draft common positions

To draft common positions or organise joint events, informal working groups are temporarily established.

Unfortunately, the European Union often lacks the capacity to anticipate issues (due above all to the time-consuming procedures that are sometimes required to draft common positions), and to show leadership in human rights initiatives.

They have been debated seriously and in depth. The Commission has now undertaken to present draft common positions during March if possible, or failing that, in early April, depending on the outcome of the discussions.

As I mentioned earlier, the next stage will come within a few days when the Commission presents to the Council draft common positions acceptable to the Member States and negotiable with the candidate countries. I have to say that the Commission is doing an excellent job.