Minister Delegate for European Affairs Victor Negrescu met on Tuesday in Brussels with Jeppe Tranholm-Mikkelsen, Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union, Secretary General of the European Commission Alexander Italianer, and European Commissioner for Regional Development Corina Cretu.
According to a Foreign Ministry release, talks focused on the evolution of preparations for Romania’s taking over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, with the Minister Delegate for European Affairs briefing the EU officials on the efforts made lately by the Romanian government for taking over at the EU helm as of January 1, 2019.
“We worked out a first form of the agenda of actions to be organized throughout the country over the six-month term, and we have already completed three rounds of internal consultations on identifying the themes of interest during the mandate for the ministries and public institutions, but also for Romania’s representatives in the European Economic and Social Committee, the European Committee of the Regions and the European Parliament,” Victor Negrescu said at the end of the meeting with Jeppe Tranholm-Mikkelsen.
During the meeting with the European Commission’s Secretary General Alexander Italianer, Minister Delegate Negrescu underscored the importance of extensive cooperation with the EC in the approach of preparations for Romania’s taking over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, showing that Romania stays proactively engaged in EU-wide cooperation with a view to further strengthening the European project.
Talks with the European Commissioner for Regional Development Corina Cretu focused on the topic of the agenda of the Romanian Presidency at the Council of the European Union, with the Minister Delegate referencing the directions of approach so as to ensure top efficiency at the EU helm.
“In exercising the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Romania seeks to be an impartial mediator, pursuing the advancement of the European agenda by accommodating the positions of as many as possible member states. Based on the need to orient policies towards citizens’ needs, Romania’s working program will focus on ensuring the implementation of inclusive and sustainable solutions that will benefit all member states, on maintaining a united and strong Europe, and on strengthening the global role of the European Union,” Negrescu said.
