Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the comMittee of the Regions - Annual Policy Strategy for 2007 - Boosting trust through action
Date: 2006-03-14
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Community budget, European security, economic and social cohesion, enlargement of the Union, interinstitutional relations (EU), sustainable development

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 14.3.2006 
COM(2006) 122 final 

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

Annual Policy Strategy for 2007 

Boosting trust through action 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Boosting trust through action.................................................................................................. 3 

Part I.  Priority actions in 2007.............................................................................................. 6 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

Prosperity ..................................................................................................................... 6 

Solidarity ...................................................................................................................... 8 

Security and Freedom ................................................................................................ 10 

Europe as a world partner .......................................................................................... 11 

European Governance and Better regulation in action .............................................. 13 

Part II.  General framework for human and financial resources for 2007 ....................... 14 

1. 

1.1. 

1.2. 

1.3. 

2. 

Human resources........................................................................................................ 14 

Enlargement-related reinforcement............................................................................ 14 

Contribution to a central pool .................................................................................... 14 

Total human resources available for the four priorities ............................................. 14 

Financial resources..................................................................................................... 15 

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BOOSTING TRUST THROUGH ACTION 

Europe and its citizens are going through a period of tough challenges. To tackle these, action 
is  Europe’s  best  option.  Citizens’  confidence  in  the  work  of  the  Union  rests  on  what  the 
Union does and how the Union acts. The Commission has put effective policy delivery at the 
heart of its objectives. But to make this possible, the European Union needs to work through a 
true  partnership,  to  ensure  that  the  development,  determination  and  implementation  of 
European policies rest on the foundations of a solid political consensus.  

2007  will  see  the  accession  of  Bulgaria  and  Romania,  provided  they  meet  the  conditions 
necessary  to  fully  implement  the  acquis  from  the  first.  With  the  debate  continuing  on  the 
future  of  Europe  and  the  draft  Constitutional  Treaty,  and  with  the  50th  anniversary  of  the 
Treaty of Rome, attention will naturally focus on the wider values and goals of the European 
Union, and on how a modernised Union can respond to the aspirations of today’s Europeans. 
The  launch  of  the  new  programmes  under  the  financial  framework  2007-2013  will  be  a 
tangible example of this response. It should also be a sign for the future of Europe debate to 
focus first on what Europe should be doing, with the support of the Plan D for Democracy, 
Debate and Dialogue. Effective  communication on  European affairs and a genuine dialogue 
with  citizens  are  crucial  to  regaining  their  trust.  Communication  activities  will  gain 
momentum  in  2007,  with  most  of  the  Action  Plan  on  Communicating  Europe  implemented 
and the consultation on the White Paper on a European Communication Policy translated into 
actions.  

The  Strategic  Objectives  of  prosperity,  solidarity  and  security  adopted  at  the  start  of  this 
Commission’s mandate offer a coherent political frame for EU action. They are as relevant as 
ever to meet the current challenges and expectations. They call for a strong Europe and define 
the direction for action. Working together to these ends, European institutions can bring real 
added value and offer tangible results to the people of Europe. 

The goal of the Annual Policy Strategy is to isolate key priorities which will develop into the 
core actions for 2007. This needs to be done with a clear sense of continuity from one year to 
another.  Priority  actions  for  2007  do  not  have  a  twelve  month  life  span.  Some  will  carry 
through  decisions  taken  and  consultations  launched  in  2005  and  2006.  Many  will  not  be 
finalised or implemented until later. This is why it is important to see these actions as part of a 
coherent  and  cross-fertilizing  process  of  policy  development,  with  individual  actions  in 
various  fields,  inside  or  outside  Europe,  constituting  the  building  blocks  towards  the  wider 
goals of Europe. 

