Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - Policy Achievements in 2005
Date: 2006-03-14
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: European security, area of freedom, security and justice, economic and social cohesion, economic growth, environmental policy, report, research and development, sustainable development, the EU's international role

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 14.3.2006 
COM(2006) 124 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION 
TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN 
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE 
REGIONS 

Policy Achievements in 2005 

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COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION 
TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN 
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE 
REGIONS 

Policy Achievements in 2005 

1. 

A CHALLENGING YEAR FOR EUROPE 

This Synthesis of Policy Achievements, which appears for the first time in 2006, sets 
out what the Commission has done to help realise its five-year strategic objectives: to 
promote prosperity, solidarity, security, and a stronger Europe in the world1. The first 
full year of the Barroso Commission saw action on many fronts in partnership with 
European  institutions,  the  Member  States  and  other  stakeholders.  This  document, 
together  with  the  synthesis  of  management  and  control  issues,  constitutes  the  last 
stage  of  the  Commission’s  Strategic  Planning  and  Programming  (SPP)  cycle.  The 
two  documents  form  part  of  a  whole,  whereby  the  Commission  reports  on  the 
commitments  undertaken  to  deliver  on  policy  results  and  its  accountability  in 
exercising its management responsibility. 

2005  witnessed  natural  disasters,  terrorist  attacks,  and  persisting  slow  economic 
growth and high unemployment in several Member States. It was also a challenging 
year for European integration, with negative referenda on the Constitutional Treaty 
in  two  of  the  founding  Member  States,  and  uncertainty  about  the  EU’s  Financial 
Perspectives for 2007-2013. The year ended on a more positive note. At the informal 
meeting  of  Heads  of  States  and  Governments  at  Hampton  Court,  a  consensus 
emerged  that  confirmed  the  Commission’s  analysis  on  how  to  safeguard  European 
values  in  a  globalised  world.  It  was  agreed  that  European  action  was  essential  to 
tackle  themes  of  vital  importance  for  its  future:  research  and  innovation,  higher 
education, energy, border management and immigration, and the demographic future 
of Europe. In December, the European Council reached agreement on the Financial 
Perspectives. The Commission had a key role in these negotiations, and is continuing 
its role as honest broker in the negotiations between the Parliament and the Council 
to finalise the financial framework for the next seven years. A comprehensive review 
of EU revenues and expenditure is also planned in 2008-2009. 

In  terms  of  new  proposals,  most  of  the  initiatives  highlighted  in  this  Synthesis  fell 
within  the  Commission  Work  Programme  for  2005.  The  efforts  made  in  terms  of 
Strategic  Planning  and  Programming  to  focus  on  key  political  priorities  and  reflect 
them  in  action  continue  to  bear  fruit.  Close  to  90%  of  the  priority  items  were 
adopted,  which  is  a  considerable  improvement  on  previous  years,  and  a  balanced 
result  (with  22,  25,  24  and  18  proposals  adopted  under  each  objective)2.  More 
importantly,  the  proposals  add  up  to  real  progress  on  the  path  towards  the  Union’s 

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Strategic  Objectives  2005-2009.  Europe  2010:  A  Partnership  for  European  Renewal  –  Prosperity, 
Solidarity and Security - COM(2005) 12. 
For a complete list of the Work Programme items adopted in 2005 – see Annex. 

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key  goals.  However,  a  proposal  from  the  Commission  is  only  the  first  step.  To 
translate  proposals  into  real  improvements  in  the  policies  delivered  to  European 
citizens,  the  policies  put  forward  also  need  to  be  taken  forward,  both  through  the 
adoption  of  legislation  in  the  Council  and  the  European  Parliament,  and  through 
encouraging a broad consensus on what Europe can do and where Europe should be 
directing  its  energies.  This  partnership  remains  central  to  the  delivery  of  what  the 
Commission is trying to achieve. 

2. 

PROSPERITY 

‘…to turn the European economy into one of the most attractive places to invest, to 
produce and to work…’ (Strategic objective 2005-2009) 

The Lisbon strategy 

The Spring European Council took a decisive step forward and gave fresh impetus to 
the  Lisbon  Strategy.  The  Lisbon  Strategy  was  refocused  and  channelled  into  two 
main goals: achieving stronger and more lasting growth and creating more and better 
jobs. Central to the renewed Lisbon strategy was the need for action at every level: 
European, national, regional and local. 

The commitment by the Member States to the revised Lisbon Strategy was backed by 
an agreement on multi-annual Integrated Guidelines for Growth and Jobs (2005-
2008). These Guidelines ensure greater consistency, with a sharper focus on growth 
and  employment  and  a  clear  roadmap  for  the  design  of  national  reforms.  At 
European level, the Commission also proposed a Community Lisbon Programme, 
which provides specific actions at EU level to complete the picture with a European 
dimension  and  to  support  and  complement  national  measures.  Two  thirds  of  the 
actions initially envisaged have already been adopted by the Commission. However, 
many  of  the  financing actions  depend on the Financial Perspectives being  finalised 
and implemented. 

The Stability and Growth Pact 

Creating  growth  and  jobs  on  a  sustainable  basis  requires  a  sound  macroeconomic 
environment. Acting on a Commission proposal, the Council agreed on revisions to 
the  Stability  and  Growth  Pact.  In  practice,  countries  with  a  combination  of  low 
debt  and high potential growth will  be able to run a small deficit over the medium 
term, whereas a balanced budget or a surplus will be required for other countries. It 
will  also  become  easier  for  Member  States  to  launch  structural  reforms  that  have 
direct  long-term  cost-saving  effects  and  improve  fiscal  sustainability  over  the  long 
term.  The  reform  thus  ensures  greater  consistency  between  the  objectives  of  fiscal 
discipline and implementation of the Lisbon Strategy. 

Competitiveness 

To  help  businesses  thrive  in  Europe,  the  Commission  formulated  an  integrated 
industrial  policy  that  sets  out  sectoral  and  cross-cutting  initiatives  for  the  coming 
years.  This  policy  highlights  the  need  for  action  in  related  areas,  e.g.  access  to 
markets,  intellectual  property  rights,  skills  and  regional  funds  for  structural 

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adjustment. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are a major source of jobs 
and  innovation,  but  they  play  far  less  of  a  part  in  the  internal  market  than  larger 
companies. To help make SMEs more competitive, improve their market access and 
cut  red  tape,  the  Commission  adopted  a  comprehensive  SME  policy.  It  also 
proposed  a  Competitiveness  and  Innovation  Framework  Programme  (CIP), 
designed to simplify access to adequate support for SMEs seeking growth capital, as 
well  as  increasing  the  use  of  information  and  communication  technologies  (ICT), 
environmental technologies and renewable energy sources. The Commission set up a 
High  Level  Group  (CARS  21),  which  made  recommendations  to  enhance 
employment  and  the  global  competitiveness  of  the  European  car  industry  while 
sustaining further progress in safety and environmental performance at an affordable 
price for consumers. 

