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- 30.06.2007
Website of the Portuguese EU Council Presidency. On 1 July 2007 Portugal takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The Website of the Portuguese EU Council Presidency can be reached at www.eu2007.pt. As of 1 July 2007 you find topical information on the EU-Presidency in the second semester of 2007.
- 30.06.2007
German EU Presidency comes to an end. Today the German EU Council Presidency comes to an end. We'd like to thank all those who used our website during the past six months. Our aim was to provide you with fast and detailed information about Germany's Presidency, and we hope we came close to achieving that aim.
The number of hits for the daily updated pages proved that the public had a great interest in European policy and in the events of the past half-year. Almost 9,000 subscribers to the newsletters and news alerts used these to get the latest reports. The large number of mostly positive but sometimes critical feedback from you all gave us comfort and support during our daily task. Thank you for your commitment and for the many useful tips!
The website was the Presidency's central information platform and multimedia news agency, and we used images, sound and video, as well as podcasts and RSS feeds. You made good use of what was on offer as more than 64 mio hits and 9,2 mio page impressions by 700,000 individual users testify.
We would especially like to thank all those who helped us create and run this site. Without your tireless support it would not have been the success it was. Thanks a lot!
The editorial team:
Hinrich Thölken, Claus Andrée-Röhmholdt, Tim Hoesmann, Georg Kristian Kampfer, Jörg Neuenfeld, Kathrin Steinbrenner
- 30.06.2007
Opening and Welcoming Address by Federal Foreign Minister Steinmeier at the Foreign Minister Troika Meeting between the EU and Central Asia on 30 June 2007 in Berlin. Colleagues, Ambassador Morel, Ambassador Rejepov, Ambassador Curto, Director-General Landaburo,
Let me warmly welcome you to Berlin and thank you for accepting my invitation.
The last time we met, on 28 March Astana, we set ourselves a great deal of tasks. We wanted to open a new chapter in European-Central Asian relations, to supply the impetus for a comprehensive and mutual deepening of our relations. I am pleased to be able to take initial stock of these efforts with you here today. As a visible sign of our joint efforts you have before you the EU’s strategy on Central Asia adopted by the European Council.
- 29.06.2007
Tiefensee: 27 dossiers successfully completed under German Presidency. Speaking in Berlin today, the Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs, Wolfgang Tiefensee, took stock of the achievements made as the German Council Presidency is drawing to a close: “The first part of the Triple Presidency is nearing its end. All in all, we can be proud of what we have achieved: we have managed to successfully complete 27 dossiers”, said Mr Tiefensee.
“During our Presidency of the EU Council, we worked intensively on the issue of climate change and transport. Not only did we define strict limit values for CO2 emissions but we also adopted the first ever European Energy Strategy for the transport sector.
- 29.06.2007
Agreement achieved on the use of SWIFT data. The dispute over the disclosure of data from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) to US authorities has been resolved today, marking a further success while Germany holds the presidency of the EU. The Federal Ministry of Finance releases the following statement:
Within the framework of the German presidency of the Council of the European Union, the country’s Federal Ministry of Finance has been intensively involved in the negotiations between the European Commission and the US Treasury (UST) regarding the use of SWIFT data in full compliance with data protection laws.
- 29.06.2007
Ursula von der Leyen: “Place of exchange for good family policy in Europe”. “We know that we can learn a lot from our European neighbours concerning family-related policy,” says Federal Minister for Family Affairs Von der Leyen. “Now we have an instrument accessible by anyone who would like to make an effort for the interests of families – the concerned citizen, the family association, and business enterprises as well as politics. With today’s launching of the Internet portal we are opening a gate for a strong European Alliance for Families. Now it is up to the countries and the people in Europe to join the alliance and make use of it as a place of exchange on good family-related policy and successful practical examples at the European level,” says Ursula von der Leyen.
- 29.06.2007
Handover to the Portuguese EU Council Presidency. On Saturday (30 June) Germany's EU Council Presidency comes to an end. During the next six months Portugal will take over this task. To mark this occasion Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier will pass on a relay baton to his Portuguese counterpart Luìs Amado.
- 29.06.2007
Speech by Federal Chancellor Dr Angela Merkel to the European Parliament, Brussels, on 27 June 2007 reviewing the German EU Presidency (transcript). Mr President, Esteemed Colleagues from the European Parliament, Ladies and Gentlemen, Just a few days after a memorable European Council I would like to start by recalling our celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome in Berlin in March. On that occasion we reminded ourselves of this: 50 years of the Treaties of Rome, 50 years of peace and freedom, democracy and the rule of law – in the context of history these are no more than the blinking of an eye. And whether they will one day be more than that, we do not know.
- 29.06.2007
EU Presidency statement on the reform of criminal law and the abolition of the death penalty in Kyrgyzstan. The Presidency of the European Union welcomes the decisions taken by the Kyrgyz Government on 27 June 2007 concerning the reform of criminal law and the execution of criminal sentences. The introduction of suspended sentences and the strengthening of the courts are major contributions towards enhancing human rights in Kyrgyzstan. The country is thereby underlining its determination to respect international human rights standards and live up to its commitments in the framework of the OSCE.
In this context the Presidency of the European Union welcomes in particular the decision of the Kyrgyz President Bakijev to abolish the death penalty in Kyrgyzstan. This is an important step, also with a view to the EU's goal of a worldwide abolition of the death penalty.
- 29.06.2007
Federal Interior Minister Wolfgang Schäuble: German Council Presidency a great success. Federal Interior Minister Wolfgang Schäuble said that the German Council Presidency in the field of European home affairs policy was a great success. “We have accomplished a great deal under the German Council Presidency, also in the group of home affairs ministers. Our goal was to improve practical cooperation, for instance among the police and security authorities, but also in matters concerning immigration and the joint protection of the external borders.
Date: 22.12.2006