2007 will be the half-way point for this Commission. Some of its first policy initiatives will 
have worked through to implementation. New directions will set the scene for the second half 
of the Commission’s mandate. It will be a critical year for delivery of the five-year strategic 
objectives. Time is pressing and 2007 must show real results. Tangible progress is essential to 
the credibility of Europe’s various multi-annual strategies. The main objective must continue 
to be growth, to provide more and better jobs in Europe. Citizens are above all worried about 
their jobs, and this must remain Europe’s main priority. One fundamental operational goal for 
this Commission will of course remain the proper functioning of the enlarged Europe and the 
full  application  of  Community  policies  and  rules  within  all  the  Member  States.  These  core 
activities are the foundation on which new policy priorities can be built. 

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The framework for action 

Since  coming  into  office,  the  Commission  and  its  EU  partners  have  set  in  train  major  new 
directions for European policy, as well as keeping up the efforts to conclude on key long-term 
dossiers. These now serve as the backdrop to new initiatives in 2007. 

•  The renewed Lisbon strategy gave new clarity and focus to Europe’s target of growth and 
jobs.  This  bore  fruit  with  the  first  National  Reform  Programmes  in  2006,  as  the  national 
contributions to the implementation of economic reform, as well as with the action at EU 
level through the Community Lisbon Programme. This was backed up by the revision of 
the Stability and Growth Pact, the revised Social Agenda and the review of the Sustainable 
Development Strategy. The new cohesion policy and the new rural development fund also 
very clearly focus on the target of growth and jobs. 

•  The Hampton Court informal Summit in October 2005 also brought forward a consensus 
between EU leaders on a set of key issues for EU action in a globalising world: research 
and  development,  universities,  demographic  challenges,  energy,  migration  and  security. 
These themes saw new initiatives in the following months, including for the creation of a 
European Institute for Technology, the setting up of a European Globalisation Adjustment 
Fund and the presentation of a Green Paper on Energy, but need to be built into the core 
European actions.  

•  Once negotiations are concluded on the new Financial Perspectives, these will offer the 
basis  for  funding  action  for  the  Union  over  the  next  seven  years,  targeting  resources  on 
policy priorities for the long term.  

•  The  special  role  of  the  Union  in  freedom,  security  and  justice  was  acknowledged  in  the 
Hague  Programme  detailing  a  multi  annual  programme  for  the  Union  in  this  area.  This 
remains  the  key  guide  for  Union  action  in  this  area  which  will  be  redirected  in  2007  in 
response to the first annual scoreboard to be presented in June this year. 

•  The Union has also set out the path to a set of complementary goals to further prosperity, 
solidarity  and  security  at  the  global  level,  seeking  to  ensure  that  open  markets,  greater 
competition  and  rules-based  international  system  offer  new  opportunities  and  greater 
dynamism at home and abroad. The neighbourhood policy is now established as a tool of 
external  policy  alongside  the  enlargement  process,  with  accession  negotiations  opened 
with  Croatia  and  Turkey.  The  European  Consensus  on  Development  offers  the  first 
genuine policy framework agreed between all the institutions. 

The questions asked of the Union through the future of Europe debate can only be answered 
against the backdrop of a dynamic Union bringing real change to Europe within these policy 
frameworks. 

Putting goals into practice 

In 2007, the Commission aims to make a reality of these tasks – to take their delivery up to 
cruising speed. It will implement policies already agreed, develop new initiatives to keep up 
the pace to meet these targets, and set the scene for the second half of the mandate. 

The  strategic  objectives  of  prosperity,  solidarity  and  security,  inside  the  Union  and 
worldwide,  will  remain  the  cornerstone  of  the  Commission’s  action.  In  all  these  areas,  the 

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European  Union  has  a  direct  impact  on  issues of primary concern to Europe’s citizens. The 
overarching target of more growth for more and better jobs will remain. The Lisbon Strategy 
must  show  tangible  impact  if  Europe  is  to  remain  credible:  and  the  more  positive  macro-
economic  outlook  must  be  used  to  smooth  the  path  for  change.  Europe  must  seize  every 
opportunity to speed up reforms and put them into practice. 

