Council Trio Presidency programme adopted for January 2019 – June 2020

From 1 January 2019, Romania has taken over the steering work of the Council for a period of 6-months. At the beginning of the institutional cycle, the Trio will put its focus on the finalisation of the current Strategic Agenda dossiers and will work together on the priorities of the next Strategic Agenda, which is to be adopted in June 2019.

Brexit and Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) are key priorities of the three presidencies. The Trio will aim to ensure the effective and timely handling of work required by the Brexit process and to facilitate the finalisation of Multinational Financial Framework (MFF) negotiations, while putting a special attention to all MFF-related legislative proposals.

The 18-month programme refers inter alia to the following areas:

Single Market:

• Commitment to work towards implementation, application and enforcement of the existing legislation with a goal achieve a fully functioning Single Market, fit for the digital age;
  
• Commitment to work towards enhancing integration of single market for services, Digital Economy, completing the Digital Single Market (DSM), data and platform economy, digital infrastructure and an operational framework to support digital transformation and to unlock innovation;
  

United Nations – commitment to implement the 2030 Agenda, including the Sustainable Development Goals

Trade with 3^rd countries:

• Commitment to work towards the WTO modernisation and to support the negotiation of trade agreements with key global partners, as well as political agreements that promote the EU’s values and standards;
  
• Commitment to complete negotiations of new regional accords with African, Caribbean and Pacific countries; implement new strategies for India and Central Asia and reinvigorate implementation of the EU’s China strategy;
  
• Commitment to implement the Union’s vision for a renewed partnership with Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean
  

Next steps: The next Strategic Agenda of the Council will be adopted at the June 2019 European Council, and will take into account the outcome of the Sibiu summit, which will take place in Romania on 9 May.