Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - Commission Legislative and Work Programme 2009: Acting now for a better Europe - Volume 1
Date: 2008-11-05
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: European Commission, action programme, legislative programme (EU)

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COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 5.11.2008 
COM(2008) 712 final 

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

Commission Legislative and Work Programme 2009 

Acting now for a better Europe 

VOLUME 1 

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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 

Commission Legislative and Work Programme 2009 

Acting now for a better Europe 

1. 

TESTING TIMES FOR EUROPE 

At  times  of  crisis,  the  need  for  active  solidarity  across  Member  States  and  between 
Institutions  is  greatest.  These  are  the  times  when  the  EU  can  show  real  added  value  to 
Europe's citizens. The current financial crisis and economic slowdown presents Europe with 
one  of  the  most  taxing  challenges  it  has  faced.  It  has  already  required  the  Union  to  show 
speed,  decisiveness  and  solidarity.  In  the  first  place,  the  Union  has  proved  adept  and 
imaginative  in facing up to the  sudden crisis in confidence in the financial markets. Now it 
has to bring the same qualities to reforming the financial sector and cushioning the impact of 
the slowdown on the real economy and on citizens. 

Economic turmoil has come on top of a series of other challenges for the EU in 2008. Rises in 
food and energy prices over the past year have put a double pressure on European households. 
The  process  of  ratifying  the  Lisbon  Treaty  was  confronted  with  the  "no"  vote  in  the  Irish 
referendum. The conflict in Georgia saw Europe called upon to play a central role in bringing 
a solution and offering aid. The EU has shown its resilience in the face of these challenges. It 
has proved it can adapt to changing circumstances and act with resolution and focus.  

Since the start of its mandate, this Commission has sought to use the tools at its disposal to 
best  effect.  The  Commission  has  a  variety  of  roles  in  the  European  system:  giving  policy 
direction  and  coherence,  initiating  proposals  for  EU  law,  managing  key  policies  and 
programmes, acting as the guarantor of EU law and of a level playing field in Europe. It has 
made  particular  efforts  to  work  in  partnership  with  the  other  key  players  who  shape  and 
realise the EU's work: the European Parliament, the Council, Member States, civil society and 
citizens  at  all  levels.  The  dialogue  with  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  on  the 
Annual  Policy  Strategy  –  which  has  informed  and  enriched  the  preparations  for  this  Work 
Programme alongside contributions from the national parliaments – is an important example 
of this.  

2008  has  shown  the  readiness  and  the  ability  of  the  EU  institutions  to  adjust  to  new 
circumstances and changing timetables. This flexibility will inevitably be an important facet 
of  the  Commission's  work  in  2009.  At  the  same  time,  the  past  years  have  seen  the 
Commission embarking on a series of major long-term policy initiatives in areas like energy, 
climate change, migration, and social policy. In the final year of its mandate, the Commission 
will  concentrate  on  completing  the  work  it  has  started,  working  closely  with  Council  and 
Parliament. This Commission has given priority to bringing direct benefits to citizens. So it is 
keen  to  ensure  that  its  key  initiatives  pass  into  law  and  are  implemented  in  practice,  and  is 
determined to work closely with the other EU institutions to that effect.  

During its term in office, the Commission has sought to equip the European Union to respond 
effectively  to  globalisation.  Europe  benefits  from  open  societies  and  open  markets  but  both 
need  rules.  The  EU  has  a  proud  tradition  of  economic,  social  and  environmental  regulation 
which has delivered great benefits for its citizens. The Commission has been working to distil 
the lessons of this experience and to use it to help shape globalisation, making the most of the 

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opportunities  it  brings.  The  financial  crisis  has  shown  how  globalisation  has  sharpened  the 
need for global co-ordination and regulation. The Commission believes that its initiatives to 
realise the Lisbon strategy for growth and jobs, to put in place a renewed social agenda for 
today's  Europe,  to  combat  climate  change  and  promote  energy  security,  and  to  address 
continental-wide  issues  like  migration  and  an  ageing  society  will  stand  the  Union  in  good 
stead. They add up to a practical programme for the coming decades.  

When  it  took  office,  this  Commission  set  an  ambitious  agenda  for  prosperity,  security  and 
social justice in Europe. Despite a series of testing challenges, much has been achieved in the 
past four years. The Commission has been active in upholding the best of what the Union has 
built in the last fifty years, and in proposing new initiatives which take this ambitious agenda 
forward.  In  the  spring  of  2009  the  Commission  will  publish  a  statement  of  what  it  has 
achieved, working hand in hand with the European Parliament and the Council, to build the 
European Union of the 21st century. But 2009 is first and foremost a European election year 
and the June 2009 elections for the European Parliament will give voters across the EU their 
voice on the future direction of the Union. The Commission's work programme for 2009 must 
ensure that we deliver a response to testing times and shape the EU's future agenda. 