To  improve  the  tax  and  customs  environment  for  companies,  the  Commission 
presented a Communication on the contribution of taxation and customs policies 
to  the  Lisbon  strategy.  It  aims  to  relieve  EU  firms  from  unnecessary  extra  costs 
arising  from  the  functioning  of  25  national  systems  and  to  help  them  take  full 
advantage  of  the  internal  market.  In  this  context,  the  Commission  put  forward  a 
Home  State  Taxation  pilot  scheme,  which  analyses  the  corporate  tax  obstacles 
faced by SMEs and outlines a tax scheme that could be applied to their cross-border 
operations.  To  increase  the  competitiveness  of  companies  by  reducing  their 
compliance  costs,  the  Commission  proposed  a  Modernised  Customs  Code  coupled 
with  information  technology  to  establish  an  electronic  and  paper-free  customs 
environment  in  the  EU.  The  Commission  also  presented  a  Communication  on  a 
customs response to the latest trends in counterfeiting and piracy, which defines 
areas  for  priority  action.  Counterfeiting  is  a  threat  to  innovation,  competitiveness, 
legitimate trade, jobs, tax revenues and the security and health of European citizens. 

The Commission launched a State Aid Action Plan, a far-reaching reform package 
designed to make the EU’s State aid regime more efficient, transparent, equitable and 
effective.  The  Action  Plan  encourages  Member  States  to  provide  more  aid  for 
research  and  development,  innovation  and  risk  capital  for  small  firms,  and  to 
improve public services. 

The single market 

In 2005, close to all of the measures proposed in the Financial Services Action Plan 
were  adopted,  and  a  White  Paper  on  Financial  Services  Policy  setting  out  the 
strategy  for  the  next  five  years  was  published.  The  Commission  took  action  to 
promote  efficient  service  provision  throughout  Europe,  to  the  benefit  of  consumers 
and  businesses.  It  proposed  establishing  a  Single  Payments  Area,  which  aims  to 
make  cross-border  payments  as  easy,  cheap  and  secure  as  payments  within  one 
Member  State.  Fully  implemented,  this  could  save  the  European  economy  €50-100 
billion per year. It also proposed a Directive on cross-border mergers, which was 
adopted  by  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  and  will  make  it  much  easier 
for  companies  established  in  different  EU  countries  to  cooperate  and  restructure 
within  the  single  market.  To  facilitate  investment  in  other  Member  States,  the 
Commission  also  proposed  extending  the  rights  of  cross-border  shareholders, 
which  will  enable  investors  throughout  the  EU  to  obtain  relevant  and  timely 
information and to vote without encountering unnecessary obstacles. 

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A proposal of the Commission on car taxation aims to improve the functioning of the 
Internal Market by removing existing tax obstacles to the transfer of passenger cars 
from  one  Member  State  to  another.  It  would  also  promote  sustainability  by 
restructuring the tax base of both registration taxes and annual circulation taxes so as 
to include elements directly related to carbon dioxide emissions of passenger cars. 

Progress  in  the  European  Parliament  and  in  the  Council  was  sustained  on  the 
‘Registration,  Evaluation  and  Authorisation  of  Chemicals’  (REACH)  proposal. 
The new Regulation will replace 40 existing legal acts and create a single system for 
all  chemical  substances.  It  will  also  promote  substitution  of  dangerous  chemicals, 
thus fostering innovation through the development of new and safer substances. 

Innovation 

Building up the capacity to produce knowledge, to disseminate it through education, 
and to consolidate it through innovation is a key route for the EU to stimulate growth 
and generate new jobs. To support this, the Commission presented a Communication 
entitled ‘Building the European Research Area of knowledge for growth’, which 
sets  out  policy  objectives  for  European  research.  It  also  put  forward  a  detailed 
the  7th  Framework  Programme  (FP7)  for  research  and 
approach  for 
technological  development  (2007-2013).  FP7  will  modernise  the  delivery  of 
European-level research and will introduce innovative new mechanisms such as the 
European  Research  Council.  To  help  leverage  the  investment  needed  to  reach  the 
goal of 3% of GDP invested in research by 2010, and to improve the conditions for 
private  sector  investment  in  research and  innovation,  the  Commission  presented  an 
integrated Innovation and Research Action Plan. This addressed issues such as tax 
incentives  for  research,  the  use  of  public  procurement  for  innovative  products  and 
services, the creation of a European labour market for researchers, and cooperation 
and  technology  transfer  between  universities  and  businesses.  Meanwhile,  the 
Commission  continued  to  implement  and  manage  the  6th  Research  Framework 
Programme  with  a  total  budget  of  €19  billion  for  the  period  2002-2006.  The 
Commission  also  elaborated  a  strategy  for  the  development  of  Nanosciences  and 
Nanotechnologies,  the  results  of  which  will  have  a  major  impact  on  the  change  in 
European  industry  while  preserving  jobs  and  thereby  maintaining  economic  and 
social cohesion. 2005 also saw the completion of lengthy negotiations on ITER (an 
international large-scale experimental project for development of fusion power) and 
a decision for siting it in Europe (Cadarach, France). 

To boost innovation and jobs through the use of ICT, the Commission presented an 
EU strategy for the information society – i2010. This aims to create a single market 
for  information  society  and  media  services,  to  overcome  the  geographic  and  social 
‘digital divide’ and ensure inclusion, and to increase investment in ICT research by 
80%.  The  ‘.eu’  top-level  domain  provides  European  companies  and  citizens  with 
new  internet  space  while  promoting  an  EU  internet  identity.  Nearly  100,000 
applications were received within three hours of the official launch. The Commission 
also  proposed  a  Directive  on  Audio-visual  Content  (‘Television  without 
Frontiers’),  which  aims  to  create  a  level  playing  field  for  all  companies  that  offer 
TV-like services, e.g. via traditional TV, the internet or mobile phones. The Directive 
would  also  harmonise  rules  on  advertising,  which  would  give  more  flexibility  for 
financing audiovisual content. 

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Lifelong learning 

A  skilled  workforce  and  labour  markets  adapted  to  encourage  job  creation  are  key 
prerequisites  for  embracing  change.  The  joint  Council/Commission  report  on  the 
progress  made  to  implement  the  Education  and  Training  2010  programme 
shows  that  the  reforms  of  national  systems are  going  in  the  right  direction  but  that 
Member  States  will  need  to  speed  up  these  reforms.  The  European  Parliament  and 
the  Council  established  the  key  directions  for  the  three  main  Community 
programmes  on  education,  vocational  training  and  youth  for  the  period  2007-
2013.  In  2005,  160,000  students  received  an  Erasmus  grant  to  study  abroad,  and 
67,000 people completed a vocational internship as part of the Leonardo da Vinci 
programme. Altogether during the year, the youth, education and vocational training 
programmes  supported  the  participation  of  around  400,000  people  in  mobility 
actions.  To  support  labour  mobility,  the  Commission  made  several  legislative 
proposals on the coordination of social security regimes, e.g. a Directive aimed at 
improving the portability of complementary pension rights. A Commission proposal 
to  simplify  complex  legislation  on  the  recognition  of  qualifications  passed  into 
law;  this  will  ensure  a  swift  and  simple  system  for  citizens  to  have  their 
qualifications from one Member State recognised in the others. Measures addressing 
the pivotal question of effective admission of economic immigrants were developed 
in an Action Plan on Legal Migration. 