2007  will  also  see  new  directions  for  the  second  half  of  the  Commission’s  mandate.  The 
Commission  will  be  preparing  the  future,  with  intensive  preparation  of  the  comprehensive 
review of the Union’s budget leading to a White Paper in 2008-2009. 

This Annual Policy Strategy sets out the priority actions planned for each of the three strategic 
objectives  and  their  external  translation  and  is  another  step  forward  on  the  road  to  securing 
these goals. These new initiatives will be taken forward in parallel with work to consolidate 
and implement the policies already agreed and under way. Success in this respect requires that 
the  existing  policies  of  the  Union  continue  to  be  well  managed  and  implemented.  A  final 
section sets out the resources required to manage these policies and to adapt to the needs of 
the enlarged Europe.  

The new initiatives will be taken forward in full respect of the need for high quality standards 
for  European  action.  European  initiatives  must  be  coherent,  focused  and  properly  assessed. 
The Commission has made commitments to carry out impact assessments on its initiatives to 
confirm that the action is justified. The responsibility for better regulation is shared between 
European  Institutions  and  all  institutions  share  responsibility  for  translating  decisions  into 
tangible results.  

The  Annual  Policy  Strategy  provides  the  opportunity  to  look  ahead.  The  dialogue  it  sparks 
between European Institutions is essential to properly prepare the future work in 2007 on the 
basis  of  a  shared  view  of  what  and  how  Europe  should  deliver.  The  Commission  puts  this 
strategy forward in that spirit of partnership, and looks forward to the views of the European 
Parliament and the Council on where Europe should devote its energies in 2007. 

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PART I.  PRIORITY ACTIONS IN 2007 

1. 

Prosperity 

The Commission’s core strategy for promoting growth and jobs for the long term is now well 
established. In 2005, the renewed Lisbon strategy was endorsed by the European Council and 
the  European  Parliament.  In  2006,  the  National  Reform  Programmes  will  take  the 
implementation  of  the  strategy  into  a  new  phase  and  point  to  where  action  should  be 
concentrated in the future. The Commission will continue to support national action and to act 
where appropriate at Community level to help make 2007 a year when the Lisbon Strategy 
starts to show tangible results on the ground. Four priority areas are highlighted: 

•  Knowledge,  with  clear  targets  to  improve  Europe’s  education,  research  and  innovation 

framework as drivers for growth 

•  Enterprise, in particular SMEs, to secure an environment and access to finance which help 

realise Europe’s business potential 

•  Jobs and ageing, to use Europeans’ skills to best effect at every stage of their lives 

•  Energy,  to  promote  a  genuine  common  approach  to  secure  energy  provision  and  its 

efficient use. 

These will be the cornerstones for new initiatives in 2007. EU policies need to be coherent in 
their support for the Lisbon approach. The Commission will thus continue the implementation 
of the State aid action plan. The Commission will seek to strike the right balance between job 
flexibility  and  employment  security.  It  will  also  follow  up  the  Green  Paper  on  energy  with 
more  detailed  proposals  to  improve  the  energy  market  in  Europe.  At  the  same  time,  the 
performance of the euro area will be critical in providing firm foundations for growth. Since 
the  euro  area  could  be  enlarged  as  from  2007,  the  Commission  will  actively  assist  Member 
States concerned in ensuring a smooth and well-prepared changeover. The Commission will 
also  continue  to  implement  the  approaches  already  under  way  in  different  policy  areas, 
pushing  ahead  with  the  single  market,  especially  in  the  key  areas  of  services  and  transport. 
The streamlining of the regulatory approach to the internal market for goods, including the set 
up  of  an  effective  and  uniform  control  system,  will  ensure  an  equivalent  level  of  acquis 
implementation everywhere in Europe. In addition, effective management of legal migration 
is an essential contribution to the objectives of the Lisbon Strategy. 

