Council of the EU to prepare the European Council and discuss Western Balkans
Government Communications Unit
Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Press Release 72/2009
13 March 2009
The EU General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) will meet in Brussels on Monday 16 March. The main topics of the GAERC meeting include preparation of the European Council, the Western Balkans and Belarus. Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb and Minister of Migration and European Affairs Astrid Thors will represent Finland at the meeting.
The current Presidency country, the Czech Republic, will present the draft conclusions of the European Council to be held on 19 and 20 March in Brussels and Member States will have a possibility to comment on the proposal. The main topic at the spring European Council will be Europe’s current economic and financial situation. The Heads of State or Government will discuss stability and supervision of the financial markets, implementation of the European Economic Recovery Plan and steps taken with regard to the Lisbon Strategy. The European Council will also define the Union's position with a view to the G20 Summit in London.
Along with economic policy issues, the European Council will address the issue of energy security, the internal energy market and the Copenhagen Conference on climate change to be held in December 2009. The meeting will also adopt the so-called Eastern Partnership Initiative and prepare the informal meeting between the EU and the United States to be held in April. In addition, the EU Heads of State or Government will hear the Irish Prime Minister’s report on the ratification process of the Lisbon Treaty in Ireland.
Apart from the preparation of the European Council, the General Affairs and External Relations Council will discuss the European Economic Recovery Plan and its implementation.
The Council is to announce its position on the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Finland hopes that a new EU Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina could start as soon as possible. Finland supports the transition of the EU-led ALTHEA crisis management operation into a mission providing training and support. The relevant decision should be made without delay.
The Council will discuss and present conclusions on the visa ban on Belarusian leaders. In October 2008, the travel ban was suspended for six months because it was considered that the isolation of the Belarusian officials no longer advanced the country's development. Finland is in favour of a further six-month suspension if Belarus proves to have achieved the EU-set objectives of democracy and human rights reforms.
The Council will adopt conclusions on the situation in Afghanistan. Finland underlines the security aspects in the arrangement of the planned Afghan elections in August and stresses the importance of national reconciliation in achieving a permanent solution. Furthermore, the transition of the EUFOR operation in Chad and Central African Republic to the UN will also be on the agenda.
The Ministers will discuss the situation in Sudan over lunch. In March, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for the Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. In Finland’s opinion, the EU should continue to strongly support the ICC. It is important that the EU Member States have clear and uniform modi operandi in relation with President al-Bashir’s administration.
Other topics will include the informal meeting between the EU and the United States to be held in Prague in April and the EU troika visit to Egypt, Jordan and Palestine.
Further information: Sanna Ek, Adviser, EU Affairs, Government Secretariat for EU Affairs, tel. +358 9 1602 2150; Markku Lampinen, Counsellor, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 9 1605 5330 or +358 40 7266 124; and Jonna Laurmaa, Counsellor, EU Affairs, Government Secretariat for EU Affairs, tel. +358 9 1602 2191