AUSTRIAN PRESIDENCY: SCHUSSEL AIMS TO FOCUS ON CITIZENS' KEY CONCERNS.

March summit: growth, jobs, energy and small firms.

Dividing Austria's six-month Presidency into two parts, the Chancellor said that the spring summit on March 23-24 would deal with the central issues of growth and employment. The meeting would examine the national reform programmes of 25 member states under the Lisbon Strategy of promoting growth and greater competitiveness and would agree key priorities for member states, Mr Schussel said. The summit would also hold a debate on a range of issues relating to energy following the Russian-Ukrainian gas dispute. These would include subjects like security of supply and the role of renewable energy sources such as biofuels.

There would be a particular emphasis on small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), he added. "If we are to tackle unemployment properly, the only jobs machine we have are SMEs", Mr Schussel said. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, speaking alongside the Austrian Chancellor, said that the spring summit would focus on "implementation and concrete delivery". He agreed with the need to improve business conditions for SMEs, saying he might come forward with specific programmes focused on their concerns.

Debate on future of Europe to stress benefits for citizens.

Wolfgang Schussel said that his country's other main priority would be to deliver an interim report on the pause for reflection on the future of Europe agreed by EU leaders following the No votes against the EU Constitution in France and the Netherlands in 2005. During this period, member states are supposed to organise national debates about how the European Union should develop and try and identify citizens' fears and concerns while highlighting the advantages of membership. This debate was needed if there was to be "a psychological re-launching of Europe", Mr Schussel said. The debate should focus on Europe's role, a definition of Europe's borders and the benefits of EU membership for citizens'. "Unless we can define this, the Constitution will be difficult to revive", he said.

Public debates in run-up to June summit.

The Austrian Chancellor said that he was organising a debate in Salzburg on January 27 focusing on Europe's identity and its way of life. This included issues such as employment policy but also questions such as the role of Europe's peripheral regions. After Easter, there would be a major conference on the subsidiarity principle and better regulation, he said. On Europe Day on May 9...

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