June

• 27.06.2007
  Taking stock of Germany's EU Presidency. A new contractual basis for the European Union and ambitious climate-protection goals – these are just two of the decisions on the future of the EU taken during the six-month German EU Council Presidency. The Federal Cabinet took positive stock of Germany's EU Presidency. The EU's transparency and ability to act have been strengthened and concrete decisions have been promoted to the benefit of Europe's citizens.
• 23.06.2007
  A good day for Europe. The German Council Presidency has overcome a mammoth task in Brussels: after almost 36 hours of negotiations, it has paved the way for treaty reform in the EU – with the participation of Poland. It was no easy job. But it was worth it. An intergovernmental conference will now draw up the new treaty in detail. We have achieved what we set out to do”, said Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel following the conclusion of the talks on Saturday morning. Europe, she said, had broken the deadlock; the new mandate was a “community effort”.
• 23.06.2007
  Meeting of the European Council in Brussels. +++ The 27 Heads of States and Governments met in Brussels from thursday (June 21) till saturday (June 23). +++
• 22.06.2007
  The political will is there. The EU Heads of State and Government talked well into the night in Brussels about giving the EU a new contractual basis. Federal Chancellor Merkel came out of the initial talks feeling optimistic. She felt the atmosphere of the negotiations had been productive and open. Everyone had the opportunity to express their concerns, she explained at a press conference just before midnight. Everyone wanted a workable solution. Now it was a matter of striking a balance between the views of the majority and the wishes of individuals.
• 20.06.2007
  Chancellor Angela Merkel invites the EU Heads of State and Government to the European Council in Brussels. It is with great pleasure that I invite you to the meeting of the European Council in Brussels on 21 and 22 June 2007. Over the last few months, under the German Council Presidency, we have together made significant progress for Europe. Only together will we succeed in resolving the issues before us at this European Council meeting. The central issue will be reform of the Treaties. In the Berlin Declaration of 25 March 2007 we reaffirmed together that we wished to place the European Union on a new treaty basis before the European Parliament elections in 2009. The important challenges that lie ahead demand capacity to act and legitimacy on the part of the European Union.
• 15.06.2007
  Press Briefing on the European Council on June 21 and 22, 2007. with Government Spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm and the European and Foreign Affairs Advisers of the Federal Chancellor, Uwe Corsepius and Christoph Heusgen on Wednesday, 20 March 2007, 11.30 am at the Federal Chancellery, 1st floor, Berlin, Germany and Justus Lipsius Presidency Pressbriefingroom, Brussels, Belgium.

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March

• 13.03.2007
  The Federal Government is hosting the big Europe festival in Berlin. The Federal Government is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome by hosting a big Europe Festival in Berlin on 24 and 25 March. The “Europa-Nacht der Schönheit” (“European Night of Beauty”) and “Europäische Clubnacht” (“European Club Night”) are scheduled to take place on 24 March, and the big open-air event surrounding the Brandenburg Gate will be held on 25 March. The Europe Festival has been organised in conjunction with the informal summit for the Heads of State and Government on 24 and 25 March in Berlin. You can find detailed information about the Europe Festival on the website at www.europafest2007.de.
• 09.03.2007
  Historical agreement on climate protection. Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel has made a breakthrough in Brussels on the issue of climate protection. The European Union (EU) has undertaken to increase the use of renewable energy to 20% by 2020. This was agreed by the EU’s Heads of State and Government in Brussels. How individual Member States will contribute to this target will be decided in separate negotiations. For the moment, though, there is agreement that the target of 20% within the European Union should be met.
• 09.03.2007
  Hope for major headway on climate protection. The European Union should make a binding commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% in relation to 1990 values and to increase by 20% the share of renewable energies. That is the goal Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel has set her sights on. At the end of the first working day of the European Council meeting in Brussels, she appeared confident that on this point the Member States would reach agreement.
• 08.03.2007
  Europe has to start thinking differently. The European economy needs predictable and reliable climate protection targets. Without them, said Federal Chancellor Merkel in Brussels, businesses would not able to start investing in new technologies. Before the EU’s Spring Council, the Chancellor met with European social partners and Commission President José Manuel Barroso for the traditional Social Summit.
• 07.03.2007
  Exposition “Views on Europe. Europe and German Painting in the 19th Century” in Brussels. Today, Chancellor Angela Merkel will inaugurate the exposition “Views on Europe. Europe and German Painting in the 19th Century” at the Centre for Fine Arts in Brussels. The exposition under the patronage of the Chancellor, is part of the cultural programme accompanying the German EU Presidency.
• 06.03.2007
  Chancellor Angela Merkel invites the EU Heads of State and Government to the European Council in Brussels. I am very pleased to invite you to the spring meeting of the European Council, which will take place in Brussels on 8 and 9 March 2007. Europe is at an important crossroads. If we act decisively now, we have a chance of effectively counteracting the dangers of climate change. Climate and energy policies are therefore at the centre of this European Council.
• 02.03.2007
  Press Briefing on the European Spring Council in March 2007 with Government Spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm and the European Affairs Adviser of the Federal Chancellor, Uwe Corsepius. Press Briefing on the European Spring Council in March 2007 with Government Spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm and the European Affairs Adviser of the Federal Chancellor, Uwe Corsepius on Tuesday, 6 March 2007, 9.30 am , Venue: Federal Chancellery, 1st floor, Berlin, Germany and Justus Lipsius Presidency Pressbriefingroom, Brussels, Belgium

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January

• 09.01.2007
  Moving Europe forward. Chancellor Angela Merkel and her cabinet met with the European Commission in Berlin to discuss the focuses of the German EU Presidency. Among the topics dealt with were energy, the European constitution, and bureaucracy reduction. Commission President José Manuel Barroso wished the German Presidency the same euphoric spirit as was seen during the World Cup.
• 01.01.2007
  Message from Federal Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel. Dear website visitor, Welcome to the website of Germany's EU Council Presidency 2007. The idea of European unification will mark its half century this year. There are good reasons to celebrate this special anniversary: peace, freedom, justice and democracy are things we now take for granted. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome I have invited my European colleagues to Berlin for an informal summit on 24 and 25 March. We will be celebrating the day the European Community's founding treaties were signed with a special ceremony as well as a street festival.

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