PM Dancila: We want a successful Presidency of EU Council, that we should prepare very well

The Government wants a successful Presidency of the Council of the European Union, that should be prepared very well, Prime Minister Viorica Dancila stated on Tuesday. 

According to a release of the Executive sent to AGERPRES, the Interministerial Council for the Preparation and Exercise of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU carried out a working meeting on Tuesday at the Victoria Palace, chaired by PM Dancila. 

On this occasion, it was approved the updated schedule of meetings which are to be organised in Romania during the six-month mandate of the Presidency of the EU Council, which includes 239 events in Bucharest and around the country, covering all counties. 

Thus, Romania enters the final stage of the organisational part of this process for preparing the mandate. 

"It is a very important step. We all want a successful Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which we have to prepare very well, so that, from the moment of taking it over, things go very well, just as we proposed," Dancila stated. 

Furthermore, during the working meeting also presented were the progresses recorded over the past months, in terms of approaching the European topics, as well as the organisational level for the preparation of this important moment for our country. 

Equally, it was highlighted the fact that, currently, our country already has the status of "future presidency" in relation to the interlocutors from Brussels and, also, the status of "shadow presidency" in relation to the Austrian partners, which involves additional obligations and responsibilities for Romania, both at political and technical level. 

"Exercising these attribution represent the proof of Romania's commitment in terms of ensuring the continuity of the European agenda, by preparing in advance the transition of the negotiations towards the team of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU," the release mentions. 

The discussions focused on the files that Romania will manage during its mandate, but they also tackled other topics of interest, such as the Tourism Ministry's Tourist Promotion Plan for the Preparation and Exercise of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU. Briefings regarding the stages were carried out, including in respect to aspects of public communication, needed for a common understanding and a concrete action of all ministries, both in the internal dialogue and coordination, and in the dialogue with the European partners, the release mentions. 

The Interministerial Council for the Preparation and Exercise of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU is made up of representatives of the Government, Parliament and the Presidential Administration, being established with the purpose of ensuring the technical and political coordination for the moment when our country holds the Presidency of the EU Council. 

Romania will exercise for six months, as of 1 January 2019, the Presidency of the Council of the EU.