European Council

On 11 June 2015, the Latvian Presidency deposited, on behalf of the European Union, the instrument of approval of the Hague Convention of 30 June 2005 on Choice of Court Agreements.

At the same time, the Latvian Presidency made, on behalf of the European Union, the declaration allowed under Article 21 excluding from the scope of the Convention insurance contracts in general, subject to certain well-defined exceptions, and a unilateral declaration stating that the European Union may, at a later stage in light of the experience acquired in the application of the Convention, reassess the need to maintain its declaration under Article 21.  

The Convention will enter into force on 1 October 2015. All Member States (except Denmark) will then be bound by the Convention.

The Convention makes a valuable contribution to promoting party autonomy in international commercial transactions and to increasing the predictability of judicial solutions in such transactions. In particular, the Convention ensures the necessary legal certainty for the parties that their choice of court agreement will be respected and that a judgment given by the chosen court will be capable of recognition and enforcement in international cases.

The Heads of State and Government of Member States of the Central American Integration System (SICA) met with the Presidents of the European Council and the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, with the purpose of reviewing the close cooperation between the two regions and adopted the following joint communique.

Indicative programme - Transport, Telecomunications and Energy Council meeting (telecommunications issues) - Luxembourg, 12 June 2015

Place:        KIRCHBERG building (KCC), Luxembourg
Chair(s):    Anrijs Matīss, Minister for Transport of Latvia 

All times are approximate and subject to change 

+/- 08.00     Doorstep by Minister Matīss

10.00          Beginning of Telecommunications Council meeting            

+/- 10.05     Digital Single Market Strategy
+/- 11.35     Interoperability programme ISA 2 (in public session)
+/- 11.55     AOB (in public session)
                    Telecommunications single market (TSM)
                    Network and information security (NIS)
+/- 13.25     Web Accessibility (in public session)
+/- 13.40     Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) Council Conclusions
+/- 13.50     AOB
                     Work programme of the incoming Presidency

+/- 14.00     Press conference

The Council on 11 June 2015 agreed a general approach on proposed technical requirements for inland waterway vessels. In the future, such technical standards will be developed in the European Committee for drawing up Standards in Inland Navigation (CESNI).  The standards drawn up by CESNI will automatically apply in their up-to-date version. 

 Streamlined procedures 

The reform will simplify and speed up procedures, in particular to adapt standards to technical progress. This should ensure a high level of safety, and encourage innovation and investment in new technologies. The new framework will provide legal certainty and be easier to use by member states' national administrations. The standards themselves are not changed by the proposal under discussion. 

Promoting safe and green transport 

Compared to land-based modes of transport, inland waterway transport is energy-efficient, safe and silent, and almost congestion-free. The draft directive is one of the measures aimed at making a better use of Europe's rivers and canals, and in particular getting more freight onto them (NAIADES II package). 

Working together with the Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine (CCNR) 

There are currently two different inland navigation certificates operating in the EU: the EU certificate and the Rhine certificate. The system of two certificates will continue but it will be much easier to maintain the equivalence between them. 

The new committee CESNI was set up under the auspices of the Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine (CCNR) on 3 June. It will be open to experts from all EU member states. At the same time it will be able to draw on the expertise that the CCNR has built up over the years in developing and updating technical requirements. 

The draft directive will only apply to member states in which inland navigation is used to a significant extent. The following member states are not required to implement it: Denmark, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, Cyprus, Latvia, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia and Finland. 

The draft act, which revises the existing directive from 2006, needs to be approved both by the Council and the European Parliament. The Parliament adopted its first-reading opinion in April 2014. 

Es para mi un placer darles la bienvenida a Bruselas, la capital de Europa. Bem- vindos! Bienvenus! Welcome! Bienvenidos!

Antes de continuar, déjenme decirles lo contento que estoy de que nos reunamos hoy aquí, para fortalecer los lazos de nuestra asociación duradera, basada en objetivos comunes y el respeto mutuo. Me alegra ver que las diferencias que nos separaban en el pasado, se han ido disipando durante décadas y nuestras naciones se han ido acercando. Esta semana, nos reunimos no sólo para realzar nuestras buenas relaciones, sino también para mirar hacia el futuro; como les contaré enseguida.

Sixteen years ago, all 33 Latin American and Caribbean countries and a European Union of fifteen Member States, met in Rio de Janeiro for the first time, launching what has become a truly strategic partnership.

