Finland's EU Presidency: Newsletter 17/2006
20 Nov 2006, 10:34
AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES COUNCIL, 20-21 NOVEMBER IN BRUSSELS
One aim at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council is to take a decision on fishing possibilities for deep-sea stocks in 2007 and 2008. A further objective is to reach a political agreement on technical measures relating to fishing in the Mediterranean Sea and on the proposal for a Regulation introducing electronic recording and reporting of fishing activities. The two-day Council will be chaired by Juha Korkeaoja, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry.
The press conferences for the meeting, scheduled to begin at 19.00 (GMT+1) on Monday, 20 November and on Tuesday, 21 November, will be webcast and can be viewed live or as recording from the archive at www.eu2006.fi.
http://www.eu2006.fi/calendar/vko47/en_GB/1147789453458/
ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL AFFAIRS COUNCIL (ECOFIN), 21 NOVEMBER IN BRUSSEL
The Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) will discuss the EU draft budget for 2007 for the second time. At the meeting, the Ministers will negotiate on the 2007 budget with representatives from the European Parliament in accordance with the Inter-Institutional Agreement. The Council will be chaired by the Coordinate Minister for Finance, Ulla-Maj Wideroos.
The open session of the Council meeting, if one is held, and the press conference, scheduled to begin at 16.00 (GMT+1), will be webcast and can be viewed live or as recording at www.eu2006.fi.
http://www.eu2006.fi/calendar/vko47/en_GB/1147784846727/
INFORMAL MEETING OF REGIONAL POLICY MINISTERS, 21 NOVEMBER IN BRUSSELS
The one-day informal meeting of the Ministers responsible for regional policy will focus on how the objectives of the Lisbon Strategy for Growth and Jobs can best be supported by the EU Structural and Cohesion Funds.
The meeting will be chaired by the Finnish Minister of Regional and Municipal Affairs Hannes Manninen.
http://www.eu2006.fi/calendar/vko47/en_GB/1147270922831/
TRANSPORT, TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND ENERGY COUNCIL ON 23 NOVEMBER IN BRUSSELS
The Energy Council aims to prepare for future energy policy. EU Ministers responsible for energy issues will convene to discuss what measures should be taken at the EU-level and in cooperation with third countries to boost energy efficiency and use of renewable forms of energy.
The meeting of the energy-focused composition of the Council will be chaired by Mauri Pekkarinen, the Finnish Minister of Trade and Industry.
The open session of the Council meeting, scheduled to begin at 10.15 (GMT+1) and the press conference, the time of which is to be announced later, will be webcast and can be viewed live or as recording at www.eu2006.fi.
http://www.eu2006.fi/calendar/vko47/en_GB/1163683735853/EU-RUSSIA SUMMIT, 24 NOVEMBER IN HELSINKI
The EU-Russia Summit will focus on cooperation between the EU and Russia in areas such as energy, the environment, education, culture and justice and home affairs. Key international issues, such as the situation in Iran, the Middle East, the Western Balkans and North Korea will also be discussed. A concrete aim of the summit is to agree to launch negotiations for a new framework agreement between the EU and Russia. The agreement is to include wide-ranging trade and energy policy issues.
The EU delegation will be led by Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen and the Russian delegation by President Vladimir Putin. The EU will also be represented by the Commission President, José Manuel Barroso and the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana.
The press conference, scheduled to start at approximately 15.30 (GMT+2), will be webcast and can be viewed live or as recording at www.eu2006.fi.
http://www.eu2006.fi/calendar/vko47/en_GB/1159261767620/
NORTHERN DIMENSION SUMMIT, 24 NOVEMBER IN HELSINKI
The EU, Russia, Norway and Iceland, partners in the Northern Dimension, will convene for a meeting on 24 November. The aim is to adopt a new Northern Dimension Framework Document to replace the current Northern Dimension Action Plans. The framework document will turn the Northern Dimension into a common policy, to be pursued by all Northern Dimension parties from the beginning of 2007.
The EU will be represented by the Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, Commission President, José Manuel Barroso and the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana. Russia will be represented by President Putin, Norway by Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and Iceland by Prime Minister Geir Hilmar Haarde. The President of Finland, Tarja Halonen, will also attend the meeting.
The press conference, scheduled to start at approximately 15.30 (GMT+2), will be webcast and can be viewed live or as recording at www.eu2006.fi.
http://www.eu2006.fi/calendar/vko47/en_GB/1163593399449/
Also this week:
MEETING OF EU ENVIRONMENT MINISTERS: BARCELONA PROCESS, 20 NOVEMBER IN CAIRO, EGYPT
http://www.eu2006.fi/calendar/vko47/en_GB/1148717063426/
IST 2006: STRATEGIES FOR LEADERSHIP (EVENT ON EUROPEAN INFORMATION SOCIETY TECHNOLOGIES), 21-23 IN HELSINKI
http://www.eu2006.fi/calendar/vko47/en_GB/1147273175864/
THE EU-AFRICA MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON MIGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT, 22-23 NOVEMBER IN SYRTE, LIBYA
http://www.eu2006.fi/calendar/vko47/en_GB/1162287107989/
Next week:
EURO-MED CONFERENCE OF FOREIGN MINISTERS, 27-28 NOVEMBER IN TAMPERE
EU Foreign Ministers will meet in Tampere on 27-28 November for the Euro-Mediterranean Conference of Foreign Ministers, which is the most important institution in the Euro-Med (Barcelona) process.
The meeting will be attended by EU Foreign Ministers and their Mediterranean counterparts (from Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, Tunis, Turkey and the Palestinian Authority), as well as representatives from the EU institutions and observers. The Conference will address key issues relating to the Euro-Mediterranean partnership. The meeting will be chaired by the Finnish Foreign Minister, Erkki Tuomioja.
Information on the media arrangements for the meeting is available at www.eu2006.fi.
http://www.eu2006.fi/calendar/vko48/en_GB/1136380225208/
CONSPECTUS RERUM LATINUS
The next Latin news-in-brief will be issued on Wednesday, 22 November.
www.eu2006.fi/newsletters/
NEWSLETTERS
The next newsletter will be issued on Monday, 27 November.
www.eu2006.fi/newsletters/
