FM Rupel Discusses EU Presidency Plans in Paris

Paris, 17 November

Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel took part in a seminar of foreign ministers of the current and next EU presiding troika hosted by the French government in Paris on Saturday. Rupel said after the meeting that those who had already presided over the EU shared their experience with countries which are to preside over the bloc for the first time.

The seminar was attended by the foreign ministers of the current troika (Germany, Portugal and Slovenia) and by ministers of the next troika (France, the Czech Republic and Sweden).
According to Rupel, Portuguese Foreign Minister Louis Amado said at the meeting that a country had to have full support from the public during the EU presidency and that deputies, local communities, NGOs, and citizens had to be acquainted with the presidency.
Rupel meanwhile briefed his counterparts with the priorities and timetable of the Slovenian EU presidency and outlined Slovenia's preparations for the job. Rupel said he highlighted the future of the EU, economic development, environmental topics, intercultural dialogue, the Middle East and Western Balkans in his address.
In terms of general guidelines for the presidency, the foreign minister said that Slovenia would focus on the future of the bloc - institutional reform, further expansion, development of a competitive economy, the area of liberty, security and rights, and intercultural dialogue. "We want a Europe which invests in people and works for the future," Rupel said.
Rupel also touched on efforts for the ratification of the EU reform treaty, the overhaul of the Lisbon Strategy for increased economic growth, and a special meeting of the EU Council on solutions for climate change, in which Slovenia advocates a regional approach.
According to Rupel, the meeting chaired by French Prime Minister Francois Fillon was very important, as it featured six countries which have had a key role in the process of shaping and adopting the reform treaty and will be heavily involved in its implementation.
Slovenia and France will be the last countries to preside over the EU under the current EU presidency system. Under the EU reform treaty, the European Council will be headed by a president with a 30-month term, although the rotating system will be retained for the councils of ministers.
France is to take over the EU presidency from Slovenia on 1 July 2008.

FM Rupel Discusses EU Presidency Plans in Paris

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