At today's session, the Core Working Group for the EU Presidency (CWG), headed by the Prime Minister Janez Janša, discussed a number of suggestions regarding the preparations for Slovenia's presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2008.

 

Photo: Office of the Prime MInister

 

The CWG discussed eleven agenda items, the most important being the approval of a joint 18-month presidency programme drawn up by the members of the trio – Germany, Portugal and Slovenia – in collaboration with the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union. When the document has been approved by the CWG it will be discussed at a cabinet session in the second half of November. The government will inform the National Assembly about the programme at a joint session of the Committee on EU Affairs and the Committee on Foreign Policy at the beginning of December; it should be confirmed by the EU at the December session of the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council.

 

The CWG also approved semiannual reports (April-October 2006) on the progress made by sub-groups, the Logistics Centre, the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Slovenia to the EU, and competent ministries, was informed of the implementation of a three-month operational plan, and approved a new one for sub-groups for the next trimester.

 

Among other agenda items were the calendar of events involving third countries, and their provisional costs. The CWG was also informed of the latest estimate regarding the costs of the presidency, which remains at SIT13.7 billion (approx. €57 million). The full scope of responsibilities of presiding countries will be known next year, after a finalised list of all events and related issues, such as security, and employment dynamics, has been prepared.