The priorities are as follows:
· Tackling the economic and financial crisis by a sustainable recovery;
· Rethinking the budget and introducing real own resources;
· Tackling climate change seriously with an environmentally integrated society;
· Fighting for freedom and fundamental rights;
· Promoting a coherent Europe strategy in the world.

These issues have been identified as key areas by liberal democrat parliamentarians who, thanks to the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty, now have greater influence over the Union’s policy formulation and more sway in discussions with the European Commission and the European Council in ensuring a more ambitious direction for the European project.

As agreed in Barcelona during last month’s ELDR party Congress, European liberals will continue to put the emphasis on maintaining free and open markets and creating a stronger EU Single Market. Furthermore, a concrete action to undertake is the implementation of a European financial supervisory authority which particularly covers financial institutions with cross-border activity “Better regulation not more intervention” is the way forward.

The proposed EU 2020 strategy, which is intended to replace the Lisbon Strategy that was to make the EU the most competitive economy in the world, is also a priority for Europe’s liberal democrats with the crisis highlighting more than ever the need to ensure economic growth, jobs and competitiveness based on a low carbon and resource-efficient economy. More integrated and legally binding instruments will however be necessary if the 2020 Strategy is to succeed where the Lisbon Strategy has failed.

Climate change is not just a topical issue for the duration of the Copenhagen summit and the points that politicians agree on in Denmark must be followed up with actions. Europe’s liberal democrats are calling for increased investment from the European Union and its Member States in technologies that will ensure energy efficiency, sustainability and security of supply, and facilitate the move to a low carbon economy. In fact ELDR calls on the EU to take ever stronger steps in pioneering environmental policy.

There is a lot to be done over the next 5 years and European liberal democrats will promote a progressive pro-European agenda, taking into account the genuine interests of the Union and its citizens.