Energy and Transport 

railway 

The  Commission  launched  an  inquiry  into  the  functioning  of  gas  and  electricity 
markets.  Today,  EU  electricity  prices  are  lower  than  ten  years  ago,  thanks  to 
liberalisation.  However,  further  action  is  still  needed  to  create  competitive  and 
integrated energy markets, which remains essential to support the competitiveness 
of  European  industry.  The  contribution  of  the  transport  sector  to  technological 
innovation and economic growth has increased thanks to big new European industrial 
projects.  One  example  is  the  European  Rail  Traffic  Management  System,  which 
will  make 
transport  more  competitive  while  ensuring  effective 
interoperability  among  national  systems.  Another  example  is  the  Single  European 
Sky  Air  Traffic  Management  Research  Programme,  the  technological  strand  of  the 
Single  European  Sky  Programme  (SESAR),  which  will  put  in  place  a  modern 
system for air traffic control. SESAR will lower the costs for air transport providers 
and could generate up to 200,000 jobs in Europe. Galileo, Europe’s global satellite 
navigation system, became a concrete reality with the successful launch in December 
of  the  first  experimental  satellite.  This  programme  could  create  more  than  150,000 
highly qualified jobs in Europe. New European social rules in road haulage were 
agreed  in  the  European  Parliament  and  in  the  Council,  which  will  increase  road 
safety  and  establish  a  level  playing  field  as  far  as  social  rights  of  workers  in  the 
sector are concerned. 

3. 

SOLIDARITY 

‘…meeting  the  needs  of  the  present  without  compromising  the  ability  of  future 
generations to meet their own needs…’ (Strategic objective 2005-2009) 

Social solidarity 

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The  Commission  revised  the  Social  Agenda,  to  help  modernise  Europe’s  social 
model  under  the  Lisbon  Strategy  for  growth  and  jobs.  It  focuses  on  two  priorities: 
employment  and  fighting  poverty  while  promoting  equal  opportunities.  It  covers 
issues such as the need for updating labour law to address new forms of work (e.g. 
short-term  contracts)  or  the  impact  of  an  ageing  population.  Concrete  follow-up 
included 
the  adoption  of  a  Green  Paper  on  demographic  change,  a 
Communication on corporate restructuring and employment proposing ways to 
anticipate  and  manage  change  to  promote  more  jobs,  a  Framework  Strategy  on 
equal opportunities, and the establishment of a European Gender Institute. In this 
context, the decision by the European Council to link the European Youth Pact to 
the  growth  and  jobs  strategy  opened  a  new  field  for  policies  favouring  youth 
employment  and  social  inclusion.  The  Commission  translated  this  into  specific 
proposals  for  implementing  the  Pact  in  its  Communication  on  European  policies 
concerning  youth.  The  Commission  proposed  a  regulatory  framework  for  its 
Cohesion  Policy  post-2006,  together  with  a  Regulation  on  the  implementation  of 
this policy. This will steer cohesion policy directly to the target of increased growth 
and  jobs.  It  is  flexible  enough  to  allow  each  Member  State  or  region  to  define  a 
suitable  policy  mix  in  the  light  of  its  particular  economic,  social,  environmental, 
institutional and cultural conditions.  The Commission also worked closely with the 
Member  States  to  prepare  their  National Strategic  Reference  Frameworks  and  their 
national and regional programmes, while it continued to support cohesion objectives 
under its current programmes through the provision of close to €20 billion of funding 
for regional policy. 

The  Commission  proposed  a  Regulation  to  extend  the  remit  of  the  European 
Monitoring  Centre  on  Racism  and  Xenophobia  by  converting  it  into  a  European 
Union Agency for Fundamental Rights. The Agency will be an independent centre 
of expertise working in close cooperation with the Council of Europe. It will advise 
EU  institutions  and  Member  States  on  how  best  to  prepare  or  implement  EU 
legislation relating to fundamental rights. An example of the Commission’s efforts to 
fight  against  discrimination  is  a  legislative  initiative  that  aims  to  ensure  non-
discrimination of air passengers with reduced mobility. 

Finally,  to  promote  language  learning  and  linguistic  diversity,  the  Commission 
adopted  a  Communication  on  Multilingualism  in  the  EU.  The  document  presents 
language  knowledge  as  a  desirable  life  skill  for  all  citizens  and  stresses  the 
importance of language skills for worker mobility and for the competitiveness of the 
EU economy. The Commission will seek to invest more in language-related research 
and  make  its  own  information  accessible  in  more  languages;  it  also  called  on 
Member States to further the teaching, learning and use of languages. 

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Sustainable management and use of resources, and environmental protection 

The  Commission  carried  out  a  review  of  the  EU’s  Sustainable  Development 
Strategy, adopted in 2001. Confirming the Commission’s commitment to sustainable 
development, the review identifies a number of key areas where action needs to be 
stepped up, such as climate change, energy efficiency and resource use. It also sets 
out specific initiatives to kick-start progress. 

Encouraging  progress  on  addressing  Climate  Change  was  made  in  2005,  both  on 
implementation and effectiveness; the level of greenhouse gases from EU-25 stands 
at  5.5%  below  1990  levels.  All  the  national  allocation  plans  of  CO2  emission 
allowances were  approved,  allowing the EU  Emissions Trading Scheme to become 
fully operational. Initiatives were also presented to promote reduced emissions from 
cars  (‘Euro  5’)  and  in  the  aviation  sector.  The  Commission  played  a  major  part  in 
securing  the  agreement  at  the  UN  Climate  Change  Conference  in  Montreal  in 
December to begin talks in 2006 on the future of international cooperation on climate 
change when the current targets under the Kyoto Protocol expire in 2012. 

The Commission also presented four thematic strategies for the environment – on 
air  pollution,  the  marine  environment,  natural  resources,  and  waste  prevention  and 
recycling. Each of them will contribute to a more sustainable use and management of 
resources to preserve the future capacities of our economies while creating positive 
effects for ecosystems and human health. 

In  the  energy  field,  the  focus  was  on  addressing  climate  change  and  securing  the 
supply of sustainable energy. A Green Paper on Energy Efficiency proposed cost-
effective measures to save 20% of energy consumption by 2020, through changes in 
consumer behaviour and the use of energy efficient technologies. These would allow 
the EU to save an estimated €60 billion/year. The Commission also adopted an EU 
Biomass Action Plan with the main objective of more than doubling biomass use in 
the EU by 2010 and paving the way for bigger increases by 2020. 

