Finland's EU Presidency: Newsletter 18/2006
27 Nov 2006, 08:18
EU FOREIGN MINISTERS TO CONVENE FOR A EUROMED MEETING 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. The Conference will address key issues relating to the Euro-Mediterranean partnership. These include the political situation in the region, the new European neighbourhood policy, cross-cultural dialogue, immigration issues and counter-terrorism activities. The meeting will be chaired by the Finnish Foreign Minister, Erkki Tuomioja.
The meeting will be attended by the EU Foreign Ministers and their Mediterranean counterparts (from Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, Tunis, Turkey and the Palestinian Authority), as well as representatives from the EU institutions and observers.
Press conferences will be held at on Monday at 15.30 (GMT+2) (EU-Israel Troika) and 17.30 (GMT+2) (EU-Arab Group Troika) and on Tuesday at 12.45 (GMT+2) (final press conference). These will be webcast and can be viewed live or as recordings at www.eu2006.fi.
http://www.eu2006.fi/calendar/vko48/en_GB/1136380225208/
INFORMAL SPORTS MINISTERS' CONFERENCE, 27-28 NOVEMBER IN BRUSSELS
The Finnish Presidency, in cooperation with the European Commission, is organising a ministerial conference on "The EU & Sport: Matching Expectations", to take place in Brussels on 27 and 28 November 2006. The conference will be chaired by the Finnish Minister of Culture, Tanja Saarela, who is responsible for sporting matters, and Member of the European Commission, Ján Figel'.
At the Conference, the Ministers for sport will discuss the forthcoming Commission White Paper on Sport, which puts forward ideas and proposals concerning the role of sports in society and the economic importance of sports. Other topics include the Presidency priorities: health-enhancing physical activity, support for volunteering in sport and international anti-doping policy.
For the first time ever, major European sports bodies and sports journalists are invited to watch the informal ministerial conference via a video link outside the conference hall.
The press conference will be held at 14.30 (GMT+1) on 28 November in the Berlaymont Building, (VIP corner).
http://www.eu2006.fi/calendar/vko48/en_GB/1153487578242/
ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL AFFAIRS COUNCIL (ECOFIN), 28 NOVEMBER IN BRUSSELS
The Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) will be held in Brussels on 28 November. The Council will be chaired by the Finnish Minister of Finance, Eero Heinäluoma. Ministers will discuss the VAT package, minimum excise duties on alcoholic beverages and travellers' allowances.
There will be a macroeconomic dialogue at political level on Monday, 27 November. A Eurogroup meeting will also be held on Monday evening.
The open session of the Council meeting, to be held at approximately 14.30 (GMT+1), and the press conference, scheduled to begin at 15.30 (GMT+1), can be viewed live or as recordings at www.eu2006.fi
http://www.eu2006.fi/calendar/vko48/en_GB/1147784846727/
EMPLOYMENT, SOCIAL POLICY, HEALTH AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS COUNCIL (EPSCO), 30 NOVEMBER-1 DECEMBER IN BRUSSELS
The EPSCO Council, to be held on 30 November-1 December in Brussels, is set to take a decision on the establishment of a European Globalisation Fund and will endeavour to reach a political agreement on the Community Health Programme.
The Council will also adopt conclusions on health in all policies, the EU strategy to reduce alcohol-related harm, the review of implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, and men and gender equality. In addition, the Presidency report on the portability of supplementary pension rights will be presented, and there will be a discussion on the Green Paper on Labour Law.
The Council will be chaired by Minister of Labour Tarja Filatov, Minister of Health and Social Services Liisa Hyssälä and Minister of Social Affairs and Health Tuula Haatainen
The open sessions are due to start at approximately 10.00 (GMT+1) on Thursday and approximately 9.30 (GMT+1) on Friday. The press conferences are scheduled to begin at around 14.30 (GMT+1) on Thursday and around 18.00 on Friday. Both the open sessions and the press conferences can be viewed as live webcasts or as recordings from the archive at www.eu2006.fi.
http://www.eu2006.fi/calendar/vko48/en_GB/1147792042580/
Next week:
INFORMAL MINISTERIAL MEETING: EUROPEAN COOPERATION IN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING, 4-5 DECEMBER IN HELSINKI
The Ministers in charge of vocational education and training in the European Union will convene in Helsinki on 4-5 December for an informal ministerial meeting led by the Finnish Minister of Education and Science, Antti Kalliomäki.
The meeting will discuss the position of vocational education and training in Europe and is to adopt objectives for European cooperation in that field over the next two years. Cooperation on vocational education and training is pursued as part of the Copenhagen Process, the counterpart of the Bologna Process in higher education.
In connection with the meeting, Minister Antti Kalliomäki and Commissioner Ján Figel' will present awards to ten successful projects that have supported the aims of the Copenhagen Process, with funding from the EU's Leonardo da Vinci Programme.
http://www.eu2006.fi/calendar/vko49/en_GB/1129705891255/
CONSPECTUS RERUM LATINUS
The next Latin news-in-brief will be issued on Wednesday, 29 November.
NEWSLETTERS
The next newsletter will be issued on Monday, 4 December.
