Three Institutions sign Joint Declaration on the EU’s legislative priorities for 2017

The European Parliament, the European Commission and the Council of the European Union signed on 13 December 2016 the first ever Joint Declaration setting the EU's objectives and priorities for the legislative process in the forthcoming year.

This Declaration builds on the European Council's Strategic Guidelines put forward in June 2014 and the priorities set out by the Juncker Commission.

The institutions highlighted six specific areas in which legislative proposals should be fast-tracked:

+ Giving a new boost to jobs, growth and investment;
+ Addressing the social dimension of the European Union;
+ Better protecting the security of our citizens;
+ Reforming and developing the migration policy;
+ Implementation of a connected Digital Single market;
+ Delivering the Energy Union and a forward looking climate change policy.

Four additional issues were also given special focus, namely the commitment to common European values, the rule of law and fundamental rights; tackling tax fraud, evasion and avoidance; preserving the principle of free movement of workers; and contributing to stability, security and peace.

This Declaration is foreseen in the Interinstitutional Agreement on Better Law-Making.

• Primary Source

European Parliament: Press Release, 13.12.16: Schulz, Fico and Juncker sign pledge to make “substantial progress” on key proposals in 2017 http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/news-room/20161208IPR55153/

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 13.12.16: Council approves the EU's legislative priorities for 2017 http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2016/12/13-council-approves-eu-legislative-priorities-2017/

European Parliament: The EU's legislative priorities for 2017 http://www.europarl.europa.eu/external/html/eu-priorities-2017/index_en.html

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