The budget review it will propose next year will provide an opportunity for the Commission 
to  look  forward  and  to  set  out  how  the  European  Union  can  use  the  tools  of  the  budget  to 
pursue modern policies to best effect.  

2009 will be a year of important anniversaries – five years since the enlargement of 2004, and 
twenty years since the fall of the Berlin Wall. It will be a time to celebrate the successes of 
enlargement, a time when the European Union can demonstrate again its central place in the 
work of building a Europe of peace, prosperity and solidarity. 

2. 

THE PRIORITIES FOR 2009 

2.1. 

Growth and Jobs 

The financial crisis and the economic downturn have again thrown into sharp relief the central 
place of the EU in securing the economic and social well-being of Europeans. If the origins of 
financial  crisis  lay  primarily  outside  the  EU,  the  realities  of  the  single  market  have  put  the 
focus on the inter-dependence of European economies and the essential need for a common 
approach and for coordinated action. The euro and the European Central Bank have served as 
important poles of stability in testing times, buttressed by the disciplines of the Stability and 
Growth Pact.  

As concern has turned to the impact of shrinking growth on jobs and businesses, the EU has 
again become a focus of attention. The European dimension is recognised as central to efforts 
to  limit  the  scale  of  the  downturn,  to  reduce  the  impact  on  Europeans,  and  to  help  the 
European economy to return to the path of sustainable growth. 

The Commission plays a variety of roles in the economic life of the European Union. Its role 
in the day-to-day work of ensuring a competitive level playing field in the single market and 
maintaining  the  EU  as  a  customs  union  provides  assurance  to  market  players  and  Member 
States that they can compete fairly, and that the same rules apply to big  and small Member 
States alike. Beyond its responsibility as initiator of legislation, it also plays a more general 
role as coordinator and honest broker in helping the EU to work together. This role was key 
when  immediate  action  was  needed  to  tackle  the  financial  crisis,  providing  a  European 
framework  to  guide  Member  States  in  devising  stabilisation  plans  that  could  be  deemed 
compatible with the single market and the State aids rules, and taking the interests of all into 
account.  The  Commission  will  remain  active  and  vigilant  as  the  work  continues  to  rebuild 

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confidence in financial markets. It will play a particular role in developing and promoting a 
common European approach to pursuing the international response to the economic turmoil. 

The next phase of work is practical measures to reshape the regulatory framework for the EU 
financial system. The Commission is also tasked with proposing the right regulatory regime 
for the single market, including in the area of financial services. In the autumn of 2008, the 
Commission  accelerated  work  and  has  brought  forward  a  series  of  detailed  proposals  on 
capital  requirements,  deposit  guarantees  and  credit  rating  agencies,  as  well  as  new  rules  on 
accounting. One of the major objectives for 2009 should be to keep up the pace of reform and 
to  help  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  achieve  swift  adoption  of  these  measures, 
essential to rebuild confidence amongst citizens, investors and businesses. 

A second phase of this work is now under preparation and will come forward in 2009. This 
package  of  financial  measures  will  flow  from  a  wide  ranging  review  already  under  way 
looking at the adequacy of regulation, oversight, and transparency of all financial actors and 
all significant capital market investors – including hedge funds and private equity – leading to 
measures to plug any gaps identified. It will also cover executive remuneration, and derivative 
markets. It will also draw the necessary conclusions from the High Level Expert Group on EU 
financial supervision set up by the Commission. The first results of the Group will be ready 
for the Commission to set out to the European Parliament and the Council ahead of the Spring 
European Council. 

As the impact of the credit crisis is felt by the real economy, the Commission is developing a 
strategy to help limit the effect on growth, to support those losing their jobs, and to put the EU 
economy  in  the  best  shape  to  respond  as  the  cycle  turns.  That  means  pressing  ahead  with 
many of the key objectives  of the  Lisbon strategy for growth and jobs: freeing up SMEs to 
concentrate on building their businesses, training and re-training to promote the right skills for 
tomorrow's economy, investing in R&D. It means ensuring that support to industry is smart 
support, helping businesses to address long-term needs like energy efficiency and innovative 
clean technology. It means working with the Member States to accelerate the roll-out of the 
2007-2013 cohesion policy programmes to support public investment. The basic foundations 
of sound public finances and open markets remain central to Europe's long-term prospects for 
growth.  

