Finland's EU Presidency: Newsletter 14/2006
30 Oct 2006, 08:33
MEETING OF THE EU-RUSSIA PERMANENT PARTNERSHIP COUNCIL (PPC) IN HELSINKI ON 29-30 OCTOBER
The fifth meeting of the EU-Russia Permanent Partnership Council in the Justice and Home Affairs format (PPC JHA) will end in Helsinki on Monday 30 October. The objective of the meeting is to further strengthen and develop cooperation between the EU and Russia with regard to freedom, security and justice and to examine implementation of the road map for the EU-Russia common space of freedom, security and justice. The meeting will discuss issues relating to the movement of persons, terrorism, organised crime and judicial cooperation in civil and criminal matters.
The press conference at 15.00 (GMT+2) on Monday, 30 October will be webcast and can be viewed after the event as a recording from the archive at eu2006.fi. Please note that daylight-saving time ended in the EU last Sunday. Brussels time is now GMT+1 and Helsinki time GMT+2.
http://www.eu2006.fi/calendar/vko43/1160648455975/
VERONA IV - ROAD SAFETY CONFERENCE ON 3-4 NOVEMBER
The EU Transport Ministers will hold their fourth road safety conference in Verona on 3-4 November. The purpose of the conference is to support the EU's work on road safety and create new measures with which to address problems. Finland, in cooperation with Italy and the European Commission, will be responsible for the agenda of the conference. The theme will be "Innovative Approaches to Road Safety". Participants will come from the EU member states, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, the United States, Russia and India.
The meeting will be chaired by Susanna Huovinen, the Finnish Minister of Transport and Communications, and Cesare de Piccoli, the Italian Vice-Minister of Transport.
www.eu2006.fi/calendar/vko44/1147249528163/
CONFERENCE OF PARTIES TO THE CLIMATE CHANGE CONVENTION AND MEETING OF THE PARTIES TO THE KYOTO PROTOCOL, NAIROBI, KENYA 6-17 NOVEMBER
The largest and most important international environmental conference during the Finnish EU Presidency will be the 12th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the 2nd Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol.
During the sessions, attention will be given to the processes set in motion in Montreal in December 2005 (Montreal Action Plan, COP 11 and COP/MOP 1). The topics covered by the Montreal Action Plan include: review of the Kyoto process; further commitments on the part of developed countries to the Kyoto Protocol; and dialogue on long-term cooperative action among all parties involved.
The EU Council delegation for the Nairobi meeting will be led by Jan-Erik Enestam, Minster of the Environment, who will also present the EU's viewpoints to the conference. The event will be attended by delegations representing approximately 180 parties.
During COP 12 and COP/MOP 2, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will provide webcast coverage of all plenary sessions, official meetings and press conferences via an on-demand streaming service. A link to the UNFCCC webcasts is available at www.eu2006.fi.
www.eu2006.fi/calendar/vko45/1148716606113/
ECOFIN COUNCIL IN BRUSSELS ON 7 NOVEMBER
The Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) will be held in Brussels on 7 November, at 10.45 (GMT+1). The Council will be chaired by the Finnish Minister of Finance, Eero Heinäluoma. The meeting will discuss the sustainability of public finances, minimum excise duties on alcoholic beverages and travellers' allowances. The ministerial meeting with the EFTA countries will take place at 10.00 (GMT+1). A Eurogroup meeting will be held prior to the Council meeting on 6 November.
The open session of the Council meeting, to be held at approximately 11.00 (GMT+1), and the press conference, scheduled to start at approximately 13.10 (GMT+1), can be viewed live at www.eu2006.fi. Please note that daylight-saving time ended in the EU last Sunday. Brussels time is currently GMT+1 and Helsinki time GMT+2.
www.eu2006.fi/calendar/vko45/1147784846727/
EXTRAORDINARY EMPLOYMENT, SOCIAL POLICY, HEALTH AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS COUNCIL (EPSCO) IN BRUSSELS ON 7 NOVEMBER
On 7 November, the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council will hold an extraordinary meeting in Brussels, devoted entirely to the Working Time Directive. As the Presidency country, Finland will strive to achieve agreement on the amending of the Working Time Directive. The meeting will be chaired by the Finnish Minister of Labour, Tarja Filatov.
Time of press conference and availability of live or recorded webcasts to be confirmed.
www.eu2006.fi/calendar/vko45/1147792042580/
CONSPECTUS RERUM LATINUS
The next Latin news-in-brief will be issued on Wednesday, 1 November.
NEWSLETTERS
The next newsletter will be issued on Monday, 6 November.
