2005 budget: others sections

In this strategy paper, the European Commission outlines its political and financial priorities for 2005.

This will be the guideline for the Commission's legislative programme and the allocation of resources. The top operational priority is the integration of the new Member States. Politically, the Commission wants to ensure that in the EU of 25 Member States and 450 million citizens competitiveness and cohesion are enhanced, security and European citizenship are guaranteed for a greater number of more mobile citizens, and that the Union will be able to take on more external responsibility.

The Annual Policy Strategy decision for 2005 is exceptional in that the current Commission will establish a framework to be considered by the next Commission. This decision will ensure consistency with the priorities for the post 2006 period covered by the new financial perspectives.

For 2005, the overriding priority is to make enlargement a success and shape the future of Europe. 2005 will be a key year for negotiations on the next financial perspectives, new programmes, such as structural funds, education and training etc. and, in all probability, the ratification of the new Treaty.

The Commission's central objective will be to provide a new momentum of economic growth, based on enhanced competitiveness and cohesion; the objective of stability and security will be maintained, through efforts to improve security and European citizenship; the Union will also take a new external responsibility, with emphasis on the neighbourhood dimension, by strengthening its new continental legitimacy.

More specifically, this strategy document presents the budgetary and in particular the administrative priorities of the Commission : in this context, the Commission requests 700 new posts which will be shared between 661 new posts for the operating establishment plan of the Commission and 39 new posts for the Offices.

Reinforcement of linguistic services will also be one of key priority of the Commission for 2005. Approximately half of the new staff that will be allocated in 2005, including increase in linguistic external staff, will be devoted to linguistic services (translation, interpretation and publication).

Lastly, it should be noted that this document does not concern the budgetary and administrative priorities of the other institutions.