Concerning  agriculture,  the  Commission’s  proposal  for  a  wide-ranging  reform  of 
the sugar sector was approved. The sugar reform will cut the guaranteed price for 
white  sugar  by  36%  over  four  years.  It  is  expected  to  boost  the  sector’s 
competitiveness,  restore  balance  to  the  market  and  help  honour  the  EU’s 
international commitments vis-à-vis other sugar producing countries. 2005 was also 
the  first  year  of  implementation  of  the  decoupled  single  farm  payment,  which 
removes  the  direct  link  between  production  and  subsidies  in  the  Common 
Agricultural  Policy.  As  from  2006,  some  90%  of  direct  payments  to  farmers  will 
become decoupled from production and, at the same time, new requirements will be 
introduced to meet environmental standards. Another political achievement was the 
adoption  of  the  Rural  Development  Regulation  on  which  agreement  was  reached 
with  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council.  The  new  Regulation  will  give 
Member  States  greater  scope  to  use  Rural  Development  funds  to  stimulate  growth 
and create new jobs and to carry through ecological protection programmes in rural 
areas.  The  Council  also  adopted  the  proposal  for  a  single  legal  framework  for 
financing  the  CAP.  It  will  considerably  simplify  CAP  financing,  reinforce  and 
modernise management and control, and strengthen budgetary discipline. 

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In  the  area  of  conservation  of  resources and  management  of  fisheries,  Commission 
proposals  for  long-term  recovery  plans  were  put  in  place  for  various  species.  In 
addition, measures for the Baltic Sea will pave the way for a multi-annual recovery 
plan  to  rebuild  cod  stocks  in  that  area,  and  the  Council  agreed  to  set  up  a 
Community  Fisheries  Control  Agency,  which  will  foster  a  common  approach  to 
fisheries monitoring and inspection within the Union. The Commission also launched 
a Maritime Policy Task Force, whose mission is to establish a general framework for 
the sustainable development of sea-based activities at EU level. 

4. 

SECURITY AND FREEDOM 

‘…the personal security of European citizens in the face of crime and terrorism… 
and  the  ability  of  citizens  to  run  their  daily  life  on  a  secure  basis…’  (Strategic 
objective 2005-2009) 

Justice and home affairs 

The adoption of a joint Council/Commission Action Plan implementing the Hague 
Programme  constituted  a  key  event  for  the  development  of  freedom,  security  and 
justice  policies  in  Europe  in  2005-2009.  The  terrorist  attacks  of  7  July  in  London 
confirmed the need for rapid and comprehensive action at EU level. The proposal for 
a  Framework  Decision  on  the  exchange  of  information  under  the  principle  of 
availability would bring considerable improvements in the access to information for 
law enforcement authorities. Linked to this, the proposal for a Framework Decision 
on  the  protection  of  personal  data  processed  in  the  framework  of  police  and 
judicial  cooperation  in  criminal  matters  will  help  to  guarantee  the  respect  of 
fundamental rights. 

The Action Plan on drugs aims to reduce the prevalence of drug use and the social 
harm  and  health  damage  caused  by  illicit  drugs.  It  proposes  specific  actions  and 
should  serve  as  a  guide  for  stakeholders  when  setting  priorities  in  this  area.  The 
Strategy on tackling organised crime sets out to develop common methodologies 
among national and EU bodies and to establish an EU crime statistics system, as a 
basis for further policy development in this field. The Commission also carried out a 
revision  of  the  Programme  for  mutual  recognition  in  criminal  matters.  The 
Communication  proposes  legislative  measures  to  harmonise  the  law  of  criminal 
procedure,  focusing  on  the  protection  of  individual  rights,  and  practical  action  to 
boost judicial training and support networking among practitioners. 

Tragic events linked to a strong increase of migratory pressures at European borders, 
such as Ceuta and Melilla, underlined the importance of quick action in this area. A 
proposed  Directive  establishing  common  standards  on  return  procedures  and 
mutual  recognition  of  expulsion  decisions  tackled  the  need  for  clear  European 
principles  on  returning  illegal  immigrants.  The  Agency  for  the  Management  of 
Operational Cooperation at the External Borders was also inaugurated. 

In  the  area  of  civil  justice,  efforts  were  directed  at  removing  obstacles  to  mutual 
recognition of judgments and to access to justice, and facilitating the life of citizens 
in  an  enlarged  and  integrated  Europe.  In  2005,  there  was  a  particular  emphasis  on 
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in the EU, leads to a growing number of cross-border disputes regarding maintenance 
claims.  The  Commission  proposed  a  Regulation  on  maintenance  obligations, 
which  will  provide  assistance,  help  to  solve  disputes  and  enforce  maintenance 
obligations between separated couples living in different Member States. 

Health and safety 

The Commission presented a Communication aiming to strengthen the Community 
Civil Protection Mechanism. The Commission ensures 24-hour accessibility of the 
Mechanism  through  its  Monitoring  and  Information  Centre,  which  supports  and 
facilitates the mobilisation of vital civil protection resources from the Member States 
in the event of an emergency. In 2005, the Mechanism responded to 14 emergencies, 
including  floods  in  Central  Europe,  forest  fires  in  Portugal  and  hurricanes  in  the 
United States. 

The  Commission  adopted  a  strategy  and  a  new  Health  and  Consumer  Protection 
Programme. The Programme will help to protect citizens from risks and threats that 
are  beyond  their  control  and  cannot  be  effectively  tackled  by  individual  Member 
States.  It  would  help  to  improve  Europe’s  surveillance  and  early  warning  system 
against infectious diseases, to increase cooperation between Member States to keep 
dangerous  products  off  the  internal  market,  and  to  provide  information  to  citizens 
about  their  rights  under  consumer  legislation,  and  their  healthcare  entitlements, 
throughout the EU. Consumer protection was also promoted through the adoption of 
several legislative proposals on food safety, including a Regulation on the maximum 
residue levels of pesticides in food and a Regulation on the microbiological criteria 
for foodstuffs. 

The possibility of an influenza pandemic generated intense political attention. The 
Commission  worked  with  Member  States  in  leading  preparations  to  save  lives  and 
ensure  minimal  economic  disruption  in  the  event  of  a  pandemic.  It  issued  a 
legislative  proposal  which  would  require  Member  States  to  reinforce  surveillance 
and  control  measures  against  avian  influenza  while  providing  clear  rules  on  the 
vaccination  of  birds.  The  European  Centre  for  Disease  Prevention  and  Control 
(ECDC) became fully operational. Key tasks of the ECDC relate to epidemiological 
surveillance and to early warning and response. 

With the entry into force of the Regulation on the rights of air passengers, citizens 
benefit from increased compensation and improved assistance in the event of denied 
boarding  and  delay  or  cancellation  of  a  flight.  The  Commission  also  presented 
initiatives  to  publish  black  lists  of  air  companies  and  information  to  passengers 
about the identity of carriers, which were subsequently consolidated and adopted 
following  air  accidents  during  the  summer.  A  Package  on  maritime  safety  was 
presented,  including  legislative  proposals  to  prevent  accidents  and  to  increase  the 
responsibility of shipowners. 

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5. 

