European Union

The EU-Algeria Association Council will be held on Thursday 4 June at 8.30. It will be co‑chaired by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini.

8.30     Round table
(photo/TV opportunities - meeting point: VIP entrance, level 02 at 8.15)

9.30     Signature of the protocol to the Association Agreement on the general principles for the participation of Algeria in Union programmes and of the memorandum of understanding between the European Union and Algeria concerning the 2014-2017 single support framework (photo/TV opportunities - meeting point: info point, level 00 at 9.15)

Plenipotentiaries:

EU:     Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the Union for Foreign and Security Policy, Vice‑President of the Commission

Algeria:    Ramtane Lamamra, Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

9.40     Press point - Press room, level 00

Access to the press centre will be subject to the usual conditions (presentation of your EU interinstitutional press card or national press card and ID).

Video coverage in broadcast quality (MPEG 4) and photo gallery: www.eucouncil.tv

Held on the tenth anniversary of the entry into force of the Association Agreement, the ninth meeting of the Association Council will take stock and review the prospects of relations between the EU and Algeria. It is expected that the EU, which is following political developments in Algeria with interest, will encourage the government to intensify reforms, including the revision of the Constitution announced in 2011. Respect for fundamental rights and civil liberties is at the heart of the political dialogue between the EU and Algeria. In that context, it is expected that the EU will welcome the reforms adopted, in particular to protect and promote women's rights, while encouraging Algeria to align itself more closely with international standards on the right of association, the right to assembly and freedom of assembly.

The Association Council is also due to discuss trade and economic issues. The EU will call on Algeria to reduce trade-restrictive measures and to continue improving the business climate to facilitate foreign investment. As regards sectoral cooperation, the EU will welcome the recent establishment of a high-level dialogue on energy. The EU will encourage Algeria to enter into a bilateral dialogue on migration and mobility, which is an absolute priority, today more than ever. The EU also wishes to establish a dialogue with a view to cooperation on security and the fight against terrorism.  

At the Association Council, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, and Ramtane Lamamra, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, will sign a protocol to the Association Agreement enabling the participation of Algeria in 20 Euro-Mediterranean programmes, such as COSME (SMEs), Horizon 2020 (research) and Creative Europe (culture and media). They will also sign a memorandum of understanding between the EU and Algeria concerning the single support framework for the period 2014‑2017. The single support framework defines three priority sectors of intervention for the EU in Algeria: justice reform and strengthening of citizen participation in public life; labour market reform and job creation; and support for the management and diversification of the economy.

On 7and 8 June European Council President Donald Tusk will be participating in the G7 summit in Schloss Elmau, Bavaria (Germany) under German presidency. He will be representing the European Union together with the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker.

The main topics on the agenda, as set out by the German presidency, are the global economy, foreign affairs, security and development issues. Leaders will also discuss the upcoming UN negotiations to develop a new international climate change agreement, the UN's post-2015 development framework, and energy security, building on the 2014 G7 Energy Initiative. A special working session with outreach guests will discuss counter-terrorism.

On Friday 5 June at 10:00 a background briefing by the EU's G7 Sherpa Piotr Serafin will be organised in the main press room of the European Council, Justus Lipsius building.

On Sunday 7 June at 11:00 there will be a joint pre-summit press conference by Presidents Tusk and Juncker in the Briefing Center at Schloss Elmau, Germany.

In order to be updated on possible further press activities, journalists travelling to the summit are invited to send an e-mail to press.president@consilium.europa.eu

For more information:

See also:

EU Ministers for Transport, Infrastructure and Communications meet on 8 June 2015 in Luxembourg to discuss the implementation of the Framework Strategy for a Energy Union, of the Energy Security Strategy, as well as to focus on the state of play regarding international energy relations.

Download this video here.