Western Balkans and September special meeting of the European Council to be discussed in Brussels
Government Communications Unit
Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Press Release 340/2010
23 July 2010
The General Affairs Council and the Foreign Affairs Council will convene in Brussels on Monday 26 July. Permanent Representative to the European Union, Ambassador Jan Store, will represent Finland at both meetings.
Main topics to be discussed at the Foreign Affairs Council include the situation in the Western Balkans and the sanctions associated with Iran’s nuclear programme. The Council will address the Kosovo situation in light of the advisory opinion delivered by the International Court of Justice on 22 July. Finland emphasises that it is necessary for both Kosovo and Serbia to look forward, and highlights the importance of a constructive approach and dialogue in the safeguarding of stability and security in the region. The Council will also discuss EU presence in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Further items on the agenda include implementation of the UN Resolution on sanctions against Iran’s nuclear programme and the EU’s own sanctions. Finland’s aim is to have well-targeted, strong and effective sanctions.
The EU's strategic partnerships with India and Brazil will be addressed over lunch. Discussions will focus on how to deepen cooperation between the EU and its strategic partners and how to increase the EU's political weight and visibility. Finland emphasises that the EU's unity is an important tool as regards increasing the EU’s influence in relation to its strategic partners.
The Council will also look into the situation in the Middle East, focusing on Gaza in particular, but also on the Middle East peace process as a whole. In Finland’s view, Israel’s decision to ease the blockade of Gaza was important and went in the right direction, but further measures are needed as the ultimate target is dismantling of the blockade.
The Foreign Affairs Council will address the EU’s Sudan policy and issues relating to Kyrgyzstan, and present conclusions associated with these. In addition, the ministers are to discuss the EU’s political signals to Georgia.
The General Affairs Council will discuss follow-up to the June European Council meeting. Finland is satisfied with the decisions made in June. The European Council finalised the Europe 2020 Strategy and set a target that the digital single market should be fully functioning by 2015. Progress was also made in the deepening of economic policy coordination.
The Council will start making preparations for the special European Council meeting to be held in September. Items of the meeting include the EU’s relations with its strategic partners and contributions of the working group on economic policy coordination led by President Herman van Rompuy. In Finland’s view, concrete measures for strengthening the EU’s external action should be identified at the meeting. As for economic policy, Finland has been consistent in its efforts to promote the introduction of automatic sanctions and the development of tax policy coordination in the EU.
The Council is to adopt a common EU position on the framework for accession negotiations with Iceland and brief conclusions on the opening of negotiations on 27 July. Finland supports Iceland’s EU accession aspirations. In addition, the Council is to adopt the Establishment Decision concerning the European External Action Service.
Inquiries: Foreign Affairs Council: Leena-Kaisa Mikkola, Head of Unit, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 9 1605 5026. General Affairs Council: Minna Hulkkonen, Ministerial Adviser, Government Secretariat for EU Affairs, tel. +358 9 1602 2184