The shape of things to come

Below you will find text from the Commission’s internal, indicative planning. This allows for an idea of what issues will be on the Commissions agenda and when.

On the 17 March 2010, the following adoption may take place:

• Recommendation to the Council on the opening of accession negotiations of the EU to the European Convention on Human Rights. Comment: The ECHR (“the Convention”) is managed by the Council, it gives citizens of all 47 Contracting Parties an individual right to bring a complaint against the State before the Eur. Court of Human Rights. As a consequence of the accession of the EU to the Convention, all acts of Union institutions and bodies will be subject to the scrutiny of the European Court of HR. This is likely to have a horizontal impact on a number of substantive Union policies, such as competition policy, justice and home affaires, social policy or the internal market. Accession of the EU to the Convention is therefore of high symbolic and practical significance for both organisations and the citizens. It has become possible with the Lisbon Treaty, as only the latter provides for the necessary legal basis in Union law.

On the 24 March 2010, the following adoption may take place:

• Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings, and protecting victims, repealing Framework Decision 2002/629/JHA
• Council Decision authorising enhanced cooperation in the area of applicable law in divorce and legal separation (Rome III)  Comment: To authorise certain Member States to proceed with enhanced cooperation in the area of applicable law in divorce and legal separation.
• Regulation implementing enhanced cooperation in the area of Rome III
• Recommendation from the Commission to the Council to authorise the opening of the negotiations with the US on the transfer of financial messaging data for the fight against terrorism. Comment:Request autorisation of Council to begin negotiations for an EU-US Agreement for the transfer of financial messaging data (SWIFT).

On the 31 March 2010 the following adoption may take place:

• Draft legislation proposal on the ‘Citizen’s Initiative’. Comment: See article 8B .4 of the (TEU) which states that “Not less than one million citizens who are nationals of a significant number of Member States may take the initiative of inviting the European Commission, within the framework of its powers, to submit any appropriate proposal on matters where citizens consider that a legal act of the Union is required for the purpose of implementing the Treaties”.

On the 14 April 2010 the following adoption may take place:

• Annual Report 2010 on immigration and asylum policies (evaluation of the implementation of the European Pact on Immigration and Asylum). Comment: Responds to request made by European Council in the European Pact itself, following method set out in Communication of 10 June 2009 (COM(2009) 266 final). NB. The EU heads of state and government endorsed the ‘European Pact on Immigration and Asylum’ on 15 October 2008, draft available at: http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/08/st13/st13440.en08.pdf
• Commission communication on Action plan on unaccompanied minors. Comment: To underpin and supplement the relevant legislative and financial instruments and strengthen forms of cooperation with the countries of origin, including cooperation to facilitate minors’ return to their countries of origin.

On the 20 April 2010 the following adoption may take place:

• Commission Communication on Stockholm Action Plan. Comment: An Action Plan will expand the Programme by setting out precise actions to be taken. This Action Plan should be endorsed by the Council during the forthcoming Spanish Presidency on the basis of a communication from the Commission