In other areas, the Commission is putting in place the measures flowing from its review of the 
single  market.  A  wide  range  of  initiatives  will  be  taken  forward  aimed  at  empowering 
consumers, improving redress and facilitating business in the single market through improved 
approaches  to  taxation,  and  modernising  the  framework  for  business.  Dedicated  market 
monitoring exercises will look at retail markets, electrical goods, and pharmaceuticals, with a 
view  to  identifying  any  problems  in  the  functioning  of  those  sectors  and  ensuring  that  the 
benefits of the single market reach citizens. The lack of a cost-effective, single patent remains 
an obvious shortcoming of the single market.  

At a time of economic distress and social pressure, it is more than ever important to advance 
the  Social  Agenda  for  Opportunities,  Access  and  Solidarity.  The  Commission  will  be 
renewing  its  youth  strategy  to  better  respond  to  the  problems  faced  by  youth  –  such  as 
disproportionately  high  unemployment,  and  early  school  leaving.  An  important  part  of  this 
effort  to  provide  opportunities  is  the  New  Skills  for  New  Jobs  initiative  to  promote  the 
integration of young people in the labour market. The Commission will also make particular 
efforts  to  help  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  move  forward  on  its  proposals  on 
anti-discrimination, works councils and reconciliation of work and family life. 

The European Year of Creativity and Innovation will put the spotlight on the importance of 
developing skills and promoting innovation in the EU's growth and jobs strategy; an initiative 

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to improve contacts between universities and business will strengthen another important link 
in  the  chain.  With  the  European  Institute  for  Technology  now  up  and  running,  the  first 
Knowledge and Innovation Community will be put in place.  

The  Lisbon  strategy  for  growth  and  jobs  has  built  a  consensus  around  equipping  Europe  to 
meet the competitive and social challenges of the future and to ground the European economy 
in core European values of social justice and sustainability. The economic downturn must be 
taken  into  account  but  should  not  deflect  the  EU  from  its  long  term  task  of  building  a 
competitive,  knowledge-based  sustainable  Europe  for  the  future.  The  entry  of  Slovakia  into 
the euro area will be an important symbol of the progress of the euro into a major force for 
stability  in  the  global  economy,  and  will  coincide  with  an  analysis  of  five  years  of  the 
contribution of enlargement to the EU economy. 

During 2009, the Commission will be working on how the Lisbon strategy might be adapted 
for  the  period  post-2010  and  striking  the  right  balance  between  the  short  and  longer  term 
priorities will be a crucial challenge. A clear commitment to implement structural reforms is 
needed  to  boost  consumer  and  investor  confidence  in  the  short  term  and  improve  the 
resilience and dynamism of our economies in the longer term.  

2.2. 

Climate Change and Sustainable Europe 

2009  will  be  a  critical  year  for  efforts  to  combat  climate  change.  The  UN  Climate  Change 
Convention  in  Copenhagen  will  be  of  central  importance  in  testing  the  global  resolve  to 
deliver historic change: the culmination of efforts to agree a quantum leap in efforts to reduce 
greenhouse gas emissions from 2012. 

The Commission is committed to putting the EU at the forefront of efforts to maintain a high 
level of ambition. The EU has led the debate by agreeing three core targets to be met by 2020: 
a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, a 20% share for renewable energy, and a 20% 
improvement  in  energy  efficiency.  The  package  of  measures  designed  to  deliver  on  these 
targets  remains  of  the  highest  priority  to  Europe's  credibility  as  the  leading  driver  in  global 
efforts to tackle climate change. The current economic turmoil has done nothing to reduce the 
long-term imperative of driving ahead with policies to put Europe in the vanguard of realising 
a  low-carbon  future:  measures  to  stimulate  demand  can  best  be  directed  towards  green 
technology  and  energy  efficiency.  Ensuring  the  full  adoption  of  these  measures  before  the 
European Parliament elections is of the utmost importance. 

These measures will position the EU for leadership in the UN negotiations - which will still 
require  determination,  perseverance  and  imagination.  Early  in  2009,  the  Commission  will 
come  forward  with  proposals  for  the  EU's  approach  to  securing  an  ambitious  and 
comprehensive global agreement. 