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Prosperity: key actions envisaged for 2007 

Lisbon Strategy 

•  Annual assessment of progress and identification of areas for further action  

•  Start  of  new  programmes  for  2007-2013:  7th  Research  Framework  Programme; 
Competitiveness  and  Innovation  Framework  Programme;  Galileo;  Trans  European 
Networks; Marco Polo; Lifelong Learning; Customs and Fiscalis 

•  Actions  to  boost  investment  in  research  and  innovation  by  Member  States  and  the 
private  sector,  in  particular  through  supporting  markets  for  innovative  goods  and 
services,  to  strive  for  an  attractive  single  market  for  researchers,  and  to  enhance 
university-based research 

•  Launch of the European Space Programme 

Employment  

•  Communication  on  “flexicurity”:  aiming  at  a  balance  between  flexibility  and 

employment security 

Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) governance 

•  Enhanced  monitoring  of  stability  and  convergence  programmes  and  increase  dialogue 

with the Member States likely to qualify for participation in the euro area 

•  Further development of the functioning of the euro area under the reformed Stability and 

Growth Pact and enhanced policy coordination 

Energy and Transport 

•  Preparing for the setting up of a European Observatory of energy markets 

•  Measures to support the completion of the internal market for electricity and gas 

•  Action  Plan  on  intermodal  transport  logistics,  aiming  at  alleviating  traffic  congestion 

and diminishing transport costs 

•  Measures foreseen by the NAIADES Action Plan to promote inland waterways transport 

and exploit its commercial potential 

Single Market  

•  Concessions  (follow-up  to  the  Green  Paper  on  Public-Private  Partnerships  and  EC 

public procurement and concessions)  

•  Payment services industry - to create a Single European Payment Area by 2010 

•  Continued action to create a true internal market for financial services 

•  Proportionality  of  capital  and  control  (one-share-one-vote)  to  enhance  convergence 
between shareholders' financial contributions and their control rights in listed companies 

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•  Promoting growth in wireless markets, equipment and services, through a common EU 

approach to radio spectrum allocation 

•  Defence  markets,  by  setting  new  rules  for  defence  procurement  and  simplifying 
procedures  for  the  transfer  of  defence-related  products,  in  order  to  overcome  market 
fragmentation and increase competition in the sector 

Legal Migration 

•  Proposals on labour migration, in particular to facilitate the admission of highly skilled 

workers as a follow-up to the Policy Plan on legal migration 

2. 

Solidarity 

Economic growth must go hand in hand with economic and social cohesion, a high level of 
environmental and human protection, with an eye towards future generations and with 
respect for common values: this is the core of sustainable development. In many areas, the 
Union has an agreed path forward, with the revised Social Agenda and with an agreement to 
bring  a  European  dimension  to  the  challenge  of  demographic  ageing.  2007  will  see  a  new 
generation of solidarity programmes coming on stream, centred on a new cohesion policy and 
rural  development.  Inter-institutional  negotiations  and  subsequent  implementation  of  the 
reform of the common market organisation for wine, fruit & vegetables and bananas as well 
as for sugar will allow for more sustainable management of these key assets. In 2007, Europe 
will have to demonstrate that cohesion, solidarity and environmental protection go hand 
in  hand  with  the  objective  of  growth  and  jobs.  The  earmarking  of  part  of  cohesion 
expenditure for this objective, in the context of the new financial period, will be essential to 
this aim. Special attention will be paid to:  

•  the promotion of sustainable management and protection of natural resources, with a 

particular focus on curtailing the loss of biodiversity; 

•  proposals  for an EU maritime  policy which will bring an all embracing  approach  to  the 

sustainable development and competitiveness of sea-based activities; 

•  energy, where particular emphasis will be given to the promotion of renewables; 

•  meeting  the  EU’s  climate  change  commitments,  by  updating  the  EU  emissions  trading 

system; 

•  2007 will be the European Year of Equal Opportunities for all and will call for specific 
actions designed to facilitate the lives of citizens confronted with family-related problems 
or problems relating to the enforcement of judicial decisions. 

At the same time, it is important to maintain the monitoring of existing law for example in the 
field of gender equality, anti-discrimination, free movement of workers and labour law. 

