Publication of the General Report on the Activities of the EU in 2005: profiling the events of the past year - Main contents

Wednesday, February 15 2006

As it does at this time every year in accordance with its obligations under the Treaties, the European Commission has now published the General Report on the Activities of the European Union in 2005. Some 200 pages long and available in the twenty official EU languages, the Report highlights the main legislative activities and the key achievements which marked the last twelve months.

Just less than six weeks into the new year, the President of the Commission José Manuel Barroso i presented the 2005 edition of the General Report to the Members of the European Parliament meeting in plenary session in Strasbourg. "As always, it is an honour for the Commission to be invited to report objectively and openly on the achievements of all the Union institutions throughout an entire year", said President Barroso.

An overview

Pursuing the concise approach initiated with the 2004 publication, this year's edition reports in around two hundred pages on the main legislative achievements and key events which marked the past year.

After a section devoted to the life of the institutions, this overview of 2005 focuses on the four basic strategic objectives set by the Commission both for its entire term in office - up to 2009 - and for its annual work programme (IP/05/96): prosperity, solidarity, security and the presence of Europe in the world.

So, for example, the chapter entitled "Security and freedom" gives details both on implementation of the Hague programme and on risk management in areas as diverse as health, transport, energy and protection of the Union's financial interests, and highlights and comments briefly on the key events. The relevant documentary references are provided and the events placed in context against the background of developments in previous years.

The General Report can be purchased from the Office for Official Publications or its sales offices, or consulted online on the Europa server: