Signs pointing to Fort de Brégançon in southern France. During the meeting, which will be led by Germany's Federal Minister for the Environment, Svenja Schulze, ministers will discuss European climate law and the European Commission’s chemicals strategy, among other topics. The Portuguese presidency of the Council of the EU will focus on bringing the EU through the COVID-19 pandemic. Chancellor Merkel in the European Parliament​​​​​​​, Chancellor Merkel in the European Parliament: Human rights and civil liberties are Europe's most valuable posessions, German Chancellor Angela Merkel upon arriving at the European Parliament in Brussels, Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, Franziska Giffey with the joint Trio Presidency Declaration on Gender Equality. Notice This publication is produced by the General Secretariat of the Council and is intended for information purposes only. Letter from Federal Minister Andreas Scheuer following up on the Council of Transport Ministers on 08.12.2020. The European Council brings together EU leaders at least four times a year. Every six months a different member state holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union. The main purpose of the trios lies in ensuring that there is a smoother transition between presidencies and that the  continuity and effectiveness of the Council's work is enhanced over the long term. Each Presidency works closely with the two other member states: the one that preceded it and the one that will follow it. Presidency of the Council of the EU. Lisbon would like to use its presidency of the EU Council to repair the transatlantic relationship as much as possible. HANDBOOK OF THE PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION. It uses the systems of The EU home affairs ministers agree that the future development of Europol must be guided first and foremost by the needs of the law enforcement authorities of member states. Learn more here. Welcome to the official government website of Germany’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2020. EU High Representative Josep Borrell and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, German Minister for Foreign Affairs Heiko Maas in Brussels, During the informal meeting, German Minister of Economic Affairs Peter Altmaier discussed current issues of EU trade policy with his European counterparts, Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture Julia Klöckner met her European colleagues at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels today, German Minister for Economic Affairs Altmaier discussed with his EU counterparts how to deepen the EU’s Single Market to kickstart a strong recovery in Europe, The CoE team (from left to right): Markus Woelke, Hanneke Brouwer, Benjamin Tallis, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, Volker Jacoby, Taina Järvinen, Daniela Dietmayr, Estela López-Hermoso, German Education Minister Anja Karliczek with European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights Nicolas Schmit on the second day of the Informal Meeting of EU Education Ministers in Osnabrück, During its Presidency of the Council of the EU, Germany aims to strengthen cooperation in vocational training, German Minister of Education Anja Karliczek will receive her European counterparts in Osnabrück for an informal meeting from 16 to 17 September, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will deliver today her State of the Union address following her first year in office, The conference was the central event on the social dimension of Europe during Germany's Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Read more about the role of the European Council, Foreign affairs & international relations (91), Research & technological development (29), Consilium website on the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Council Decision of 26 July 2016 with the revised order of Presidencies, Reading suggestions on the Rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union from the Library holdings. Activate social media feed. We will use this data to improve your experience on our website. Committees and working parties handle the preparatory work on files before they are discussed at Council meetings. 'The important thing is that the president should have been seated exactly in the same manner as the president of the European council and the Turkish president,' EU … On 1 July 2020, Germany took over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) from Croatia. HOME.META_DESCRIPTION. German Minister of Health Jens Spahn chaired the videoconference with his EU counterparts, The WHO will resume its 73rd World Health Assembly (WHA) via videoconference between 9 and 14 November, bringing together delegations from all 194 member states, German Chancellor Angela Merkel during the videoconference of EU heads of state and government, German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the videoconference with members of the European Council, From Passau to Berlin: the Informal Meeting of EU Transport Ministers could not take place in Passau as planned due to the restrictions imposed by COVID-19, EU transport ministers will discuss the future of mobility in Europe, with a focus on digitalisation and artificial intelligence, The series "3 Questions, 3 Answers" answers your questions about important topics of Germany's Presidency of the Council of the EU, German Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer chaired the virtual meeting on "Harnessing the digital revolution to make the mobility of the future", German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas: "The crisis made it clear that we are one European family", The online event “Green