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Solidarity : key actions envisaged for 2007 

Start of new programmes for 2007-2013: European Regional Development Fund; Cohesion Fund; 
European Social Fund; European Globalisation Adjustment Fund; Rural development programmes; 
European Fisheries Fund; Progress; Life +;  Youth in action, Culture 2007; Media 2007; Citizens 
for Europe; Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows; Fundamental Rights and Justice. 

Social Solidarity 

•  Revised Directive on transfers of undertakings 

•  Social partners’ consultation on cross-border collective bargaining 

•  Simplify legislation on information and consultation of workers 

•  Follow up of Green Paper on the evolution of labour law 

•  European  Strategy  on  Information  and  Communication  Technologies  to  promote  social 

inclusion and independent living in an ageing society 

Justice and Home Affairs 

•  Follow-up to Green Papers on succession and wills, matrimonial property regimes and the 

attachment of bank accounts 

•  Green Paper and a Policy Plan on the establishment of the second phase of the Common 

European Asylum System 

•  Green Paper on the effective enforcement of judicial decisions 

•  Minimum  standards  relating  to  the  gathering  and  handling  of  evidence  with  a  view  to 

mutual admissibility 

•  Communication  on  drugs  policy  and  on  mechanisms  to  detect,  monitor  and  respond  to 

emerging trends in drug use and drug markets 

•  Communication  on  a  more  harmonized  interpretation  of  key  provisions  of  the  Data 

Protection Directive 

Sustainable Management and Use of Resources and Environment Protection 

•  Revision  of  the  EU  Emission  Trading  Scheme  and  a  proposal  on  Carbon  Capture  and 

Geological Storage 

•  New  initiative  on  Green  Public  Procurement  as  part  of  the  Action  Plan  on  sustainable 

production and consumption 

•  New structures for development and demonstration of clean coal technologies 

•  Establishment of the new EU Chemicals Agency in Helsinki and implementing legislation 

on the new chemicals regulation (REACH) 

•  Review of the Habitats and Birds Directives, to adapt them to new scientific knowledge  

•  Conclusion of the Green Paper’s consultation on a future maritime policy and presentation 

of an Action Plan 

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3. 

Security and Freedom 

Ensuring security and justice and managing modern risks require an EU dimension for it to 
be  effective.  In  2005,  the  Hague  Programme  mapped  out  how  to  take  forward  freedom, 
security and justice policies in Europe in 2005-2009. A first evaluation will take place in the 
second half of 2006. 

In 2007, the main target will be migration and border control, with the lifting of internal 
border controls with and between new Member States and the extension of the Schengen 
area,  after  verification  that  the  necessary  conditions  have  been  met  and  that  flanking 
measures have been put in place. In addition: 

•  the  fight  against  crime  and  violence  will  be  of  particular  significance,  with  initiatives  to 

reduce the scope for crime to take advantage of a Europe without frontiers; 

•  other measures would centre on efforts to ensure fair and effective criminal investigation 

across the EU. 

Greater  preventive  efforts  will  ensure  the  safety  and  protection  of  citizens.  Protection 
against  diseases  will  be  a  particular  focus  for  EU  action  in  cooperation  with  the  Member 
States, third countries and international organisations, as well as the development of EU rapid 
response  capacity  in  the  event  of  major  terrorist  attacks  and  other  disasters.  Tighter 
inspections of nuclear facilities will also be pursued through the new approach of control of 
safety and guarantees of radioprotection. 

Security : key actions envisaged for 2007 

Start of new programmes for 2007-2013: Security and Safeguarding Liberties; Fundamental Rights 
and  Justice;  Rapid  Response  and  Preparedness  Instrument;  New  Solidarity  Fund;  Health  and 
consumer protection. 

