Cabinet of Ministers considers report on the progress of sector policies during the Presidency of Sweden and planned development during the Presidency of Spain

On 9 February, the Cabinet of Ministers sitting considered an informative report On 4 August, at the sitting of the Cabinet of Ministers a report On the progress of sector policies during the Presidency of Sweden and planned development during the Presidency of Spain was reviewed. The Foreign Ministry, working with sector ministries, prepares this kind of informative report twice a year whenever the presiding country of the EU Council changes.

The document was produced as a concise review of the development of sector policies, reflecting the results of the representation of Latvia's interests on the EU arena during the Swedish presidency, as well as defining national priorities and significant sector issues under the Spanish Presidency. The report also highlights progress on other issues within the competency of ministries and relevant interests of Latvia.

The principal priorities for Latvia under of the Swedish Presidency were the approval of the Lisbon Treaty and the EU institutional issues, the Lisbon Strategy after 2010, the EU Cohesion Policy, as well as climate change. Cross-sectoral topics vital for Latvia were the Eastern partnership, the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, energy security, the financial supervision reform, the Stockholm Programme for the judiciary and internal affairs, the revision of the EU budget, the reform of Common Fisheries Policy and of Common Fisheries Policy control framework, as well as the revision of payments to less favourable areas.

Having evaluated the programme for Spain's EU Presidency, the ministries agreed upon the national priority issues in which particular attention should be paid to the protection of Latvia's interests: the EU 2020 Strategy, the future of Cohesion Policy, climate change, the future of Common Fisheries Policy, as well as Latvia's candidacy for hosting the office of the European Electronic Communications Market Authority.

Cross-sectoral issues significant for Latvia during the Spanish Presidency are the EU budget review, the implementation of the Treaty of Lisbon, the Energy Action Plan for 2010-2014, the EU Internal Security Strategy, the revision of TEN-E un TEN-T instruments, environmental quality, the reform of Common Fisheries Policy as well as amendments to the Working Time Directive, and the Universal Service Directive. On those issues, the report specifies measures for an effective protection of Latvia's interests during EU scale debate.

In view of the limited human resources and funding, particular attention should be paid to an active protection of Latvia's interests during EU discussions. To this end, the existing resources should be mobilised and an active inter-ministerial dialogue fully maintained also during the Spanish presidency.

• Report on the progress of sector policies during the Presidency of Sweden and planned development during the Presidency of Spain  (In Latvian) 
• Annex. The advancement of other topical European Union issues during the Presidency of Sweden and planned development during the Presidency of Spain. (In Latvian)

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