(1) According to Article 4 of the Treaty on European Union "the European Council shall provide the Union with the necessary impetus for its development and shall define the general political guidelines thereof".

The Government shall supervise the work of the ministries, give political guidelines to them for the implementation of policies, laws, other regulations and general enactments, and ensure they perform their functions in a coordinated manner.

(2) In order fully to perform that function of providing impetus and defining the Union's general political guidelines the European Council agreed, at its meeting on 21 and 22 June 2002 in Seville, on a certain number of rules for the preparation, conduct and conclusion of its proceedings.

It shall, in particular, be responsible for giving the political impetus in the implementation of this Agreement and laying down the general guidelines for the EEA Joint Committee.

The President of the Government shall lead and direct the work of the Government, ensure the unity of political and administrative guidelines of the Government, coordinate the work of Ministers, represent the Government and call and preside over its sessions.

The European Council shall provide the Union with the necessary impetus for its development and shall define the general political guidelines thereof.

The Commission shall act collectively in accordance with these Rules and in compliance with the political guidelines laid down by the President.

In compliance with the political guidelines laid down by the President, the Commission shall establish its priorities and each year adopt its work programme.

When the Council has agreed on a nomination for President of the Commission, the President shall request the nominee to make a statement and present his political guidelines to Parliament.

According to Article 4 of the Treaty on European Union 'the European Council shall provide the Union with the necessary impetus for its development and shall define the general political guidelines thereof'.

When the governments of the Member States have agreed on a nomination for President of the Commission, the President shall request the nominee to make a statement and present his political guidelines to Parliament.

In order fully to perform that function of providing impetus and defining the Union's general political guidelines the European Council agreed, at its meeting on 21 and 22 June 2002 in Seville, on a certain number of rules for the preparation, conduct and conclusion of its proceedings.

(3) At its meeting in Tampere on 15 and 16 October 1999 the European Council invited the Council and the Commission, in close cooperation with the European Parliament, to promote the full and immediate implementation of the Treaty of Amsterdam, on the basis of the Action Plan adopted on 3 December 1998 by the Council of Home Affairs Ministers and endorsed at the meeting of the European Council in Vienna on 11 and 12 December 1998 and of the political guidelines and concrete objectives involving a deepening of police cooperation for the purpose of combating cross- border crime which were agreed in Tampere.

An incoming Commission shall present, as soon as possible, its political programme, containing all its proposed guidelines for its term of office, and shall establish a dialogue with the European Parliament.

(9) Whereas the resolution on human rights, democracy and development adopted by the Council and the Member States, meeting within the Council, on 28 November 1991 sets out guidelines, procedures and practical measures aimed at promoting civil and political freedoms alongside economic and social rights, by means of a representative political system based on respect for human rights;

Whereas the Stability and Growth Pact consists of this Regulation, of Council Regulation (EC) No 1466/97 (3) which aims to strengthen the surveillance of budgetary positions and the surveillance and coordination of economic policies and of the Resolution of the European Council of 17 June 1997 on the Stability and Growth Pact (4), in which, in accordance with Article D of the Treaty on European Union, firm political guidelines are issued in order to implement the Stability and Growth Pact in a strict and timely manner and in particular to adhere to the medium term objective for budgetary positions of close to balance or in surplus, to which all Member States are committed, and to take the corrective budgetary action they deem necessary to meet the objectives of their stability and convergence programmes, whenever they have information indicating actual or expected significant divergence from the medium-term budgetary objective;

(9) In conformity with the guidelines of the European Council meeting at Nice on 7 to 9 December 2000, this Joint Action should determine the role of the Secretary General/High representative in accordance with Articles 18 and 26 of the Treaty on European Union in the implementation of measures falling within the political control and strategic direction exercised by the Political and Security Committee (PSC), in accordance with Article 25 of the Treaty on European Union.

(2) Following the extraordinary European Council meeting on employment on 20 and 21 November 1997 in Luxembourg, the Council resolution of 15 December 1997 on the 1998 employment guidelines(5) launched a process with high visibility, strong political commitment and a wide-ranging acceptance by all parties concerned.

(9) In conformity with the guidelines of the European Council meeting at Nice on 7 to 9 December 2000, this Joint Action should determine the role of the Secretary- General/High Representative (SG/HR) in accordance with Articles 18 and 26 of the TEU in the implementation of measures falling within the political control and strategic direction exercised by the PSC, in accordance with Article 25 of the TEU.

According to Article 4 of the Treaty on European Union "the European Council shall provide the Union with the necessary impetus for its development and shall define the general political guidelines thereof".

Whereas in its Resolution of 16 June 1997 on the establishment of an exchange-rate mechanism in the third stage of Economic and Monetary Union, the European Council issued firm political guidelines in accordance with which an exchange-rate mechanism is established in the third stage of EMU, hereafter referred to as 'ERM2`;

At its meeting in Tampere on 15 and 16 October 1999 the European Council invited the Council and the Commission, in close cooperation with the European Parliament, to promote the full and immediate implementation of the Treaty of Amsterdam, on the basis of the Action Plan adopted on 3 December 1998 by the Council of Home Affairs Ministers and endorsed at the meeting of the European Council in Vienna on 11 and 12 December 1998 and of the political guidelines and concrete objectives involving a deepening of police cooperation for the purpose of combating cross-border crime which were agreed in Tampere.

Whereas the resolution on human rights, democracy and development adopted by the Council and the Member States meeting within the Council on 28 November 1991 sets out guidelines, procedures and practical measures aimed at promoting civil and political freedoms alongside economic and social rights, by means of a representative political system based on respect for human rights;

Whereas the resolution on human rights, democracy and development adopted by the Council and the Member States, meeting within the Council, on 28 November 1991 sets out guidelines, procedures and practical measures aimed at promoting civil and political freedoms alongside economic and social rights, by means of a representative political system based on respect for human rights;

In conformity with the guidelines of the European Council meeting at Nice on 7 to 9 December 2000, this Joint Action should determine the role of the Secretary General/High representative in accordance with Articles 18 and 26 of the Treaty on European Union in the implementation of measures falling within the political control and strategic direction exercised by the Political and Security Committee (PSC), in accordance with Article 25 of the Treaty on European Union.

Following the extraordinary European Council meeting on employment on 20 and 21 November 1997 in Luxembourg, the Council resolution of 15 December 1997 on the 1998 employment guidelines(5) launched a process with high visibility, strong political commitment and a wide-ranging acceptance by all parties concerned.

Whereas the Stability and Growth Pact consists of this Regulation which aims to strengthen the surveillance of budgetary positions and the surveillance and coordination of economic policies, of Council Regulation (EC) No 1467/97 (3) which aims to speed up and to clarify the implementation of the excessive deficit procedure and of the Resolution of the European Council of 17 June 1997 on the Stability and Growth Pact (4), in which, in accordance with Article D of the Treaty on European Union, firm political guidelines are issued in order to implement the Stability and Growth Pact in a strict and timely manner and in particular to adhere to the medium term objective of budgetary positions of close to balance or in surplus, to which all Member States are committed, and to take the corrective budgetary action they deem necessary to meet the objectives of their stability and convergence programmes, whenever they have information indicating actual or expected significant divergence from the medium-term budgetary objective;

In conformity with the guidelines of the European Council meeting at Nice on 7 to 9 December 2000, this Joint Action should determine the role of the Secretary-General/High Representative (SG/HR) in accordance with Articles 18 and 26 of the TEU in the implementation of measures falling within the political control and strategic direction exercised by the PSC, in accordance with Article 25 of the TEU.