Recovery – Emerging stronger from the crisis” consisted of a mid-term review of economic and climate policy initiatives during Germany’s Council Presidency, Environment Minister Svenja Schulze at the presse conference after the Environment Council in Luxembourg: Agreement on a partial general approach on the proposed European climate law reached, Important forest habitat: EU environment ministers advocate the protection of biological diversity, From increasing digital sovereignty to fighting cybercrime: Germany's Council Presidency has very specific goals for the digital sector, German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Peter Altmaier chaired the informal videoconference, On behalf of Germany's Presidency of the Council of the EU, Environment Minister Svenja SchulzE chaired the meeting. Other cookies are used to boost performance and guarantee security of the website. Press Release "PrioritHy: How hydrogen and sectoral integration can bring recovery, growth and jobs for Europe" on 25.11.2020 . Due to the pandemic-related restrictions of recent months, it was the first time that EU defence ministers had come together in person again for an informal meeting in Berlin. The presidency of the council rotates on a six-montlhy basis, offering each of the EU's 28 member states the opportunity to shape the EU's agenda. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in the German Chancellory in Berlin. The press office holds press events, offers audiovisual coverage of major events and provides facilities for journalists. The Council also decided to add Croatia, which was not yet a member state at the time of the original decision, for the period January-June 2020. It does not involve the responsibility of the EU institutions or the member … German Chancellor Angela Merkel will virtually attend plenary session, German Minister of Labour Hubertus Heil and German Minister for Family Affairs Franziska Giffey will chair the virtual meeting, Foreign Minister Maas at the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg, A statue of Justitia, the Roman goddess of justice and law, Humanitarian assistance also means working to help humanity and includes the preservation of cultural infrastructure, Among other topics, Germany's Federal Minister of Justice and Consumer Protection Christine Lambrecht will discuss the digitalisation of EU justice systems with her European counterparts, Foreign Minister Maas is travelling to Bratislava. German Federal Minister for Finance Olaf Scholz: "It will give a strong boost to our economies and enable member states to shape a greener and more digital future for Europe’s citizens and businesses", Ludwig van Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" has been the European anthem for decades, Strengthening the circular economy: In the future, consumers will be able to have products repaired more easily, Environment Minister Svenja Schulze: "Our new EU target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 percent by 2030 sets an example internationally", Germany is working for binding EU-wide biodiversity targets and specific measures to stop biodiversity loss. The current trio is made up of the presidencies of the Netherlands, Slovakia and Malta. A selection of the goals that the German Council Presidency has set itself in agricultural and fisheries policy. EU environment ministers discussed European Green Deal and biodiversity More news → The priorities for Finland’s Presidency are to strengthen common values and the rule of law, to make the EU more competitive and socially inclusive, to strengthen the EU’s position as a global leader in climate action and to protect the security of citizens comprehensively. In six months this can add up to over 1,500 meetings. It helps organise and ensure the coherence of the Council's work and the implementation of its 18-month programme. This institution comprises the college of heads of state or government of EU member states as well as the president of the European Commission, and provides political direction to the European Union (EU). German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer at the virtual informal meeting of the EU's home affairs ministers. Its work is led by the country holding the Council presidency, which rotates every 6 months. Negotiates and adopts EU laws, together with the European Parliament, based on proposals from the European Elisabeth Bock-Chambon in her interpreting booth in a Brussels meeting room. The most important questions will be answered here. The EU’s relationship with China, for example, will play an important role during the Council Presidency, which Germany has dovetailed closely with its two successors, Portugal and Slovenia, as a Trio Presidency. ABSTRACT: As the holder of the 6-month rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2020, Germany had the responsibility of guiding the Union through a range major political and policy challenges including managing the economic and financial response to Covid and the impact of the end of the UK’s post-Brexit transition period. Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU 2021 is committed to transparency in all procurement processes. The presidency has two main tasks: (i) planning and chairing meetings in the Council and its preparatory bodies (with the exception of the Foreign Affairs Council) and  (ii) representing the Council, mediating and brokering compromises between the EU member states and between EU institutions such as the Council, European Commission and European Parliament.Due to the UK decision not to take up its scheduled Council presidency in the second half of 2017, the Council adopted a revised order of the presidencies which runs until 2030.