The Core Working Group for the EU Presidency chaired by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Janez Janša, met at the July session and discussed the preparations for Slovenia's Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2008.

(Photo: Nebojša Tejić/Salomon 2000)

 

The Core Working Group approved a report on the realisation of the operational work plan for the second trimester of 2007 and considered the report for the period July–December 2007.

 

The discussion focused on the activities of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia in the last six months before taking over the Presidency, particularly in the light of drafting a core selection of priorities. This is the final stage of preparations, which carefully reappraises the inherited agenda to establish more detailed plans for managing individual dossiers. To this end, the group has called on the stakeholders of more demanding dossiers to submit updated proposals by mid-September.  All the documents received will provide the basis for a final decision in November on the priorities of the Presidency at government level.

 

Members of the Core Working Team expressed satisfaction over the fact that the June EU summit reached an agreement on the content of the so-called reform treaty. This means that Slovenia will be able to focus its energy on other priorities.

 

The Core Working Group also discussed the proposal of cultural promotion activities, the language regime for events in Slovenia, and the draft handbook for the work of diplomatic and consular representations during the Presidency; it also appointed Mr Anže Logar, Acting Director of the Government Communication Office, the new head of the Public Relations and Promotion Sub-group.

 

The group also considered the interim report on the construction of the Brdo Conference Centre. After the session, accompanied by the Secretary-General of the Government, Božo Predalič, the members inspected the progress of work on the conference centre complex.