Finland's EU Presidency: Newsletter 15/2006
06 Nov 2006, 08:52
CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE CLIMATE CHANGE CONVENTION AND MEETING OF THE PARTIES TO THE KYOTO PROTOCOL IN NAIROBI, KENYA, ON 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.
The EU Council delegation for the Nairobi meeting will be led by Jan-Erik Enestam, Minister of the Environment, who will also present the EU's positions to the conference. The event will be attended by delegations representing approximately 180 parties.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will provide webcast coverage of the meeting. A link to the webcasts is available at www.eu2006.fi.
www.eu2006.fi/calendar/vko45/1148716606113/
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 amending of the Working Time Directive. The meeting will be chaired by the Finnish Minister of Labour, Tarja Filatov.
The meeting, to start at approximately 10.00 (GMT+1), and the press conference after the meeting (if held), will be webcast and can be viewed live or as recording from the archive at www.eu2006.fi.
www.eu2006.fi/calendar/vko45/1147792042580/
ECOFIN COUNCIL IN BRUSSELS ON 7 NOVEMBER
The Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) will be held in Brussels on 7 November. 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. A Eurogroup meeting will be held prior to the Council meeting on 6 November.
The open sessions of the Council meeting, to be held at approximately at 10.50 (GMT+1) and 11.30 (GMT+1), and the press conference, scheduled to start at approximately 13.00 (GMT+1), will be webcast by the Council. A link to the webcasts is available at www.eu2006.fi.
www.eu2006.fi/calendar/vko45/1147784846727/
EUROMED CONFERENCE OF FOREIGN MINISTERS IN TAMPERE ON 27-28 NOVEMBER
EU Foreign Ministers will meet in Tampere on 27-28 November for the Euro-Mediterranean Conference of Foreign Ministers, which convenes every 18 months and which is the most important institution in the EuroMed (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 Administration), as well as representatives from the EU institutions and observers. The discussions will address key issues relating to the Euro-Mediterranean partnership. The final choice of topics for discussion will be determined largely by the political situation at the time.
The meeting will be chaired by the Finnish Foreign Minister, Erkki Tuomioja.
The accreditation deadline for the meeting is 10 November. Further information on the media arrangements for the meeting is available at www.eu2006.fi.
http://www.eu2006.fi/calendar/vko48/en_GB/1136380225208/?calYear=2006&calMonth=10
CONSPECTUS RERUM LATINUS
The next Latin news-in-brief will be issued on Wednesday, 8 November.
www.eu2006.fi/newsletters/
NEWSLETTERS
The next newsletter will be issued on Monday, 13 November.
www.eu2006.fi/newsletters/
