COLLEGE MEETING: Commission Work Programme 2019: Delivering on promises and preparing for the future

The European Commission today presented its Work Programme for 2019, setting out three main priorities for the year ahead: reaching swift agreement on the legislative proposals already presented to deliver on its ten political priorities; adopting a limited number of new initiatives to address outstanding challenges; and presenting several initiatives with a future perspective for a Union at 27 reinforcing the foundations for a strong, united and sovereign Europe.

President Jean-Claude Juncker said: “Seven months from today, Europe will have its most important rendezvous with voters for a generation, at the European elections. I call on the European Parliament and the Council to adopt the proposals presented by the Commission in the past four years. Citizens do not care about proposals, they care about laws in force that give them rights. There would be no better message to voters taking to the polls next year than if we were to demonstrate that this Union delivers concrete, tangible results for them.” First Vice-President Frans Timmermans said: “This Commission has consistently focussed on the challenges which can only be addressed through collective European action. This Work Programme contains no surprises: we have made all the proposals needed but now they must be agreed and their benefits implemented in practice. We will also look to the future with initiatives to ensure that tomorrow’s Union of 27 has an optimistic vision for a fair and sustainable future for all Europeans.” The 2019 Work Programme focuses on just 15 new initiatives, and an additional 10 new REFIT evaluations, to review existing legislation and ensure it is still fit for purpose. To ensure a focus on delivery, the Commission Work Programme identifies 187 priority pending proposals for adoption by the Parliament and Council before the European elections. The Commission also suggests to withdraw or repeal 17 pending proposals or existing laws. The Commission has already tabled all the legislative proposals needed to deliver on the ten priorities of the Juncker Commission. Together with the European Parliament and Council, we have found agreement on around half of these proposals so far, and a further twenty percent are well advanced in the legislative process More information is available in a press release and memo, a general factsheet on the Commission Work Programme, a factsheet with the new initiatives, and a factsheet with the REFIT initiatives and priority pending proposals.