SPANISH OBJECTIVES FOR THE 2010 EU PRESIDENCY:

UNCLAS MADRID 000099

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

EUR/ERA (JONATHAN KESSLER AND JEFF GIAUQUE) AND EUR/WE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL ECIN KWNN EU SP
SUBJECT: SPANISH OBJECTIVES FOR THE 2010 EU PRESIDENCY:
FINANCIAL REFORM AND GENDER EQUALITY


1. (U) SUMMARY. January 23, Spain's Council of Ministers
approved the strategic plan for Spain's January-June 2010 EU
Presidency. According to the plan, Spain's Presidency will
possess a "marked pro-European character and an open social
sensibility, in a year against poverty and exclusion." The
Presidency will focus on gender equality, education and
tolerance, and the financial crisis. Spain expects to host
an EU-US Summit as well as an EU-Latin American Summit during
the Presidency as well. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) Spain announced the following framework after the
January 15 Budapest meeting of the Spanish, Belgian, and
Hungarian Secretaries of State in charge of European Affairs
to coordinate strategic agendas for the EU Presidency. As
approved by the Spanish Council of Ministers, Spain's
January-June 2010 Presidency will launch the following EU
trio themes and initiatives: a renewed EU social agenda to
include equality and the fight against violence; the
2010-2012 Energy Plan; planning and execution of Copenhagen's
December 2009 Climate Change package; development of an
economic strategy post-Lisbon treaty; promotion of the EU
Space for Liberty, Security and Justice (SLSJ) for the period
of 2010-2014; sustainable use of natural resources; EU
enlargement, to include possible Croatia accession and a push
toward Turkish integration; and the stable advancement of the
EU neighborhood policy to the Mediterranean and the East.


3. (U) Spain's own presidency goals focus on equality issues
and the economy, and will address the need for a European
policy for Security and Defense. The development of a common
European diplomatic core has also been discussed. The
Council of Ministers declared that Spain will give special
priority to the right of equality, and specifically gender
equality. Given the financial climate, Spain will also use
its Presidency to help Europe find its way out of the crisis
and recover stability in the markets and employment. To this
end, Spain foresees the development of a European and global
agreement for a new model of social and economic growth that
will incorporate financial systems, markets, climate change
and energy policies, employment and social cohesion policy,
and the fight against hunger. In his January 27 speech to
the High Level Meeting on Food Security hosted by Spain,
President Zapatero said that a "great priority" for Spain's
EU Presidency would be policies "in favor of development and
the fight against hunger and misery." During the first
semester of 2010, Spain expects to host an EU-US Summit and
EU-Latin America and Caribbean Summit, giving the Presidency
a "euroamerican" dimension. During this time, too, the
biannual Summit of the Union of the Mediterranean will take
place, and the Spanish Presidency will participate in summits
with Japan, Russia, and Canada. Africa, ASEM, and ASEAN
Summits will all take place during Belgium's Presidency in
the second half of 2010.
CHACON