European Union

The European External Action Service was established following the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon in late 2009. It serves as a foreign ministry and diplomatic corps for the EU, under the authority of the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

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Donald TUSK, President of the European Council, visits Azerbaijan on 22 July 2015 to follow-up on the results of the Eastern Partnership summit held in Riga on 21-22 May 2015.

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The Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper) on 22 July 2015 approved, on behalf of the Council, an agreement reached with the European Parliament on a directive establishing new rules on insurance distribution.  

The text recasts and repeals directive 2002/92/EC on insurance mediation with a threefold objective. It seeks to improve retail insurance regulation in a manner that will facilitate market integration, and to establish the conditions necessary for fair competition between distributors of insurance products. It also sets out to strengthen policyholder protection, in particular with regard to life insurance products with an investment element.

Intermediaries play a central role in the distribution of insurance and reinsurance products. Various types of persons and institutions distribute insurance products, such as agents, brokers and insurance undertakings. Application of directive 2002/92/EC has shown a number of provisions to require greater precision.

More specifically, the new directive is aimed at: 

- extending the scope of application to all distribution channels, including proportionate requirements for those who sell insurance products on an ancillary basis; 

- identifying, managing and mitigating conflicts of interest; 

- strengthening administrative sanctions, as well as measures to be applied in the event of a breach of key provisions; 

- enhancing the suitability and objectiveness of insurance advice; 

- ensuring that sellers' professional qualifications match the complexity of the products they sell; 

- clarifying the procedure for cross-border market entry. 

In order to ensure consistency between financial sectors, the directive would take account of rules established for markets in financial instruments. 

The directive would not prevent member states from applying more stringent provisions to protect consumers, providing that such provisions are consistent with EU law. 

The agreement with the Parliament was reached during a trilogue meeting on 30 June 2015. The Council agreed its negotiating stance in November 2014. 

The directive will now be submitted to the European Parliament for a vote at first reading and to the Council for final adoption. 

Member states would have two years to transpose the directive into national laws and regulations.

Today President Aliyev and I had a wide-ranging discussion covering our extensive bilateral relationship. We talked about what we are already doing together now. But more important, we talked about what we should do together in the future, about the future direction of our important relationship in the years to come. 

Azerbaijan is our reliable and strategic partner in the energy field, and we want to take this partnership further. One aim of the European energy union is to exclude the possibility of using gas as a threat. The conflict in Ukraine shows that such threats are still possible. 

This is why the EU is dedicated to diversifying our supplies. And Azerbaijan is a main partner in this endeavour. Today, we agreed to stand united on developing the Southern Gas Corridor - a project which is in our common strategic interest - and to make sure it is completed on time, whatever our competitors do. For Europe, it is a question of diversifying supply. For Azerbaijan, it is a question of diversifying demand. 

Azerbaijan has the potential to become one of the EU's major commercial partners in the region. The EU is already Azerbaijan's main trade partner and one of its most important investors. We will expand these commercial relations further in the coming years. I recalled that good governance and rule of law are important for creating a favourable commercial and investment climate. The EU stands ready to assist here, if needed. 

I also hope very much that Azerbaijan will soon finalise its negotiations to join the WTO. 

We have discussed how best to move our relationship forward, through an ambitious new bilateral agreement. We agreed to set a brisk pace for our talks toward an Agreement on Strategic Partnership. 

I stressed the high importance we attach to human rights and fundamental freedoms. The EU believes that an open society is the best guarantee of long term stability and prosperity. I have discussed with the President our concerns with the detention of human rights defenders here and our hope that prompt action will be taken on the individual cases. We will continue to discuss these issues and to explore ways for good and mutually beneficial cooperation on human rights, also in the context of the future of our contractual relations. After this meeting, I will meet with representatives of the civil society. 

We also discussed the Eastern Partnership. The EU's intention is to better reflect the individual wishes and interests of each partner as we develop this policy. 

Let me also reiterate that the EU supports the territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty of Azerbaijan. The EU and its Member States have not recognised Nagorno-Karabach. 

The status quo is unsustainable and the peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remains a priority for the EU. We continue to support the mediation efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. 

Finally, we discussed the mobility of people and our strong common wish to facilitate travel and direct contacts between our peoples. I applaud the entry into force of the Visa Facilitation Agreement and the Readmission Agreement in the autumn of last year. This was an important step. Last year there were 70,000 visitors from Azerbaijan to the Schengen area. An increase by almost 20% from the year before. And one third of the visas we issue are now long-term multiple entry visas. 

I look forward to continue strengthening our important relationship in the coming years, and hope my visit today has contributed to this aim. Thank you!

The EU seeks to develop particular close relationship with Morocco, its geographical neighbour, and to support Morocco's economic and political reforms. The relationship emphasizes close cooperation on democratic reform, economic modernization, and migration issues.

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Dear soldiers, 

I want to thank you for your service to Europe and to peace and security abroad. Your hard work and sacrifice is appreciated in the European Union. I am personally very proud of you and of what you have done in Central African Republic. Thanks to you, your residence for sacrifice, your courage, your professionalism, your dedication, Georgia is maybe the best example of the international solidarity in the whole world. Thank you very much.

Our military operation in the Central African Republic has created security within a very difficult theatre, protected populations at risk and helped humanitarian aid reach the people that really need it. This is something we have done together on behalf of the global community, based on a UN Security Council mandate and part of wider international efforts.

Georgia's participation, as the second largest contingent in the operation, has been essential to its success.

I welcome your country's decision to stay engaged in these important efforts by providing the Immediate Reaction Team for the EU's Military Advisory Mission in the Central African Republic.

Together, we are achieving something very important in a spirit of both global and European solidarity and cooperation. I commend and thank you for your service. All the best.

The Informal meeting of Ministers of Competitiveness takes place on 20 July 2015, in Luxembourg.

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Donald TUSK, President of the European Council, visits Georgia on 20 July 2015 to follow-up on the results of the Eastern Partnership summit held in Riga on 21-22 May 2015.

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