§ 32. Mr. Win GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his priorities for the European Council meetings in the coming year. [1532]
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§ Peter HainWe want the European Council in its meetings in the next 12 months 10 help maintain the momentum in the enlargement negotiations, so that these can be completed by the end of 2002 with those candidate countries which are ready; and, at the same time, to do whatever is necessary to assist the process of ratifying the Nice treaty. The European Council should promote the open debate on the future development of the EU as part of the preparation for the 2004 Intergovernmental Conference. It should continue its work in promoting a liberal global trading system, and in modernising Europe's economy to create more and better jobs, as agreed at Lisbon in 2000. It should review progress in implementing the sustainable development strategy agreed at Gothenburg last month. It should continue to create an area of freedom, security and justice, as agreed at Tampere in 1999; and in developing the common Foreign and Security Policy and the European Security and Defence Policy, and the Union's external relations more generally, to ensure that Europe's interests and objectives are properly projected on the world stage.