In the last two decades the world and our regions have changed. The EU has doubled its membership, introduced a single currency and adopted a new Treaty. In Latin America and the Caribbean most internal conflicts have been peacefully resolved, the region has grown economically and integrated further through the creation of CELAC.

I applaud these major developments. Our partnership has contributed to some of these important changes. The European Union is the main cooperator, largest direct investor and second trade partner of Latin America and the Caribbean. We have an all-weather partnership, not just when things are going well, but also when there are clouds.

But we cannot rest on past achievements. Our partnership needs to be modernised along with the changes in the world. Our relationship is reinforced by the strongest bonds - those of our people. The involvement of our citizens and civil society is key for our partnership's success. The EU-LAC Foundation plays a special role. We hope that with the agreement to turn it into an international body, ownership and support for its activities will increase. The EU will continue its financial support to the Foundation, with €3 million over the next two years.

Our challenge now is to become a partnership for the next generation. A partnership that is symmetrical, balanced and equitable. This should be our ambition for the summit and our future work.

Our regions have a lot to gain from working closely together - and much to lose if we do not. Together the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean account for more than 1 billion people; form one third of the UN's membership, and generate almost one third of the world's GDP. Together our regions have the highest number of democracies, we both value regionalism, multilateralism and the principles of the UN Charter, and we seek sustainable and inclusive growth.

Of course, we have our differences. But there is much more uniting us than dividing us. And we have a duty to shape our common future and work for prosperous, cohesive and sustainable societies.

We are building on a solid basis. Our strategic association has a joint action plan, that we will modernise and expand at this summit, and bilateral and sub-regional agreements, promoting political dialogue, cooperation and trade. Now we need to move to the next level: increasing political dialogue, deepening economic ties and developing a new type of cooperation.

We will stand by the efforts of President Santos to achieve a lasting peace in Colombia. I am pleased to announce that the EU will set up a Trust Fund to support post-conflict actions in the country.  We support the process of modernisation in Cuba, and we are committed to conclude negotiations of our Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement. We welcome the full normalisation of Cuba's relations with the United States and the end of the embargo.

We can do much to help each other to address important challenges we both face, such as reconciling growth with equity, modernising productive structures, generating quality jobs and protecting our environment.

We also want to stand by you in promoting citizen security. I am glad that an action plan to implement the EU citizen security strategy has just been adopted. This is complementary to the Central American and Caribbean countries' own strategies. In today's world, cooperation among like-minded regions is a must. So we need to find ways to partner more effectively on global issues.

Climate change is a common threat. We need to achieve an ambitious agreement for COP 21 in Paris. We both seek a transformative post-2015 development agenda combining poverty eradication and sustainable development. And we need to continue working for an integrated and balanced strategy to counter the world drug problem.

These are all issues that we will discuss and where we have to converge if we want to shape our common future. We also need to be more vigilant in promoting and protecting our common values. They are being challenged in many parts of the world. We cannot shy away from promoting and defending key principles such as respect for democracy, human rights, the rule of law, sovereignty, and a strong and independent civil society. Part of the modernisation and updating of our partnership must be assuming joint responsibilities in promoting a fairer and rule-based multilateral order.

The European Union is not just a territory, it is a common endeavour in constant evolution; CELAC is more than just a group of countries, it embodies an ambitious vision of Latin American and Caribbean unity.

As the great Latin American writer Gabriel Garcia Márquez, who sadly left us last year, reminded us: "No es cierto que la gente deje de perseguir sus sueños porque envejece, más bien envejece cuando deja de perseguir sus sueños." - "It is not true that people stop pursuing their dreams because they get older; we only grow old when we stop pursuing our dreams".

Despite being old partners, our partnership is not ageing, because our dreams and goals of regional integration, convergence in diversity, and a fairer multilateral order, are alive and well. And as we pursue them, we have to continue working on the promising and concrete reality of EU-CELAC relations. Both realms have the potential to keep changing our peoples' lives for the better.

On 10 June 2015, the Council's Permanent Representatives Committee approved a final compromise text on new EU rules for novel foods. The text includes the European Parliament's amendments acceptable for the Council and significantly improves the current rules on novel foods. Novel foods are foods not consumed in the EU to a significant degree before May 1997. They include for instance foods to which a new production process is applied.

Adding value

The Council accepted the Parliament's amendments that would make the placing of novel foods on the EU market faster and cheaper while preserving the high level of protection of human health.