Justice and Home Affairs 

•  Start-up  of  Schengen  Information  System  (SIS  II)  and  the  Visa  Information  System  (VIS) 
including  biometrics  and  the  related  Council  Decision  on  the  lifting  of  controls  at  the 
borders with and between the new Member States 

• 

Initiatives on  

(cid:190)  protection  of  witnesses  and  individuals  who  cooperate  with  the  judicial  process  in  the 

fight against international organised crime 

(cid:190)  export/import licensing system for firearms 

•  Communications on 

(cid:190) 

the  transparency  of  legal  entities  to  reduce  vulnerability  to  infiltration  by  organised 
crime 

(cid:190) 

the fight against illicit cross-border trafficking in restricted or prohibited goods 

(cid:190) 

the promotion of intelligence-led law enforcement activities across the Union 

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Health and Safety 

•  Start-up phase of the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) services on 

land use monitoring, crisis management and ocean monitoring 

•  Develop  a  Community  framework  for  safe,  high  quality  and  efficient  health  services,  by 
reinforcing cooperation between Member States and providing clarity and certainty over the 
application of Community law to health services and healthcare 

•  Strengthen  and  simplify  European  structures  to  respond  to  health  threats,  notably  through 

the creation of a high level European network of flu officials 

•  New EU Animal Health Strategy, which will include a policy of disease prevention, improve 

the coherence with other EU policies, and make better use of financial resources 

4. 

Europe as a world partner  

Beyond its borders, European institutions must continue to work for the practical promotion 
and protection of their strategic objectives. None of them can be achieved by Europe alone. 
Europe’s  key  external  policy  directions  all  have  a  direct  impact  on  the  delivery  of  these 
objectives: 

•  In trade, 2007 should start to bear the fruits of the Doha round, which will have to reflect 
solidarity  with  the  developing  world  while  ensuring  the  opening  up  of  new  markets  for 
Community goods and services. 

•  2007 should be the year of Bulgaria’s and Romania’s accession to the European Union 
provided they comply timely with the conditions necessary to fully implement the acquis 
from the first day of accession. The Commission is finalising its assessment for May 2006 
and the European Council should take a final decision this year. 

•  Progress in the stabilisation of the Western Balkans, notably in view of the clarification of 
the  status  of  Kosovo,  and  the  opening  of  major  chapters  in  the  negotiations  with  Turkey 
and Croatia will make a major contribution to Europe’s overall security and stability and to 
the consolidation of the bases for its long-term prosperity. 

•  In  the  European  neighbourhood,  links  with  partner  countries  will  be  further  enhanced 
through  the  implementation  of  Action  Plans  and  regional  and  cross  border  cooperation. 
Energy  will  be  a  core  theme  within  the  convergence  of  regulatory  frameworks  to  favour 
trade and investment. 

•  The  completion  of  Economic  Partnership  Agreements  (EPAs)  negotiations  with  the 
African,  Caribbean  and  Pacific  (ACP)  countries  will  bring  Europe’s  relations  with  its 
ACP  partners  into  a  new  phase,  strengthening  the  dynamics  of  regional  integration  and 
creating a powerful development tool by combining predictable trade rules, the creation of 
larger markets and support measures tailored to the needs of ACP countries. 

•  The  EU  will  also  need  to  continue  its  efforts  to  build  a  more  effective  and  consolidated 
response  to  conflict  prevention,  crisis  management  and  peace  building,  by  rapid 
mobilisation  of  resources  and  expertise.  Greater  attention  will  be  paid  to  reforms  carried 

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out by partner countries in the field of human rights and democracy, and to closer electoral 
observation. 

Critical to the realisation of these goals will be the concrete expression of enhanced policy 
coherence  and  reinforced  aid  effectiveness  in  the  Union’s  external  action.  Common 
Foreign  and  Security  Policy,  Community  external  policies  and  external  aspects  of  internal 
policies must better work together. 

External projection: key actions envisaged for 2007 

Start  of  new  programmes  for  2007-2013:  Instrument  for  Pre-Accession;  European 
Neighbourhood  and  Partnership  Instrument;  Development  Cooperation  and  Economic 
Cooperation Instrument; Instrument for Stability. 