EUROPE AS A WORLD PARTNER 

‘…the  Union  must  achieve  greater  political  coherence  in  external  action…’ 
(Strategic objective 2005-2009) 

Enlargement and the European neighbourhood 

The  signing  of  the  Accession  Treaty  with  Bulgaria  and  Romania  completed  the 
fifth  round  of  accession  negotiations  for  the  enlargement  of  the  EU.  These  two 
countries  are  scheduled  to  join  the  EU  on  1  January  2007,  provided  they  make  the 
additional  efforts  to  which  they  are  committed.  The  EU  prepared  the  ground  for 
future  enlargements  by  opening  accession  negotiations  with  Croatia  and  Turkey. 
The  Stabilisation  and  Association  Process  in  the  Western  Balkans  also  made 
further  progress,  and  the  former  Yugoslav  Republic  of  Macedonia  was  granted 
candidate status and the EU strengthened its relationship with the rest of the Western 
Balkans. 

In 2005, the Commission started implementing the seven European Neighbourhood 
Policy (ENP) Action Plans and began consultations with five other countries with a 
view  to  finalising  Action  Plans.  Through  the  ENP,  the  EU  is  seeking  to  promote 
good  governance  and  economic  and  social  development  in  countries  immediately 
beyond its borders, while improving environmental conditions. The ENP contributes 
to  a  zone  of  increasing  prosperity,  stability  and  security  on  the  borders  of  the  EU, 
while  offering  partner  countries  closer  political  links  and  elements  of  economic 
integration with the EU. In the Middle East, the EU engaged actively in rebuilding 
the Palestinian economy, taking a long-term view of its strategic partnership with the 
Palestinian Authority towards a two-state solution. 

The wider world 

Negotiations  on  the  World  Trade  Organisation’s  (WTO)  Doha  Development 
Agenda (DDA) were the foremost priority of the EU’s trade policy in 2005. With the 
negotiations  progressing  rather  slowly,  the  EU  confirmed  its  attachment  to  the 
multilateral negotiations by presenting ambitious offers in the run-up to the 6th WTO 
Ministerial  Conference  in  Hong  Kong  in  December  2005.  Unfortunately,  the  EU’s 
effort to secure an ambitious round has not, for the time being, been reciprocated by 
other  major  players.  At  the  Conference,  the  EC  was  instrumental  to  its  relative 
success  by  committing  to  eliminate  its  agricultural  export  subsidies  by  2013  and 
pushing  for  an  agreement  on  an  important  ‘package’  for  the  developmental 
dimension of the round. 

In terms of bilateral relations, progress was made on promoting the policy dialogue 
and  in  deepening  our  relations  with  several  key  partners  throughout  the  world.  To 
give  one  example,  the  EU-US  relationship  saw  a  marked  turn  for  the  better.  The 
Commission played a strong role in the negotiation of the Economic Initiative agreed 
at the EU-US Summit. 

In  2005,  the  Commission  was  one  of  the  world’s  top  five  providers  of  Official 
Development  Assistance  (ODA).  The  Commission  speeded  up  its  disbursement  of 
support which totalled €6.2 billion during the year (an increase by 10% compared to 

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the  previous  year).  A  new  Development  Policy  Statement  –  the  European 
Consensus  on  Development  –  was  adopted  by  the  Council  and  the  European 
Parliament on the basis of a proposal from the Commission. For the first time in fifty 
years, the Declaration defines at EU level the common values, principles, objectives 
and means of eradicating poverty and achieving the Millennium Development Goals 
(MDGs). It commits the Member States, not only as members of the Council but also 
as  bilateral  donors,  and  the  European  Community.  In  the  run-up  to  the  UN 
Millennium  Review  Summit  in  September,  the  EU  made  new  commitments  to 
accelerate progress towards the MDGs, on the basis of Commission proposals. The 
EU  set  ambitious  new  intermediate  goals  for  ODA  for  2010,  with  a  view  to 
achieving the UN target of 0.7% by 2015. By 2010, this would already generate an 
additional  €20  billion/year  in  ODA  from  the  EU  on  top  of  the  current  annual 
contribution  of  €43  billion.  Increased  funding  comes  with  a  commitment  to  ensure 
greater effectiveness, explore innovative sources of funding and provide further debt 
relief,  combined  with  the  promise  to  provide  50%  of  ODA  increases  to  Africa. 
Acting on the basis of a Commission proposal, the Council adopted the EU Strategy 
for Africa. Its primary goals are to support Africa’s efforts to achieve the MDGs and 
to  promote  sustainable  development,  security  and  good  governance  through 
enhanced  dialogue,  combined  with  increased  and  more  effective  EU  aid.  The 
revision  of  the  Cotonou  Agreement  further  strengthens  the  political  dimension  of 
the  relations  between  the  EU  and  the  African,  Caribbean  and  Pacific  countries, 
including dialogue on human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law. 

The  Commission  funded  humanitarian  assistance  programmes,  including  for  the 
victims of the tsunami in South-East Asia (€123 million) and of the earthquake in 
India  and  Pakistan  (close  to  €50  million),  out  of  a  total  budget  of  €650  million 
allocated to humanitarian aid and emergency operations. The  humanitarian  aid  was 
complemented  with  measures  to  support  rehabilitation  and  to  begin  restoring 
sustainable livelihoods (€170 million for Tsunami affected countries and €50 million 
following  the  South  Asian  earthquake).  The  Commission’s  response  builds  on  its 
Communication  on  Reinforcing  EU  Disaster  and  Crisis  Response  in  third 
countries,  which  was  adopted  in  2005.  The  Commission  also  continued  to  fund 
assistance  in  forgotten  and  complex  crises  situations.  The  focus  was  mainly  on 
Africa  –  in  particular  Darfur,  Sudan  (€45  million  in  addition  to  €14  million  for 
Sudanese  refugees  in  Chad),  the  Democratic  Republic  of  Congo  (€38  million)  and 
West  Africa  (€29  million).  Other  examples  of  major  humanitarian  programmes 
concern  the  Middle  East  (€36.6  million)  and  the  Northern  Caucasus  related  to  the 
Chechnya crisis (€26 million), where the Commission is the largest single donor of 
humanitarian aid. 

2005 was also a very active year for EU Election Observation and Support with 12 
missions  deployed  involving  more  than  1,000  observers.  Assistance  was  also 
provided  to  political  processes  in  Asia  and  the  Middle  East  to  make  security  work 
worldwide.  In  Iraq,  efforts  were  targeted  at  improving  the  daily  lives  of  Iraqi 
citizens as well as strengthening governance and political processes. Actions focused 
on  basic  needs  such  as  education,  health  care,  water,  income  generating  activities, 
and  contributing  to  the  holding  of  elections  and  the  referendum  on  the  new  Iraqi 
constitution.  In  Afghanistan,  the  Commission  continued  its  support  to  the 
reconstruction  and  institution  building,  including  assistance  to  maintain  law  and 
order  and  promote  health,  rural  development  and  public  administrative  reform. 