Cutting red tape

The Council's compromise proposal would help to reduce administrative burdens by switching to a centralised EU-level procedure and providing for generic authorisations. This means that once authorised and added to the EU list a novel food could be placed on the market by any food business operator. This would avoid the re-submission of new applications by other companies for the same novel food and should benefit in particular SMEs. Under the current rules, novel foods are authorised at national level and valid only for the applicant.

Facilitating access to traditional foods

The new rules would also facilitate the access to the EU market for traditional foods from third countries having a history of safe food use. For these foods an applicant would have to demonstrate that they have been safely used in a third country for at least 25 years. 

Nanotechnology

The scope of the novel food rules would explicitly cover engineered nanomaterials. The Commission would be mandated to adapt the definition of engineered nanomaterials to technical progress or the definitions agreed at international level.  

Cloning

The scope of the novel food rules would also explicitly cover food from cloned animals, until specific rules on food from cloned animals enter into force.

Next steps

The Latvian presidency will now inform the Parliament by letter proposing an agreement at first reading on the basis of the text approved by the Permanent Representatives Committee. The European Parliament is expected to consider and vote on the Council's compromise text in the week starting on 4 July 2015.

Background

The novel foods authorised under the current rules in the EU include for instance "rapeseed oil high in unsaponifiable matter", "rye bread with added phytosterols/phytostanols", "milk type products and yoghurt type products with added phytosterol esters", "coagulated potato proteins and hydrolysates thereof" and "phospholipids from egg yolk".

Place:        KIRCHBERG building (KCC), Luxembourg
Chair(s):    Anrijs Matīss, Minister for Transport of Latvia  

All times are approximate and subject to change  

+/- 09.35     Doorstep by Minister Matīss
10.00           Beginning of Transport Council meeting
+/- 10.10     Adoption of A items
+/- 10.15     Air passengers rights (in public session)
+/- 10.45     Inland waterway vessels (in public session)
+/- 11.25     Fourth Railway Package (in public session)
+/- 12.25     AOB
                     EU road safety
                     TEN-T & CEF
                     ASEM Transport Ministers meeting (poss. in public session)
                     Shift2Rail 
                     Work programme of the incoming Presidency

+/- 14.00     Press conference

On 10 June 2015, the Council's Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper) approved a compromise agreement on the reform of the European trade mark system.

The reform of the current system will improve the conditions for businesses to innovate and to benefit from more effective trade mark protection against counterfeits, including fake goods in transit through the EU's territory.

The new legal framework is also aimed at making trade mark registration systems throughout the European Union more accessible and efficient for businesses in terms of lower costs and complexity, increased speed, greater predictability and legal certainty.

Next steps

After endorsement of the compromise agreement by the Legal Affairs committee of the European Parliament, the legal texts will come back to the Council for  political agreement, followed by the usual legal-linguistic revision before the formal adoption of the Council's position at first reading.

Afterwards, the texts will be put for a vote in second reading at a plenary session of the European Parliament.

The Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper) on 9 June 2015 approved, on behalf of the Council, a compromise agreement on a European fund for strategic investments (EFSI) aimed at stimulating the economy.

The compromise reached with the European Parliament on 28 May 2015 paves the way for new investments to begin in mid-2015.

"In the current economic context, there is a clear need to boost investment," said Jānis Reirs, minister for finance of Latvia and president of the Council. "With an enhanced risk-bearing capacity, this new fund will create the conditions needed for the private sector to become involved."

The EFSI is intended to stimulate participation by private investors in a broad range of new investment projects. By taking on part of the risk through a first-loss liability, it is expected to achieve an overall multiplier effect of 1:15 in real investment. Such leverage will eventually allow more than €300bn of additional investment to be mobilised during a three-year investment period.

The fund will be built on €16 billion in guarantees from the EU budget and €5 billion from the European Investment Bank. To facilitate the payment of potential guarantee calls, a guarantee fund will be established so as to gradually reach €8 billion (i.e. 50% of total EU guarantee obligations).

A broad range of projects

The EFSI will be established within the EIB by an agreement between the EIB and the Commission. It will operate for an initial investment period of four years.

The fund will support projects in a broad range of areas, including transport, energy and broadband infrastructure, education, health, research and risk finance for SMEs. It will target socially and economically viable projects without any sector-specific or regional pre-allocation, in particular to address market failures. The EFSI will complement and be additional to ongoing EU programmes and traditional EIB activities.

