(Check against delivery)
Mr Chairman, esteemed members, ladies and gentlemen,
With your permission, I will concentrate on two points:
Firstly, the Council's Annual Report to the European Parliament on the main aspects and basic choices of the CFSP, including the financial implications for the general budget of the European Communities
Secondly, I should like to go into the matter of relations between the European Parliament and the Council on the CFSP budget.
1. Annual Report on the CFSP (Article H report)
Once a year the Council draws up a report on the main aspects and the basic choices of the Common Foreign and Security Policy, including the financial implications for the EC's general budget. This is provided for in the Interinstitutional Agreement (IIA) of 6 May 1999 on budgetary discipline and improvement of the budgetary procedure.
In mid April 2005 the Council accordingly sent the European Parliament the 2004 report.
In the Article H report for 2005 the Council is at pains to comply with the European Parliament's request that the European Security Strategy be reflected in the report, which pays particular attention to the main themes of that strategy. The following CFSP priorities in particular are discussed:
Every effort was made to produce a comprehensive report detailing all the events and activities in the CFSP field. These reports fulfil the reporting requirements laid down and help to raise the profile and increase the transparency of the work done in the CFSP field.
In response to the views expressed by the European Parliament, the report contains a special chapter which looks forward to future action, giving pointers for action over the coming year and for possible reaction to any crises arising.
2. CFSP budget:
Which brings me to the second point which I wish to address today.
The development of the CFSP and the European Security and Defence Policy is one of the EU's success stories. Our crisis management operations in the Balkans, Africa, Asia and the Middle East have helped to raise the international profile of the EU.
Continuing along this road in line with the European Security Strategy is a priority. But to be able to take action and pursue our priorities we must have the appropriate financing.
In the agreement on the next financial perspective the European Council "calls upon the Budgetary Authority to ensure a substantial increase in the Common Foreign and Security Policy budget from 2007 in order to meet real predictable needs, assessed on the basis of forecasts drawn up annually by the Council, together with a reasonable margin for unforeseen activities"*
The Trilogue agreement to increase the CFSP budget for 2006 by EUR 40 million, to a total of EUR 102,6 million, is a step in the right direction.
But great challenges lie ahead. EU action in Kosovo would be likely to require substantial resources which are not available in the current CFSP budget for 2006. Discussions are in progress on how to handle such a situation. The Presidency's report to the European Council on the ESDP calls on the Austrian Presidency to continue work on ensuring that the CFSP budget provides adequate financing for civilian ESDP missions. The Presidency looks forward to working constructively with the European Parliament to that end.
In line with the Trilogue agreement on the 2006 budget, the Presidency will shortly provide you with initial information. Then, probably in March 2006, the ambassador from the Political and Security Committee will report to you.
The Presidency looks forward to working constructively with the European Parliament towards a bigger and more efficient CFSP budget in the negotiations on the future Interinstitutional Agreement and in the 2007 budgetary procedure.
* i.e. an integrated Police and Rule of Law mission in the CFSP framework.
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