Preparation for the European Council (25-26 March 2010)

The Council examined an annotated draft agenda for the spring meeting of the European Council, to be held on 25 and 26 March.

The European Council is expected to focus on the following:

• preparation of a new EU strategy for jobs and growth; and
• the follow-up to the UN conference on climate change in Copenhagen in December.

As regards jobs and growth, the European Council will be held to agree on the general framework of the Union's new strategy, on the basis of the Commission's communication on "Europe 2020". It will be called upon, in particular, to finalise the governance of the strategy and to agree on a limited number of quantitative targets. The European Council will also take stock of continuing efforts by the EU and Member States to tackle the economic crisis, and will hold a preliminary discussion on preparation of the next G-20 summit.

On climate change, the European Council will take stock of work on the follow-up to the Copenhagen conference, both as regards the international negotiation process and the Union's relations with its strategic partners.

The Council (General Affairs) will hold a further discussion at its meeting on 22 March, drawing on the work of the other Council configurations involved, in the run-up to the European Council.