Lifetime of the fund

Before the end of the initial investment period, the Commission will submit an independent evaluation which will assess whether the EFSI has achieved the objectives of the regulation. Based on the conclusions of its report, the Commission will, as appropriate, present a proposal to either set a new investment period, restructure the fund, or terminate the EFSI.

Funding

EU funding will come from redeploying grants from the Connecting Europe facility (transport, energy and digital networks) and the Horizon 2020 programme (research and innovation), as well as unused margins in the EU's annual budget. As part of the deal, the Council and the Parliament agreed to increase the share of financing coming from unused margins, in comparison with what the Commission proposed, in order to reduce contributions from Horizon 2020 and the Connecting Europe facility (CEF).

The agreement reached on funding is as follows:

• Redeployment will amount to €5bn, of which €2.8bn from the CEF and €2.2bn from Horizon 2020;
• Funding from unused margins will amount to €3bn over the 2016-20 period. The source of this financing includes €543 million and €457 million specifically earmarked from the global margin for commitments for the 2014 and 2015 budgets respectively.
• Payments could be extended until 2023 to provision the EFSI guarantee fund.

Furthermore, it was agreed that €500 million of CEF-transport financial instruments will be redeployed for CEF-transport grants.

Governance of the fund

The EFSI regulation provides for a two-tier governance structure:

• A steering board will set the overall strategy, investment policy and risk profile of the fund. To ensure an impartial steering board and avoid political influence over the selection of projects, the board members will come from the Commission and the EIB only. Their numbers will reflect the institutions' size of contributions in the form of cash or guarantees. The steering board will take decisions by consensus. It will regularly consult stakeholders.
• An independent investment committee will select projects to receive EFSI support. Accountable to the steering board, it will consist of eight independent experts and a managing director. The managing director will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the EFSI and the preparation and chairing of meetings of the investment committee. The committee will take decisions by simple majority. Any project supported by the EFSI will require approval by the EIB.

Contributions to the fund

Member states can contribute to the EFSI in guarantees or cash, while third parties can contribute in cash. However, contributions will not entail any influence over the fund's governance.  

Third parties, including member states' national promotional banks, will be able to co-finance projects together with the EFSI, either on a project-by-project basis or through investment platforms.

Identifying new projects

The regulation will set up a "European investment advisory hub" to provide advisory support for the identification, preparation and development of projects across the EU. It will also establish a "European investment project portal" to improve investors' knowledge of existing and future projects. 

Adopting the regulation

The agreement with the Parliament was reached during a trilogue meeting in Brussels on 27 and 28 May, while the final trilogue endorsement took place on 4 June. Council and Parliament representatives met in nine trilogues since 23 April 2015, having agreed their respective negotiating stances in March and April.

The EFSI regulation will now be submitted to the European Parliament for a vote at first reading, expected on 24 June, and to the Council for final adoption. Signature of the regulation is foreseen before the end of June, which will allow it to enter into force at the beginning of July 2015. The first EFSI operations could be approved as early as mid-September.

Final compromise text of the EFSI regulation

The EU has imposed an arms embargo and further targeted sanctions against a Houthi leader and the son of ex-President Saleh. This decision reflects UN Security Council resolution 2216 (2015) of 14 April 2015 and implements it for the EU. 

Two additional Yemeni individuals have been targeted with a travel ban and an asset freeze over their actions against Yemen's peace and stability. They are Abdulmalik Al-Houthi, the Houthi leader, and Ahmed Ali Abdullah Saleh, son of the former President, who played a key role in facilitating the military expansion of the Houthi movement allied with regular army units loyal to ex-President Saleh. Two other members of the Houthi movement as well as former President Ali Abdullah Saleh have been under the same restrictions since December 2014. 

In addition, the Council put in place the UN's arms embargo against the people and entities subject to these restrictions. The ban also covers providing technical and financial assistance related to military activities.

The EU has condemned the destabilising unilateral actions taken by the Houthis and forces loyal to ex-President Saleh and urged their forces to immediately stop the use of violence. The EU considers that only a broad political consensus achieved through inclusive negotiations can provide a sustainable solution, restore peace, and preserve the unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Yemen.

All information on media accreditation and access to the EU-Mexico summit on 12 June 2015.

