Highlights

Miguel Ángel Moratinos, Spain's Minister of Foreign Affairs
and Cooperation and President of the General Affairs Council,
at the press conference in Brussels on 25 January 2010
Photo: Council of the European Union

Innovating Europe, as regards fostering sustainable economic growth and implementing the Lisbon Treaty in full; and equality, in terms of equality of European citizens but also universal human rights, are two principles underpinning Spain's priorities during its Council Presidency in the first half of 2010.

At the General Affairs Council on 25 January, Spain's Foreign Affairs Minister Miguel Ángel Moratinos presented the Presidency work programme to his colleagues.

The Presidency's main goal is to boost economic recovery across the Union. It aims to step up EU-level coordination of the member states' economic policies as part of the Union's new growth and employment strategy EU 2020, to be adopted by the European Council.

As the first rotating presidency after the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, Spain will fully support the new President of the European Council in all his activities. It will collaborate with him and the High Representative closely to strengthen the Union's foreign policy, so that the EU can assert itself more on the global stage, promoting peace and fairness.

Spain also wants to develop citizens' rights and freedoms. In particular, it wants to promote real equality between men and women and fight against gender-based violence with concrete initiatives such as a European protection order for the victims.

More information:
Spanish Presidency programme (pdf) 
Council debate 
Council webcast of press conference 
Council press release