The  other  key  target  of  the  package  is  to  make  European  energy  secure,  sustainable  and 
competitive. The hike in energy prices seen in 2008 has again underlined the vulnerability of 
Europe  in  terms  of  energy,  and  the  pressing  need  to  promote  energy  security.  The 
Commission's Strategic Energy Review will set out an overall strategy for improving energy 
security,  which  should  be  a  major  focus  for  2009.  This  will  include  driving  ahead  with 
concrete  steps  on  energy  efficiency;  realising  a  common  objective  of  interconnection  and 
effective stock management, particularly so that the newer Member States are linked up to the 
European  grid;  and  a  coordinated  approach  on  improving  and  diversifying  supply  from 
outside the Union. It also underlines the importance of securing adoption of proposals on the 
internal  market  for  gas  and  electricity,  with  new  arrangements  in  place  to  ensure  increased 
competitiveness and appropriate prices, and that national regulators can work together.  

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Sustainability lies at the heart of EU policy. 2009 will see a specific reflection on the future of 
the Sustainable Development Strategy and how its goals can be most effectively delivered. In 
terms  of  specific  initiatives,  an  EU  strategy  for  the  Baltic  Sea  region  will  promote  an 
environmentally  sustainable,  prosperous,  accessible  and  secure  region.  The  greening  of  EU 
transport  policy  will  continue  and  the  Commission  will  issue  a  Communication  on  future 
transport  scenarios  with  a  20  to  40  year  horizon  and  a  Green  Paper  on  trans-European 
transport networks. Environmental, agricultural and fisheries policies all seek to marry day-to-
day  systems  of  management  and  control  with  a  long-term  vision  for  the  sustainable  use  of 
Europe's natural resources. Also in 2009 the Commission will launch a major consultation on 
the  reform  of  the  Common  Fisheries  Policy  in  the  context  of  the  EU  Integrated  Maritime 
Policy, and biodiversity will be an important theme.  2009 should also see the implementation 
of the "health check" of the CAP, including the shift of funds from direct payments to rural 
development  in  order  to  meet  new  challenges  such  as  climate  change,  renewable  energy, 
water management and biodiversity.. 

2.3. 

A Europe close to citizens 

This Commission has put the European citizen at the heart of the European project, through 
policies  in  areas  close  to  citizens  such  as  fundamental  rights  and  citizenship,  migration, 
justice, security and safety, consumer protection, and health. 

Responding  to  strong  expectations  from  EU  citizens,  the  Commission  will  take  forward 
initiatives in a variety of areas of direct significance for the citizen. Concrete measures will be 
taken  to  strengthen  the  effective  enforcement  of  consumer  protection  rules  for  consumers 
across Europe. Food safety, animal health and animal welfare will be continuously monitored, 
whilst  the  Commission  will  continue  the  work  of  the  EU  Health  Strategy  to  help  Member 
States promote public health to best effect. The Commission will examine in particular what 
role the EU can play in helping to reduce health inequalities across Europe.  

To prepare the future, work on demographic issues will continue in 2009, in close cooperation 
with  the  Czech  and  Swedish  Presidencies:  an  assessment  of  the  EU's  preparedness  for 
demographic change will be presented to the Spring European Council.  

In 2009, the Commission will set out its proposals for the further development of the EU as an 
area of Freedom, Security and Justice. These will form the basis for discussion with Member 
States, in view of adopting a follow-up to the current Hague Programme. 

Pursuing the establishment of a common immigration policy will continue to be a priority. In 
its  recent  Communication  'A  Common  Immigration  Policy  for  Europe:  Principles,  Actions 
and  Tools'1,  the  Commission  has  committed  itself  to  deliver  on  a  series  of  objectives  and 
principles,  in  partnership  with  the  Member  States  and  the  other  EU  institutions.  This  will 
guide the Commission's action in 2009, where immigration must be fully integrated into the 
wider  EU  policies  for  economic  growth,  competitiveness  and  social  inclusion.  External 
relations policies must also play a role, through promoting reinforced partnerships with third 
countries in migration management, and closer links with development and trade policies.  

2009 will see the European Migration Network up and running and the elements in place to 
secure  the  completion  of  the  Common  European  Asylum  System  by  2010,  including  the 
creation of a European Asylum Support Office. The Commission puts particular weight on the 
adoption  and  implementation  of  recent  proposals  in  the  area  of  migration  and  asylum. 
Integrated  border  management  will  be  pursued  through  greater  operational  cooperation  and 
the  launch  of  the  new  Schengen  evaluation  mechanism.  Practical  cooperation  between 

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COM (2008) 359 and SEC(2008) 2026. 