Good morning, Grüss Gott. I am happy to be here in the Bavarian Alps for the G7 summit. Especially because it is my very first one. Still I remember well that every G summit (G7, G8, G20) causes emotions and opposition. The current demonstrations are proof of it. Freedom and pluralism matter as much to those who demonstrate as to us. I believe that G7 is the best guarantee, that the countries from the G7 group are the best guarantee, that those values, freedom and pluralism, have survived and will survive. We do not need to apologise for our meeting, it is only because of the G7 countries that people can demonstrate, can think what they want, can say what they want and even look like they want. I am sorry for this maybe too trivial truth, but from time to time it is important that someone says it so openly.

All of us would prefer to have Russia around the table in the G8 format. That is why Russia was invited in the 90ies. But our Group is not only a political and economic group of interests, but first of all this is a community of values. And that is why Russia is not among us here today and will not be invited as long as it behaves aggressively against Ukraine and other countries. This evening, we will discuss our policies towards Ukraine and Russia in light of the recent surge in fighting and killing in eastern Ukraine, the most severe disruption of the Minsk agreements since February. I want to underline that already in March the European Council took a political decision of linking our sanctions regime on Russia with the complete implementation of the Minsk agreements. My intention is that today we re-confirm the G7 unity on the sanctions policy. So let me state clearly, given the current situation, if anyone wants to start a debate about changing the sanctions regime, the discussion could only be about strengthening it. The European Union, as the entire G7, continues to stand firm in support of Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence.

Foreign policy issues will also include discussions on Syria, Iraq, Iran and Libya. Discussions on Friday in the sanctions committee of the UN Security Council is another proof that the formation of a government of national unity in Libya will not be easy.

We will also discuss cross-cutting challenges such as terrorism and migration. Tomorrow, we will discuss counter-terrorism during our outreach session in the company of the leaders of Ethiopia, Iraq, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal and Tunisia. We want to listen, not to lecture. Foreign fighters now pose a greater threat to international security than ever. We will exchange experiences with the leaders around the table given how important it is for the European Union to work with the countries most affected by this issue. As with our forthcoming Valetta summit with African countries on migration, it is hugely important for the European Union to establish a working dialogue with the countries most affected.
 
Beyond that, we as Europeans will aim for a united G7 approach in climate talks. Climate change is our shared challenge. In view of the Paris COP21 in December, we will use this summit to encourage our G7 partners to be ambitious. Europe cannot solve this problem alone. G7 needs to become united, also on this. The fight against climate change is a global fight and goes way beyond Europe and even the G7. If we are not united in the G7, how can we convince others?
 
Finally, I am really satisfied that some leaders want to use the summit to discuss corruption, including the recent FIFA scandal. We do not need empty declarations against corruption but we have to be ready to fight against those who were corrupted and those who corrupt. We need to fight corruption in its all dimensions, no matter how powerful the actors of these disgraceful practices are. Thank you. With this I pass the ball over to you, Jean-Claude.

Sunday 7 June 2015
G7 Summit - Schloss Elmau (Germany)
11.00  Press briefing by President Donald Tusk and President Jean-Claude Juncker
13.00  Official welcome by Chancellor Angela Merkel
13.30  First working session
15.00  Second working session
16.30  Family photo
17.30  Meeting with Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper
19.15  Official reception
20.30  Working dinner

Monday 8 June 2015
G7 Summit - Schloss Elmau (Germany)
09.00  Third working session
10.45  Fourth working session with outreach guests
12.20  Family photo with outreach guests
12.45  Working lunch with outreach guests

Wednesday 10 June 2015
EU-CELAC summit
09.15  Bilateral meetings
14.00  Official welcome
14.30  Opening Ceremony
15.30  First working session
17.00  Second working session
18.30  Family photo
19.00  Social dinner

Thursday 11 June 2015
EU-CELAC summit
10.00  Retreat session
12.15  Closing ceremony
13.00 Press conference by the President of the European Council, the President of the European Commission and the CELAC pro-tempore President
16.00  EU-SICA high level meeting
17.30  EU-CARIFORUM high level meeting

Friday 12 June 2015
EU-Mexico summit
09.30  Leaders' meeting
10.00  Plenary session

14.00  Meeting with President of Burkina Faso Michel Kafando (photo opportunity)

 

The Permanent Representatives Committee on 4 June 2015 approved, on behalf of the Council, a compromise agreed with the European Parliament on a directive aimed at further developing an EU-wide market for electronic payments. 

The directive incorporates and repeals an existing payment services directive (directive 2007/64/EC), which provided the legal basis for the creation of an EU-wide single market for payments. 