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Support was also provided for the legislative elections that were successfully held in 
September.  In  Aceh  (Indonesia),  the  Commission  funded  post-tsunami  recovery, 
actively assisted the mediation activities that led to the signing of a peace agreement, 
and provided support to long-term peace. 

6. 

A  MODERN  AND  EFFICIENT  ADMINISTRATION  ENSURING  BETTER  REGULATION  IN 
THE ENLARGED EU 

The initiatives outlined above highlight the role of the Commission as the initiator 
of Community legislation, and its capacity to launch and lead strategic debates at 
European  level  in  preparation  of  EU  action.  However,  they  do  not  pretend  to  be  a 
comprehensive  list  of  the  Commission’s  activities  in  20053.  The  Commission 
continued to discharge its responsibilities across a wide range of activities. In its role 
of  the  ‘guardian  of  the  Treaties’,  it  promoted  rapid  transposition  by  the  Member 
States, and proper implementation and rigorous enforcement of EC legislation. 

The Commission also has executive responsibility in managing common policies. In 
2005,  the  Commission  devoted  a  large  part  of  its  resources  to  ensure  the  ongoing 
implementation  of  existing  policies.  It  made  substantial  additional  efforts  on  such 
‘core  business’,  notably  with  respect  to  the  enforcement  of  Community  law  and 
efficient  management  of  Community  programmes,  including  the  Structural  Funds, 
the Common Agricultural Policy and the research programmes. 2005 was marked by 
the  completion  of  the  ‘Reform  project’  which  aimed  at  creating  an  even  more 
efficient  and  accountable  administration.  In  this  framework,  the  Commission 
undertook  a  significant  reform  of  its  accounting  system  by  switching  to  accrual-
based accounting, which provides a better overview of the Communities’ assets and 
liabilities  throughout  the  year.  It  launched  a  Transparency  initiative  to  show  the 
public how money is spent and how decisions are made. The Commission adopted a 
Communication  on  a  roadmap  for  an  integrated  financial  control  framework, 
designed to pave the way towards an unqualified opinion by the European Court of 
Auditors on the financial management of the EU budget, through the implementation 
of  concrete  actions  at  Commission  and  Member  State  levels.  The  Commission 
simplified  the  rules  on  procurement  and  grants  by  amending  the  implementing 
rules  of  the  Financial  Regulation.  The  Commission  also  adopted  a  revised  e-
Commission  strategic  framework,  thereby  renewing  its  commitment  to  an  optimal 
use  of  ICT  to  improve  its  performance  and  transparency.  Finally,  the  Commission 
continued to adapt to the 2004 enlargement of the EU, by integrating staff from the 
new  Member  States,  by  providing  translation  and  interpreting  services  in  nine 
additional  languages,  and  by  collecting  key  statistical  data  from  the  new  Member 
States. 

Better regulation has to become the cornerstone for decision making at all levels of 
the EU. The Commission made significant progress in the pursuit of better regulation 
objectives, putting in place an updated and coherent framework to look at existing, 
pending  and  new  regulations.  The  main  elements  of  this  framework  are  revised 

3 

As required by the Treaties, the Commission presented, on 14 February 2006, the General Report on 
the Activities of the European Union 2005 - SEC(2005) 1200;   
http://europa.eu.int/abc/doc/off/rg/en/2005/index.htm 

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impact  assessment  guidelines;  comprehensive  screening  of  pending  legislative 
proposals, which highlighted 68 proposals suitable for withdrawal; a Communication 
on  an  EU  common  methodology  for  assessing  administrative  costs  imposed  by 
legislation;  and  a  strategy  for  the  simplification  of  the  regulatory  environment, 
including a three-year rolling work programme. 

7. 

CONCLUSIONS 

2005 was a crucial year which set the scene for the rest of the Barroso Commission’s 
mandate. Despite considerable challenges, the Commission demonstrated leadership 
and commitment in delivering on its strategic objectives. Europe has taken concrete 
steps forward and has laid the ground for a ‘Partnership for Renewal’ to put Europe 
back on track. With the renewed Lisbon strategy and the progress towards the new 
Financial Perspectives, the Commission put in place two of the key building blocks 
for the successful delivery of Community policies into the next decade. 

The  Commission  remains  committed  to  working  in  close  partnership  with  the 
European institutions, the Member States, stakeholders in all walks of life, and with 
its  international  partners.  The  Commission  sees  effective  communication  on 
European affairs and building a genuine dialogue with citizens as crucial to regaining 
the trust and support of citizens for the European project. In 2005, the Commission 
initiated  a  wide-ranging  reform  of  its  communication  activities.  An  internal Action 
the 
Plan  on  Communicating  Europe  was  adopted  which  dovetails  with 
Commission  Plan  D  for  democracy,  dialogue  and  debate.  But  above  all,  the 
Commission, and the EU at large, will be assessed on its ability to focus and deliver. 
The  strategic  objectives  remain  the  framework for the Commission’s actions  in the 
years ahead, and the action for 2006 is already set out in the 2006 Work Programme, 
Unlocking Europe’s Full Potential4. In 2005, the groundwork was done. 2006 will be 
a year with an even stronger focus on delivery – a Europe of results. 

4 

COM(2005) 531. 

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Annex – Items adopted in 2005 from the Commission Legislative and Work Programme 2005 – by strategic objective 

Prosperity 

Title 

Reference no 

Communication on Better Regulation and 
Competitiveness 

Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme 

COM(2005) 97; SEC(2005) 175 

COM(2005) 121; SEC(2005) 433; 
2005/0050(COD) 

Adoption 
date 
 16.3.2005 

Type of proposal or act 

Non-legislative action / Commission 
Communication 

 6.4.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Decision 

Communication on the new generation of tax and customs 
programmes 

COM(2005) 111; SEC(2005) 423 

 6.4.2005 

Non-legislative action / Commission 
Communication 

Seventh Framework Programmes for Research (2007-
2013) 

COM(2005) 118+119; SEC(2005) 430+431; 
2005/0043(COD); 2005/0044(CNS) 

 6.4.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Decision 

Proposal for a modification of the Regulation on the 
Stability and Growth Pact 

COM(2005) 154+155; 2005/0064(SYN); 
2005/0061(CNS) 

 20.4.2005 

Legislative Proposal 

Green Paper on Financial Services Integration: Horizon 
2005-2010 

COM(2005) 177 

 3.5.2005 

Non-legislative action / Green Paper 

Communication i2010 

COM(2005) 229; SEC(2005) 717 

 1.6.2005 

Non-legislative action / Commission 
Communication 

State aid action plan 

COM(2005) 107; SEC(2005) 795 

 7.6.2005 

Non-legislative action / Other 

Proposal for a Council Directive on taxation of passenger 
cars in the EU 

COM(2005) 621; SEC(2005) 809; 
2005/0130(CNS) 

