Preparation for the European Council meeting (8-9 December 2011)

The Council examined a draft agenda for the European Council meeting to be held on 9 December 2011.

The European Council is due to focus on:

(1) Economic policy:

• a review of the economic situation in Europe: it will revert to the question of promoting growth in Europe, with particular attention to prioritising growth-enhancing initiatives, reducing the overall regulatory burden as regards SMEs and micro-enterprises, delivering the Single Market Act and completing the Digital Agenda;
• the Member States participating in the Euro Plus Pact will track progress on their commitments: they will also be seized of a report of their Finance Ministers on progress made on coordination of tax policy issues;
• discussion on reflections by the euro area Member States on the strengthening of economic governance in the euro area on improving fiscal discipline and deepening economic union, including exploring the possibility of limited Treaty changes.

(2) Energy: the European Council will, on the basis of a report by the Presidency, track progress on the implementation of the guidelines set in February 2011, in particular as regards energy efficiency, the internal energy market, energy infrastructure development and external energy policy. It will also assess the initial findings of the nuclear stress tests on the basis of a preliminary report from the Commission as well as the progress report on the security of nuclear power plants.

(3) Other issues, in particular EU enlargement: the Council will hold a further discussion at a meeting on 5 December, on the basis of draft European Council conclusions. The signature of a treaty on the accession of Croatia to the EU is scheduled in the margins of the European Council.