The first meeting of the foreign ministers of the Germany-Portugal-Slovenia trio that is to successively preside over the Council of the EU in 2020-2021 has shown the countries have similar views on the bloc’s challenges and priorities, the Slovenian Foreign Ministry Miro Cerar said after Wednesday’s talks in Berlin.
The meeting was hosted by Germany’s Heiko Maas and attended by Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva and Slovenia’s Miro Cerar, the meeting brought a debate on the importance of the rule of law, on the situation of the EU, including relations with China and Africa. Also discussed was the Western Balkans and EU enlargement, which was highlighted as an important part of Slovenia’s agenda as the EU presiding country in the second half of 2021.
While it is too early to speak of concrete priorities, Slovenia is expected to dedicate a lot attention to the rule of law, to multilateralism and a strong and proactive role of the EU in the international community.
According to Cerar, Slovenia, whose presidency will follow Portugal’s, will also try to promote the circular economy and a social Europe. As for the Western Balkans, he stressed “Slovenia is a determined proponent of the open doors policy, of course provided that all conditions for accession are met. If the EU fails to increase its influence in the Western Balkans, others global powers will gradually take over”, Cerar added.
Meanwhile, the drafting of the trio’s programme will coincide with the adoption of the EU’s next strategic agenda, which means joint work on the priories will be upgraded in the coming months. The final text is expected to be ready in the spring of next year, the Foreign Ministry wrote.
In a joint statement adopted, the ministers said that EU is needed more than ever to protect our values and interests. They also announced their countries’ 18-month presidency would follow an ambitions and forward-oriented programme and that close cooperation would also take place with the preceding and next trio. On the sidelines of the meeting, Cerar and Maas signed a joint working programme of cooperation between Slovenia and Germany in the 2019-2021 period.
Germany is assuming the Presidency of the European Council in the second half of 2020, followed by Portugal and Slovenia. The three Foreign Ministers want to closely dovetail their Presidencies, progress from one to another in a purposeful manner and set clear and common priorities.
Foreign Minister Maas said the following prior to the commencement of the talks: “If we’re serious about this strong Europe, then we must do everything we can to make the EU more capable of taking action. For the Council Presidency, this means starting from scratch every six months isn’t enough.”
China, the Western Balkans and the multiannual financial framework
A key issue will be the EU’s relations with China. Should the balance of power shift, said Maas, then Europe will require perseverance in order to continue to be in a position to bring influence to bear and not to become a mere object of others’ policies.
The Western Balkans will also be a regional focus. Germany, Portugal and Slovenia are committed to the prospect of accession, also because this is in Europe’s interests as regards security and stability.
The course for the EU’s future will be set not only by the European elections, but also by the multiannual financial framework, which will therefore play an important role in all three presidencies. The three Foreign Ministers agree that greater investments in the future and greater efforts in the field of digitalisation are required in particular.