 5.7.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Directive 

Green Paper on obstacles to integration of mortgage credit 
market 

COM(2005) 327 

 19.7.2005 

Non-legislative action / Green Paper 

More Research and Innovation: Investing for Growth and 
Employment 

Cross-border management of copyright in the online 
music sector 

Communication on progress in creating internal market 
for electricity and gas 

COM(2005) 488; SEC(2005) 1283+1289 

 12.10.2005 

Non-legislative action / Commission 
Communication 

C(2005) 3764; SEC(2005) 1254 

 18.10.2005 

Non-legislative action / Recommendation 

COM(2005) 568; SEC(2005) 1448 

 15.11.2005 

Non-legislative action / Commission 
Communication 

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Proposal for a Regulation on advanced therapies 

COM(2005) 567; SEC(2005) 1444; 
2005/0227(COD) 

 16.11.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Regulation 

Proposal on the management structure of the industrial 
SESAME project (common enterprise) for the technical 
realisation of Single Sky 

COM(2005) 602; SEC(2005) 1532; 
2005/0235(CNS) 

 25.11.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Directive 

Modification Customs Code: simplification of procedures 
- Ecustoms  

Legal Framework for Payments 

COM(2005) 608; SEC(2005) 1543+1545 

 30.11.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Regulation 

COM(2005) 603; SEC(2005) 1535; 
2005/0245(COD) 

 1.12.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Directive 

Communication on the results of the consultation 
launched on Defence Procurement 

COM(2005) 626; SEC(2005) 1572 

 6.12.2005 

Non-legislative action / Commission 
Communication 

Maritime proposal 

COM(2005) 651; SEC(2005) 1640+1641 

 14.12.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Regulation 

Green paper on claims for damages under EC 
Competition law 

Modification of Medical Devices Directives 

COM(2005) 672; SEC(2005) 1732 

 19.12.2005 

Non-legislative action / Green Paper 

COM(2005) 681; SEC(2005) 1742; 
2005/0263(COD) 

 22.12.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Directive 

Home State Taxation pilot scheme for SMEs 

COM(2005) 702; SEC(2005) 1785 

 23.12.2005 

Non-legislative action / Commission 
Communication 

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Solidarity 

Title 

Reference no 

Communication on post 2012 Climate Change Strategies 

COM(2005) 35; SEC(2005) 180 

Adoption 
date 
 9.2.2005 

Social Agenda  

COM(2005) 33; SEC(2005) 177 

 9.2.2005 

Type of proposal or act 

Non-legislative action / Commission 
Communication 

Non-legislative action / Commission 
Communication 

Green Paper on management of the demographic trends in 
the European Union 

COM(2005) 94 

Communication on restructuring and employment 

COM(2005) 120 

Proposal for a COD Regulation establishing the EU 
Solidarity Fund 

COM(2005) 108; SEC(2005) 447; 
2005/0033(COD) 

Proposal for a Council Regulation establishing 
Community financial measures for the implementation of 
the Common Fisheries Policy and in the area of the Law 
of the Sea 
Disaster Preparedness and Response Instrument 

Programme for active citizenship 

COM(2005) 117; SEC(2005) 426; 
2005/0045(CNS) 

COM(2005) 113; SEC(2005) 439; 
2005/0052(CNS) 

COM(2005) 116; SEC(2005) 442; 
2005/0041(COD) 

European Year of Mobility for Workers (2006) 
Communication on youth policy 

- 
COM(2005) 206; SEC(2005) 693 

 16.3.2005 

Non-legislative action / Green Paper 

 31.3.2005 

Non-legislative action / Commission 
Communication 

 6.4.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Regulation 

 6.4.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Regulation 

 6.4.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Regulation 

 6.4.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Decision 

 27.4.2005 
 30.5.2005 

Non-legislative action / Other 
Non-legislative action / Commission 
Communication 

 1.6.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Decision 

Communication on ‘non discrimination and equal chances 
for all - a framework strategy and a proposal for a 
decision on the European year for equal chances for all 
(2007)’ 
Sugar Reform – Common Market Organisation (CMO) 
Regulation + Single Payment Regulation 

COM(2005) 224+225; SEC(2005) 689+690; 
2005/0107(COD) 

COM(2005) 263; SEC(2005) 808+810; 
2005/0118-0120(CNS) 

 22.6.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Regulation 

Green Paper on a European Energy Efficiency Initiative 

COM(2005) 265 

 22.6.2005 

Non-legislative action / Green Paper 

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EU Rural Development Strategy 

COM(2005) 304; SEC(2005) 914; 
2005/0129(CNS) 

 5.7.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Decision 

Communication on eAccessibility 

COM(2005) 425; SEC(2005) 1095 

 13.9.2005 

Non-legislative action / Commission 
Communication 

Thematic Strategy on Air Pollution 

COM(2005) 446+447; SEC(2005) 1135+1133; 
2005/0183(COD) 

 21.9.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Directive 

Communication on reducing the climate change impact of 
aviation 

Intercultural dialogue 2008  

COM(2005) 459; SEC(2005) 1184 

 27.9.2005 

Non-legislative action / Commission 
Communication 

COM(2005) 467; SEC(2005) 1202; 
2005/0203(COD) 

 5.10.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Decision 

Thematic strategy for the protection of the Marine 
Environment 

COM(2005) 504+505; SEC(2005) 1290; 
2005/0211(COD) 

 24.10.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Directive 

Communication on sustainable energy 

COM(2005) 627; SEC(2005) 1571 

 7.12.2005 

Communication on an Action plan for Biomass 

COM(2005) 328; SEC(2005) 1573 

 7.12.2005 

Non-legislative action / Commission 
Communication 

Non-legislative action / Commission 
Communication 

New Directive on Audio-visual Content 

COM(2005) 646; SEC(2005) 1625+1626; 
2005/0260(COD) 

 13.12.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Directive 

Proposal for a Regulation on motor vehicles emissions 
(EURO 5) 

COM(2005) 683; SEC(2005) 1745; 
2005/0282(COD) 

 21.12.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Regulation 

Thematic Strategy on Resources 

COM(2005) 670; SEC(2005) 1683+1684 

 21.12.2005 

Non-legislative action / Commission 
Communication 

Thematic Strategy on the Prevention and Recycling of 
Waste 

COM(2005) 666+667; SEC(2005) 1681+1682; 
2005/0281(COD) 

 21.12.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Directive 

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Security and freedom 

Title 

Reference no 

EU Drugs Action Plan 2005-2008 

COM(2005) 45; SEC(2005) 216 

Adoption 
date 
 14.2.2005 

Type of proposal or act 

Non-legislative action / Commission 
Communication 

Green Paper on successions and wills 

COM(2005) 65; SEC(2005) 270 

 1.3.2005 

Non-legislative action / Green Paper 

Green Paper on applicable law to divorces 

COM(2005) 82; SEC(2005) 331 

 14.3.2005 

Non-legislative action / Green Paper 

Health and Consumer Policy Programme 

Framework programme on fundamental rights and Justice 

COM(2005) 115; SEC(2005) 425; 
2005/0042(COD) 

COM(2005) 122; SEC(2005) 434; 
2005/0037(COD); 2005/0038(CNS); 
2005/0039(CNS); 2005/0040(COD) 