Enlargement, Neighbourhood and Russia 

•  Monitoring  of  the  former  Yugoslav  Republic  of  Macedonia’s  compliance  with  the 

Copenhagen criteria  

•  Revision  of  contractual  relations  with  Serbia  and  Montenegro  and  clarification  of  Kosovo 

status 

•  Review issues of financial support and trade with the Turkish Cypriot community 

•  Conducting  negotiations  with  Ukraine  on  successor  to  the  current  Partnership  and  Co-

operation Agreement  

•  Starting negotiations with Russia on the successor to the current Partnership and Cooperation 

Agreement  

•  Continued  contribution  to  the  Middle  East  Peace  Process  as  well  as  to  other  “frozen” 

conflicts 

Wider World  

•  Concluding the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) with the 6 ACP regions to allow 

implementation as from 1 January 2008 

•  Stepping up support towards ACP countries affected by the sugar reform 

•  Finalising the Doha negotiations and start implementing agreements 

•  Further  improve  EC  capacity  to  respond  to  international  crises,  natural  or  man  made,  in 

coordination with the Council 

•  Reinforcing EU aid effectiveness through joint programming with Member States 

•  Enhancing the contribution of EU internal policies to the implementation at EU level of the 
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) agenda on Policy coherence for Development 

•  Negotiating a new EU-China Framework Agreement 

•  Five years after the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development assessing EU progress 

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on the commitments taken and identifying the main challenges for the following five years 

• 

• 

Implementing  the  international  fund  for  renewables  and  consolidating  progress  on 
international action to tackle climate change 

Improving  cooperation  with  third  country  on  migration  management;  adoption  of  common 
standards on return of third country nationals and extension of readmission agreements 

•  Launching  a  Community  Food  Safety  training,  open  to  participants  from  developing 
countries, promoting and clarifying Community standards and enhancing international trade 
in safe food 

5. 

European Governance and Better regulation in action 

The  Commission  has  made  solid  progress  in  delivering  on  its  commitment  to  ‘Better 
Regulation’.  It  has  focused  on  improving  the  quality  of  its  policy  and  legislative  proposals 
through systematic assessment of their economic, social and environmental impacts. There is 
a commitment to continued qualitative improvements to the impact assessment system and 
the results of an external evaluation of the Commission’s impact assessment experience will 
feed into this discussion in 2007. 

A  second  key  area  of  improvement  concerns  simplification.  2007  will  see  the  delivery  of 
many of the simplification initiatives set out in its 3-year rolling programme. This programme 
covers various fields, from environment (e.g. in the areas of waste, industrial emissions and 
ozone layer) to industry (e.g. in the construction, automotive, cosmetics and medical devices 
sectors) to the modernisation of labour law, the promotion of consumer rights and key internal 
market  sectors  (regulation  of  financial  services,  labelling  of  feed/animal  nutrition  and  of 
foodstuffs).  Simplification  is  not  an  objective  limited  to  issues  inside  Europe  and  has  also 
been  the basis of  the  new architecture  proposed for  external financial instruments for  2007-
2013.  The  Commission  also  continues  to  improve  its  work  related  to  enforcement  of 
Community  law,  improving  dialogue  with  Member  States  to  ensure  timely  implementation 
and  effective  and  equitable  application,  including  cases  which  merit  priority  action.  The 
Commission shares the responsibility for better law-making with the Council and Parliament. 
An effort is needed from all sides to translate Better Regulation aspirations into results  

To build trust with the European citizens, the Commission also needs a modern, efficient and 
accountable administration to deliver on its policies. In this context, it will pursue efforts to 
obtain  an  unqualified  positive  opinion  by  the  European  Court  of  Auditors  on  the  financial 
management  of  the  EU  budget  and  to  increase  transparency  on  how  money  is  spent  and 
decisions taken. 

EN 

13 

   EN 

 
PART II. GENERAL FRAMEWORK FOR HUMAN AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES FOR 2007 

1. 