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Member  States,  and  between  Member  States  and  FRONTEX,  will  also  be  promoted  in  the 
field of return policy.  

As citizens move freely within the EU, they must have equal access to justice to protection by 
the rule of law. Those who break the law should be prosecuted and judged. The EU will move 
closer  to  becoming  a  true  area  of  justice  in  2009  through  initiatives  to  improve  mutual 
recognition  in  criminal  and  civil  matters  in  a  number  of  concrete  areas  (judgements, 
procedural  rights,  successions  and  wills).  To  enhance  the  security  of  EU  citizens,  the 
Commission  will  also  present  a  series  of  proposals  to  deal  with  specific  and  new  forms  of 
criminality:  greater  prevention  of  child  abuse  and  trafficking;  reinforced  international 
cooperation to fight and prevent cyber attacks; and combat the risk of terrorist attacks in areas 
such as chemical, biological, nuclear and radiological threats. 

2.4. 

Europe as a World Partner 

In a globalized world, the objectives and challenges mentioned above can not be dealt with in 
a  European  vacuum.  They  need  to  be  addressed  and  projected  through  the  EU's  external 
policy,  which  will  always  combine  a  long-term  strategic  approach  with  reaction  to  the 
immediate demands of foreign policy. 

In 2009, the Commission will continue to build its long term relationship with key partners. 
The past year has shown the importance of a common vision with the US in times of intense 
pressure.  It  has  also  shown  the  mutual  importance  of  good  relations  with  Russia  and  the 
development of effective policies in areas like energy, migration, trade and investment. The 
financial  crisis  has  again  underlined  the  need  to  deepen  Europe's  relationship  with  key 
partners in Asia like China, India and Japan, as well as with other emerging economies such 
as Brazil. 

The Georgia crisis in the summer of 2008 showed two facets of the EU's external action. First, 
it  showed  that  the  European  Union  is  seen  as  a  positive  force  for  conflict  prevention  and 
resolution,  able  to  act  as  a  mediating  force  in  the  most  tense  of  situations.  Second,  it  again 
required  the  EU  to  act  swiftly  and  decisively,  not  only  through  diplomatic  channels  but  by 
bringing tangible humanitarian aid to those in need.  

Two months later, the financial crisis again put the spotlight on how the EU has grown to be a 
pivotal player at times when a truly global approach is needed. The Commission will continue 
to  play  a  central  role  as  the  series  of  international  summits  develops,  targeting  both  the 
restoration of confidence in the international financial system and a longer-term reflection on 
reforming global economic governance.  

The Commission will devote particular attention to: 

•  Pursuing  the  enlargement  process,  with  negotiations  with  Croatia  in  particular  entering  a 
decisive phase. The European perspective for the other countries of the Western Balkans 
will be developed, and accession negotiations with Turkey will continue in tune with the 
pace of its internal reforms. The Commission will also continue to pay particular attention 
to the economic and political development of Kosovo.  

•  The work to develop the Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean and the Eastern 
Partnership  are  another  recognition  of  the  importance  of  an  effective  and  comprehensive 
relationship with the EU's neighbourhood. Challenges like energy security, migration and 
climate  change  can  be  better  met  if  we  build  the  right  relationship  with  Europe's 
neighbours.  Within 
the 
Commission  will  develop  ideas  which  help  guide  the  EU  towards  the  right  balance 

the  European  Neighbourhood  Policy, 

the  framework  of 

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between  an  enhanced  economic  and  political  relationship  with  its  neighbourhood  as  a 
whole, and the need to tailor-make relationships to different regions and different partners.  

•  Building an effective working partnership with the new US administration which will be of 
crucial  importance  in  tackling  key  global  challenges  like  climate  change,  in  promoting 
security and stability and in developing economic and regulatory co-operation. 

•  The completion of the Doha Development Agenda will remain a high priority as one of the 
best ways to bring new market opportunities to EU's business, foster development and limit 
protectionism  worldwide.  At  the  same  time,  the  EU  will  continue  to  advance  and,  if 
possible, close ongoing bilateral trade negotiations.  

•  Cementing  a  relationship  with  developing  countries  based  on  the  delivery  of  the 
Millennium Development Goals and building alliances with them on global issues which 
often affect them the most severely, such as energy and food security, climate change and 
migration.  The  Commission  will  continue  to  seek  to  supplement  the  established 
relationships with developing countries. 

3. 

