Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides participated in the proceedings of the latest EU General Affairs Council, held under the French Presidency of the EU, which took place today in Luxembourg. The discussions focused on the preparation of the European Council of 23 and 24 June, which will deal, inter alia, with the proposal to create a "European Political Community" and the European perspective of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia, as well as the Western Balkans region. Ministers also exchanged views on the outcome of the Conference on the Future of Europe and on EU-UK relations. In addition, they endorsed the Commission's Country-Specific Recommendations (CSRs), in the context of the European Semester for 2022, in relation to the updated Stability or Convergence Programmes.
Speaking during the discussion on the preparation of the European Council, the Foreign Minister referred to the prospect of creating a so-called "European Political Community", on the basis of the vision presented by President Macron at the plenary session of the European Parliament on 9 May. We agree with the idea of creating a framework for political consultations, but involving states that share the same values and objectives as the EU. At the same time, he stressed the need to preserve the autonomy in decision-making of the EU and the Member States with regard to the participation of third countries, while stressing that it cannot be a substitute for the enlargement process.
Referring to enlargement issues in general, the Foreign Minister welcomed the positive opinions of the European Commission on the granting of candidate country status to Ukraine and Moldova, as well as conditional status to Georgia, noting that a merit-based approach should be followed on the basis of existing procedures, without making promises that cannot be kept. At the same time, he said that the enlargement process in the Western Balkans should be reinvigorated.
In his intervention during the debate on the outcome of the Conference on the Future of Europe, the Foreign Minister stressed the need to focus first of all on concrete issues that are important for citizens and which can be implemented quickly within the existing framework of the Treaties.
(MF/NG)
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