With Austria in charge the EU tries to get the show back on the road

CAN things get any worse for the European Union as it heads into 2006? It most certainly can but there are signs that people are trying to get the show back on the road after the annus horribilus that was 2005.

There are a number of items on the agenda that are significant for Ireland too including new rules for overseas workers, asylum seekers, possible developments in taxation, funding for rural development and research and development, and a possible agreement on measures to avoid another Irish Ferries situation.

The Austrians are in charge of the agenda for the first six months of this year. Expectations are low given that the Austrian’s tend to be the least enthusiastic with the EU.

But they have a number of major issues on their hands that include getting the European Parliament to agree the deal done by the member states in December on the union’s €850 billion budget.

The parliament will insist on some changes to the distribution of the money at least and can be expected to insist on a little more going to social areas and to job creation. The British, who drafted the final budget deal, promised a number of things that only the parliament can give.

The period of reflection announced by shocked leaders after the French and Dutch rejected the European Constitution is coming to an end and over the coming 12 months they will attempt to revive the ill patient. It will begin with a conference in Salzburg later this month devoted to defining the European identity. The Austrian chancellor, Wolfgang Schussel hopes to have a new timetable for ratifying a new constitution completed before he hands over to the Finns in July.

Having concentrated on keeping out unwanted immigrants the EU will begin putting a framework in place to allow for legal immigration when issues like union-wide working permits will be considered. With a declining population the need for workers from outside countries will become even more important over the coming years.

This year too the 12 countries that decided not to give free access to workers from the 10 new member states will review their position. Some of them may change their stance which could create problems for Ireland that now depends so heavily on people from the central and eastern European states. Last year half of all Irish jobs created went to non-nationals as there were no locals to take them.

The European Commission has refused to reintroduce the ferry manning directive that would have addressed the Irish Ferries situation but will ask the social partners to reach agreement on pay and conditions of workers on board ferries operating in Europe.

Romania and Bulgaria will hear in the next few months whether they will become the 26th and 27th members of the Union next year or in 2008 while negotiations should get under way with Croatia and Macedonia also.

The whole enlargement issue should get a good airing especially under the Austrian’s who are among the least enthusiastic especially when it comes to Turkey. But with negotiations now under way with the Turks the question of membership for Serbia, Montenegro, Albania and Ukraine becomes acute.

In the meantime if and when these issues are addressed will depend on where and the timing of elections. The Germans have theirs out of the way, but the weight of two other important figures, French president Jacques Chirac and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, declines as they prepare to bow out of their leadership roles.