Merkel and Sarkozy push reform pact

Energy and innovation remain on the agenda

Although urgent economic concerns have already stolen the limelight in the build-up to tomorrow's summit, the main subjects for the one-day meeting remain energy and innovation.

Herman Van Rompuy, the president of the European Council who is chairing the meeting, said yesterday (2 February) that the two issues were of “paramount importance” for the future. He said that the EU must achieve a fully integrated energy market with closely linked infrastructure connections. He also called on leaders to agree to boost innovation activities.

But the agenda for Friday's meeting has also been expanded to include other pressing matters. One is the situation in Egypt and Tunisia, which will be discussed over lunch.

In addition, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Denmark's prime minister, is expected to raise the issue of the handling of asylum seekers. He made the request after the European Court of Human Rights ruled that member states should stop transferring applicants for asylum to Greece because basic standards of humane treatment were not being respected. This ruling has major implications for EU asylum policy, because asylum applicants are usually returned to the first EU member state they entered so that their applications can be processed.