Catering for changes in e-commerce 

The revised directive adapts existing rules to emerging and innovative payment services, including internet and mobile payments. It establishes a comprehensive set of rules with the aim of ensuring a more secure environment for payments, in particular for those using remote channels. The directive also sets up a more harmonised and effective framework for supervision by national authorities.  

Since adoption of the original payment services directive in 2007, innovative methods for the initiation of payments in the field of e-commerce have evolved. They usually form a software "bridge" between the website of the merchant and the online banking platform of the payer's bank in order to initiate internet payments on the basis of a credit transfer. These services will now be covered by the directive. They enable the payment initiation service provider (who never holds the user's funds) to give assurance to the payee that the funds necessary for a specific payment transaction are available on the account and the payment has been initiated.  

A regulatory regime to cover the activities of account information services will also be provided for. These services offer the payment service user, for example, with aggregated online information on one or more payment accounts held with one or more other payment service providers. This enables the payment service user to have an overall view of his/her financial situation at any given moment, within a secure environment.  

Secure internet payments 

At the same time, the directive promotes the strengthening of security measures for internet payments and for the use of services provided by new market players. It will ensure strong customer authentication to identify the client for each transaction. The new and strengthened supervisory regime will further increase the security level and consumer protection in this field. 

Next steps 

The Council presidency reached a compromise with the Parliament on 5 May 2015. The Council had set out its position in December 2014. The directive will now have to be approved by the Parliament at first reading, so as to allow adoption by the Council once the texts have been finalised in all languages. 

Once adopted, member states will have two years to transpose the directive into their national laws and regulations. 

In the context of EU sanctions related to the misappropriation of Ukrainian state funds, the Council decided on 5 June to extend the asset freeze for three of the four persons covered by measures applying until 6 June 2015. The measures are extended by 9 months for two of the persons concerned and by 4 months for the third. 

This decision was taken in the light of ongoing judicial proceedings in Ukraine with regard to these persons. EU restrictive measures focusing on the freezing and recovery of misappropriated assets now apply to a total of 17 persons. 

The legal acts are available in the Official Journal of 6 June 2015.

The ninth EU-Algeria Association Council took place this morning in Brussels.

The Association Council was chaired by Ms Mogherini, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission. Algeria was represented by H.E. Mr Ramtane Lamamra, Minister of State and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

This latest meeting of the Association Council enabled the two parties to renew their intention to consolidate the bilateral relationship, not only through the implementation of the Association Agreement, but also through an ambitious political dialogue.

In this connection, the Association Council was an opportunity to reflect on common challenges.  The two parties reviewed the latest developments on Libya, the Malian crisis and combatting terrorism and preventing radicalisation. They also discussed migration and energy cooperation, marked this year by the holding of the first high-level dialogue on energy. The progress of integration in the Maghreb region was also discussed.

The EU and Algeria noted a convergence of views on the review of the European Neighbourhood Policy and reiterated their commitment to concluding negotiations on the action plan in 2015. In this context, both parties expressed their interest in the continuation of political, institutional and socio-economic reforms in Algeria aimed at strengthening democracy and good governance, through an inclusive dialogue with all elements of civil society. To that end, the two parties reviewed bilateral cooperation priorities, including the diversification of the economy and the strengthening of citizen participation in public life.

The parties also addressed the subject of the protection and defence of human rights. The EU welcomed the recent reforms adopted on the advancement of women. Concerning the right of association, the right to assembly and the freedom of assembly, the EU encouraged Algeria to strengthen its cooperation with the United Nations system in order to align itself more closely with the international standards in this field.

As regards technical cooperation, the two parties signed a protocol to the Association Agreement allowing Algeria to participate in Euro-Mediterranean programmes. Algeria will consequently be able to take part in 20 EU programmes, such as COSME (SMEs), Horizon 2020 (research) and Creative Europe (culture and media).

Place:        KIRCHBERG building (KCC), Luxembourg
Chair(s):    Dana Reizniece-Ozola, Minister for Economics of Latvia  

All times are approximate and subject to change  

+/- 09.30     Doorstep by Minister Reizniece-Ozola
+/- 10.00     Beginning of Transport, Telecommunications and ENERGY Council meeting
                     Adoption of the agenda
+/- 10.15     Energy Security Strategy
+/- 12.15     Energy Union - Council conclusions
+/- 12.30     AOB
                     External energy relations: information from the Commission
                     European Nuclear Energy Forum: information from the CZ delegation
                     Work programme of the incoming Presidency
+/- 15.00     Press conference