Human resources 

1.1. 

Enlargement-related reinforcement  

On  the  basis  of  the  Commission’s  assessment,  the  Budgetary  Authority  has  endorsed  the 
necessary recruitment of 3 960 additional members of staff needed between 2003 and 2008 in 
order to enable the Commission to extend its work to the ten new Member States and fulfil its 
institutional responsibilities. Following the requests for 2 680 new staff made during the last 
four  years,  the  request  in  2007  is  for  a  net  increase  of  640  additional  staff  members.  In 
accordance  with  its  communication  presented  last  November  on  the  consequences  of  the 
accession  of  Bulgaria  and  Romania  on  its  human  resources,  assessed  at  850  new  staff,  the 
Commission asks for  250  new posts on the basis of the foreseen next enlargement  in 2007. 
This  overall  recruitment  constitutes  the  indispensable  basis  for  carrying  forward  the 
management  and  supervision  of  Community  programmes,  and  for  implementing  the  acquis 
communautaire within the enlarged Union. The Commission will use these new resources to 
deal  with  the  extension  of  its  tasks  following  enlargement  and  to  pursue  its  four  policy 
priorities insofar as they relate to an enlarged Union. 

1.2. 

Contribution to a central pool  

Beyond  these  new  posts,  the  Commission  must  mobilise  additional  resources  to  implement 
the  priority  initiatives  independent  of  enlargement.  It  proposes  to  do  so  by  way  of 
redeployment  within  and  between  departments.  As  in  previous  years,  it  is  proposed  that  a 
central redeployment pool be set up, drawing generally upon all staff and set at 1% of staff. 
Identifying  negative  priorities  and  other  ways  in  which  staff  may  be  re-assigned  to  tasks 
linked  to  priorities  will  remain  a  fundamental  element  in  justifying  any  request  for  new 
resources. Savings resulting from externalisation (such as the planned setting-up of the TENs 
executive agency) or from productivity gains (for instance, in the field of translation through 
pro-active demand management) are also redirected towards the priorities. The Commission 
will also allocate posts on a temporary basis for temporary tasks, generating a more flexible 
and more dynamic allocation process for future years. 

1.3. 

Total human resources available for the four priorities 

The  table  below  summarises  the  human  resources  which  are  expected  to  be  needed  for 
launching  new  initiatives  or  reinforcing  ongoing  activities,  by  priority  and  according  to 
source. 

APS priorities in 2007 

Redeployment 
between 
departments 

Redeployment 
within 
departments  

New 
resources 
related to 
enlargement 
and Irish 

1. Prosperity 

2. Solidarity 

98 

97 

30 

29 

67 

73 

Total 
resources 
available 
for the 
priorities 

195 

199 

EN 

14 

   EN 

 
3. Security 

4. External projection 

Extension of existing activities 
in an enlarged Union (including 
phasing-out of pre-accession 
activities) 

66 

28 

614 

12 

124 

50 

25 

25 

151 

103 

177 

815 

TOTAL 

903 

245 

341 

1 489 

The  allocation  of  new  enlargement-related  resources  by  policy  area  will  be  finalised  during 
the  preparation  of  the  2007  preliminary  draft  budget,  including  the  breakdown  between 
establishment posts and external personnel. 

2. 

Financial resources 

The  APS  decision  typically  provides  details  of  new  financial  resources  allocated  to  policy 
areas  for  specific  initiatives,  presented  in  terms  of  variations  to  the  existing  financial 
programming.  However,  because  the  financial  programming  is  dependent  on  the  Financial 
Perspectives,  by  way  of  exception  the  Annual  Policy  Strategy  for  2007  does  not  deal  with 
financial  resources.  Nonetheless,  the  financial  programming  will  be  finalised  with  the 
preliminary  draft  budget  and  subsequently  adapted  by  the  Commission  once  an  inter-
institutional agreement on the Financial Perspectives is reached. 

EN 

15 

   EN