidency will have to focus on the creation, of course, in cooperation with other EU institutions and countries, the new strategy for the region of North Africa and the Middle East. We must support the modernization and democratic processes there. The Polish government has been giving such support. An example is Lech Wałęsa's visit in Tunisia. The government believes that Poland as a country that can boast a successful transition from an undemocratic system to a modern democratic market system has the experience, which we can share with the countries of North Africa, if there will be such will of the societies of these countries. At the same time the Polish government is mindful of the country’s eastern neighbours. It should not be the case that current events will push the Eastern Partnership into the background. The task of the Polish presidency will be to continue work on the development of Eastern Partnership which is the flagship project initiated several years ago. A very useful opportunity to work on this program and discuss how it should look be in the future will be the Eastern Partnership Summit scheduled for late September in Warsaw. We anticipate that this summit will be one of the main events of the Polish presidency, certainly an event of very high rank, with several dozen heads of state and government members expected to arrive. Part of this part of the programme is obviously further work on EU expansion. The Polish government hopes that Croatia will formally end its negotiations during the Polish presidency. If it will be politically possible, Polish presidency will also make endeavours that Croatia signs the Accession Treaty. This would be a very symbolic event, which would emphasize how much importance Polish presidency attaches to process of EU enlargement. It is the opinion of the Polish government, the prospect of joining the EU is the best guarantor of stability throughout Europe. A fundamental change of political situation in the Balkan countries is precisely the effect of the fact that these countries see before them a real opportunity to enter the EU. It is impossible not to mention the European perspective for Ukraine and Turkey. The Polish government is a strong supporter of the continuation of negotiations with Turkey and expects Ukraine to sign association and free trade zone agreement during the Polish presidency. (Based on the speech of K. Niklewicz) 

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