 6.4.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Decision 

 6.4.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Framework decision 
(JHA) 

Framework programme on security and safeguard of 
freedom 

COM(2005) 124; SEC(2005) 436; 
2005/0034(CNS); 2005/0035(CNS) 

 6.4.2005 

Legislative Proposal 

Framework programme on solidarity and management of 
migration 

COM(2005) 123; SEC(2005) 435; 
2005/0046(COD); 2005/0047(COD); 
2005/0048(CNS); 2005/0049(COD) 

 6.4.2005 

Legislative Proposal 

Directive on control of avian influenza 

COM(2005) 171; SEC(2005) 549; 
2005/0062(CNS); 2005/0063(CNS) 

 28.4.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Directive 

Action Plan on the Hague Programme 
Protection of chicken kept for the production of meat 

COM(2005) 184 
COM(2005) 221; SEC(2005) 801; 
2005/0099(CNS) 

 10.5.2005 
 30.5.2005 

Non-legislative action / Other 
Legislative Proposal / Directive 

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Fundamental Rights Agency 

COM(2005) 280; SEC(2005) 849; 
2005/0124(CNS); 2005/0125(CNS) 

 30.6.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Regulation 

Proposal for a Framework Decision on the fight against 
counterfeiting 

COM(2005) 276; SEC(2005) 848; 
2005/0128(CNS) 

 12.7.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Framework decision 
(JHA) 

Proposal for a Directive on the fight against counterfeiting  COM(2005) 276; SEC(2005) 848; 

 12.7.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Directive 

2005/0127(CNS) 

Animal health conditions - Aquatic animals 

COM(2005) 362; SEC(2005) 1047; 
2005/0153(CNS); 2005/0154(CNS) 

 23.8.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Directive 

Proposal for a Directive on common standards for return 
procedures 

COM(2005) 391; SEC(2005) 1057; 
2005/0167(COD) 

 1.9.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Directive 

Directive on data retention 

COM(2005) 438; SEC(2005) 1131; 
2005/0182(COD) 

 21.9.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Directive 

Framework Decision on standards for transfer of personal 
data 

COM(2005) 475; SEC(2005) 1241; 
2005/0202(CNS) 

 4.10.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Framework decision 
(JHA) 

Equivalent access to law enforcement authorities 

COM(2005) 490; SEC(2005) 1270; 
2005/0207(CNS) 

 12.10.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Framework decision 
(JHA) 

Communication and proposal for a Regulation on the 
extension of the tasks of the European Aviation Safety 
Agency 
3rd Package on Maritime Safety (7 legislative proposals) 

COM(2005) 578+579; 2005/0228(COD) 

 15.11.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Regulation 

COM(2005) 585+590; COM(2005) 592+593; 
SEC(2005) 1496-1499; SEC(2005) 1514-1517; 
2005/0236-0242(COD) 

 23.11.2005 

Legislative Proposal 

Green Paper on the establishment of a European 
Migration Monitoring Centre 

COM(2005) 606 

 28.11.2005 

Non-legislative action / Green Paper 

Green Paper - Platform for Nutrition and Health 

COM(2005) 637 

 8.12.2005 

Non-legislative action / Green Paper 

EN 

20 

EN 

 
  
Maintenance obligations 

COM(2005) 648+649; SEC(2005) 1628-1630; 
2005/0259(CNS) 

 15.12.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Regulation 

Communication including an action plan relating to legal 
migration 

COM(2005) 669; SEC(2005) 1680 

 21.12.2005 

Non-legislative action / Commission 
Communication 

EN 

21 

EN 

 
  
 
Europe as a world partner 

Title 

Reference no 

Mandate for negotiations with Croatia 

Accession negotiation document 

Adoption 
date 
 1.2.2005 

Type of proposal or act 

Non-legislative action / Other 

Communication on the European Neighbourhood Policy 
(ENP) Action Plans with Armenia, Azerbaijan and 
Georgia, Lebanon, Egypt  

COM(2005) 72; SEC(2005) 294; SEC(2005) 285-
289 

 2.3.2005 

Non-legislative action / Commission 
Communication 

Barcelona Process 10th anniversary 

COM(2005) 139; SEC(2005) 482+483  

 12.4.2005 

Accelerating progress towards attaining the MDGs: 
Financing for Development 

Accelerating progress towards attaining the MDGs: The 
contribution of the EU 

COM(2005) 133; SEC(2005) 433+434  

 12.4.2005 

COM(2005) 132; SEC(2005) 452; SEC(2005) 456  

 12.4.2005 

Non-legislative action / Commission 
Communication 

Non-legislative action / Commission 
Communication 

Non-legislative action / Commission 
Communication 

Communication on EU-US relations 

COM(2005) 196 

Proposal for a Regulation establishing accompanying 
measures for Sugar Protocol countries affected by the 
reform of the EU sugar regime 

Euromed mandate on services and investment 
Civil Society dialogue between the EU and candidate 
countries 

COM(2005) 266; SEC(2005) 828; 
2005/0117(COD)  

SEC(2005) 787+788  
COM(2005) 290; SEC(2005) 891 

Information note on the negotiating framework with 
Turkey 

SEC(2005) 888 

 18.5.2005 

Non-legislative action / Commission 
Communication 

 22.6.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Regulation 

 24.6.2005 
 29.6.2005 

Legislative Proposal / Decision 
Non-legislative action / Commission 
Communication 

 29.6.2005 

Non-legislative action / Other 

Proposal for a new statement on the EC Development 
Policy 

COM(2005) 311; SEC(2005) 929 

 13.7.2005 

Communication on an EU Strategy for Africa 

COM(2005) 489; SEC(2005) 1255 

 12.10.2005 

2005 ENLARGEMENT PACKAGE - I 

COM(2005) 534; SEC(2005) 1352-1354  

 25.10.2005 

Non-legislative action / Commission 
Communication 

Non-legislative action / Commission 
Communication 

Non-legislative action / Commission 
Communication 

Opinion on the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 

COM(2005) 562; SEC(2005) 1425; SEC(2005) 
1429  

 9.11.2005 

Non-legislative action / Opinion 

EN 

22 

EN 

 
  
2005 ENLARGEMENT PACKAGE - II 

COM(2005) 553; COM(2005) 555-559; 
COM(2005) 561-563; SEC(2005) 1421-1424; 
SEC(2005) 1426; SEC(2005) 1428  

 9.11.2005 

Agreement with third countries / Council 
Decision for the conclusion of an agreement 

Accession Partnership for Turkey 

COM(2005) 559; SEC(2005) 1426 

 9.11.2005 

European Partnership for Croatia 

COM(2005) 556; SEC(2005) 1424 

 9.11.2005 

Agreement with third countries / Council 
Decision for the conclusion of an agreement 

Agreement with third countries / Council 
Decision for the conclusion of an agreement 

EU relations with Latin America 

COM(2005) 363; SEC(2005) 1590;  
SEC(2005) 1613  

 8.12.2005 

Non-legislative action / Commission 
Communication 

EN 

23 

EN