General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting will be held in Luxembourg
© Le Conseil de l'Union européenne
- from: 13.10.2008
- to: 14.10.2008
- In: Luxembourg
Bernard Kouchner, Minister for Foreign and European Affairs will chair the General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting in Luxembourg on 13 October. This monthly meeting brings together the 27 EU foreign ministers, the European Commission and the Secretary-General/High Representative for CFSP.
The ministers will prepare the European Council meeting in Brussels on 15 and 16 October, which will be dominated by the economic and financial situation and the desire for the EU to provide critical help in regulating this international crisis. The European Council meeting on 15 and 16 October will tackle other priority issues and current events under the French EU Presidency such as an update on energy/climate negotiations with a view to the European Council meeting in December, energy security, and volatility in food and petrol prices. The Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen will present a report on the Lisbon Treaty to the Heads of State or Government who will discuss ratifications and the options available to resolve the situation created by the Irish rejection. The European Council will also adopt the European Pact on Immigration and Asylum, one of the four priorities set out by the French Presidency.
As part of preparations for the European Council meeting, foreign ministers will discuss the results of 1 September extraordinary European Council meeting on Georgia and EU-Russia relations. With the EU observer mission now deployed on the ground, ministers will review the political situation in relation with the discussions beginning on 15 October in Geneva and prepare the Georgia Donors' Conference in Brussels on 22 October.
They will also look at the situation in Zimbabwe, Belarus post 28 September elections, Moldova and Uzbekistan. A troika meeting between the EU and the Belarus Minister for Foreign Affairs will be held on the sidelines of the Council in order to review the post-election situation, in conformity with the conclusions of the September European Council meeting.
The EU-Morocco Association Council will be held on the margins of the European Council meeting. The EU will use this occasion to highlight its sensitivity to Morocco's specific expectations and needs and show its willingness to respond favourably to the perspective of advanced status sought by this country. This meeting will also be an opportunity to review, in the presence of our Moroccan partners, close and trustworthy cooperation between the EU and Morocco.
- Updated: 23.12.2008
