Athens, 10 January 2024

Briefing of European Affairs Committee on priorities of Belgian Presidency

 

The priorities of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union were on the agenda of today's meeting of the European Affairs Committee of the Hellenic Parliament, on the occasion of Belgium's assumption of the EU's rotating presidency on 1 January 2024.  The members of the Committee were briefed by the Belgian Ambassador to Greece, Mr Marc Calcoen.

In his opening remarks the 1st Vice-President and Chair of the Special Standing Committee on European Affairs, Mr Ioannis Plakiotakis, pointed out that Belgium assumes the Presidency of the EU Council at a very critical time period, mainly due to the European elections in June, as well as the climate of instability in the wider geopolitical area where Europe has an immediate interest, which is intensifying and expanding alarmingly. The climate of insecurity that surrounds Europe, he noted, encourages the extreme voices, a fact that should put the democratic forces on alert, rally them together and lead to synergies and actions in order to safeguard the fundamental principles upon which the European edifice has been built. Concluding, Mr Plakiotakis assessed that the result of the European elections will largely determine the path that the European Union will follow for more or less democracy in Europe.

Afterwards, the Belgian Ambassador to Greece took the floor and referred to the key priorities of the Belgian Presidency, highlighting the actions of empowerment in relation to prosperity, protection with regard to security, and preparation in terms of the future of Europe and the internal institutional reforms that will emerge in the coming period.

Mr Calcoen noted that in view of the legislative and regional elections to be held in Belgium on June 9^th, along with the European elections, the Belgian presidency will be "on a fast track" during the first quarter of 2024, attempting to complete the legislative work still pending, and made particular reference to the formal vote in the Parliament and the Council regarding the European Pact on Asylum and Immigration. 

The Belgian Ambassador concluded by noting that Greece and Belgium have a common view towards Europe, as they are two pro-European countries that fight together for the promotion of European values and European interests and the strengthening of the European Union globally.

 

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