BETTER  REGULATION  –  DELIVERY  ON  PROMISES  AND  CHANGE  OF  REGULATORY 
CULTURE 

Against the backdrop of the financial crisis and the economic situation, the need to regulate 
well  in  the  interests  of  economic  competitiveness  is  more  important  than  ever.  Promoting  a 
simpler  and  better  regulatory  environment  without  unnecessary  administrative  burdens  will, 
therefore,  remain  a  key  component  of  the  Commission's  legislative  work  in  2009.  The 
emphasis will be on improving the quality of new proposals, simplifying existing legislation 
and reducing administrative burdens. As always, the success of these efforts will depend on 
the  good  cooperation  with  the  other  institutions  and  Members  States.  The  EU  will  take 
forward discussions with key international partners on regulatory cooperation, convergence of 
standards and equivalence of rules. 

The Third Strategic Review of Better Regulation will report on the three core components of 
the  Better  Regulation  Agenda  –  impact  assessment,  simplification  and  reduction  of 
administrative  burden.  It  will  look  at  how  the  Commission  will  strengthen  its  impact 
assessment system, including through application of the revised Guidelines and by reviewing 
the  Common  Approach  to  Impact  Assessment  of  November  2005.  The  strategy  for 
simplifying the regulatory environment will be reviewed and updated as will the codification 
programme.  At  the  same  time,  implementation  of  the  Action  Programme  to  reduce 
Administrative  Burdens  will  be  reviewed  and  progress  in  meeting  the  25%  reduction  target 
for  2012  will  be  assessed.  On  that  basis  and  building  on  intensive  internal  work  and  input 
from  the  High  Level  Group  of  Independent  Stakeholders  on  Administrative  Burdens,  the 
Commission will bring forward proposals designed to meet this target. 

At  the  start  of  this  Commission's  mandate  in  2004,  it  screened  pending  proposals  for  their 
relevance  to  policy  objectives  and  conformity  to  better  regulation  standards  and  agreed  a 
substantial  list  of  withdrawals.  The  Commission  intends  to  propose  that  its  successor 
undertakes  a  similar  exercise.  The  CLWP  includes  additional  pending  proposals  that  the 
Commission intends to withdraw. 

Work  on  improving  the  application  of  Community  law  will  continue.  The  pilot  project 
launched  in  April  2008  between  the  Commission  and  the  Member  States  on  information 
provision, problem solving and correction of infringements will be evaluated.  

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4. 

COMMUNICATING EUROPE 

The economic downturn and the fact that ratification of the Lisbon Treaty is not yet complete 
reinforce the need to focus communication on tangible results brought about by the European 
Union as well as on issues of specific concern to citizens' everyday life. 

2009 will be the first year that inter-institutional priorities will be agreed by the Council, the 
European  Parliament  and  the  Commission  under  the  joint  declaration  on  Communicating 
Europe in Partnership. With 375 million voters to mobilise, the EP elections will be the main 
inter-institutional  communication  priority  agreed  by  the  three  institutions.  Communication 
activities will target in particular an audience which is less engaged with EU issues such as 
young people, women, and the unemployed.  

Coordination with the European Parliament and with the Member States will also be crucial 
for  communicating  the  progress  in  the  energy-climate  change  package  in  view  of  the 
Copenhagen Conference of December 2009, as well as for the 20th anniversary of democratic 
change in Central and Eastern Europe. Under this broad title, the Commission will focus on 
the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall/Iron Curtain as well as the 
5th  anniversary  of  the  2004  enlargement,  to  highlight  common  values  and  links  between 
Europeans such as democracy, freedom and solidarity.  

Finally,  as  the  EU  tackles  the  financial  crisis  and  its  aftermath  in  the  wider  economy, 
communicating on the partnership approach to sustaining growth, jobs and solidarity will be 
an important priority for all three institutions. 

The  Commission's  additional  communication  priorities  are  focused  on  explaining  the  added 
value of the EU in areas where the citizens have increasingly shown their concern: security in 
general and the need of a stronger Europe in the World.  

Inter-institutional communication priorities envisaged for 2009 

•  European Parliament elections 2009 

•  Energy and Climate Change 
•  20th Anniversary of democratic change in Central and Eastern Europe  

•  Sustaining Growth, Jobs and Solidarity 

Other communication priorities envisaged for 2009 

•  Future of a Europe for citizens 

•  Europe in the World  

As 2009 will be the European Year of Creativity and Innovation, particular attention will be 
given  to  this  theme  in  the  context  of  the  Sustaining  Growth,  Jobs  and  Solidarity 
Communication priority.  

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