Ministers bespreken Turkije en verdere uitbreiding EU (En)

The EU General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) will meet on 11 and 12 December in Brussels. It will focus on preparations for the European Council meeting that takes place in Brussels on 14 and 15 December. The Council will be chaired by the Finnish Foreign Minister, Erkki Tuomioja. The Minister of European Affairs, Paula Lehtomäki, will represent Finland at the GAERC meeting.

The Foreign Ministers will discuss the December European Council the main themes of which will be the Union's enlargement and justice and home affairs. The Heads of State or Government will base their discussions on the enlargement strategy, approved by the European Commission on 8 November, and the special report annexed to it on the Union's capacity to integrate new members. In the field of justice and home affairs, the goal will be to enhance the Member States' commitment to more effective decision-making. The Heads of State or Government will also discuss immigration policy.

The EU General Affairs and External Relations Council will place particular emphasis on the future of the accession negotiations with Turkey. The Ministers will discuss the Comprehensive Country Monitoring Reports on Turkey and Croatia submitted by the Commission in November and the monitoring measures with regard to the accession of Bulgaria and Romania.

In connection with the monitoring reports on Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia, the Council meeting is to assess the state of implementation of the countries' obligations with regard to, for example, trade as laid down in the Stabilisation and Association Agreement. The Commission has noted that all Western Balkans countries have made progress in line with the roadmap issued last year. The progress of each country will be assessed separately based on the country's individual merits.

The next Presidency countries, Germany, Portugal and Slovenia, will present their proposal for the Council's 18-month Programme. According to the Council Rules of Procedure, amended in June 2006, the new 18-month Programme replaces the Council's annual programmes and strategic three-year programmes.

The Foreign Ministers will hold a general debate on the relations between the EU and China. The Council is to adopt conclusions on the development of strategic partnership between the EU and China.

The Council will also discuss the security situation in Afghanistan which has deteriorated during the ongoing year. An EU fact-finding mission is currently visiting Afghanistan to examine possibilities for the implementation of a European Security and Defence Policy operation and to assess the needs in relation to law enforcement and Rule of Law.

The Ministers will also discuss the Council's joint position on the code of conduct on arms export. The Council's common position defining common rules governing the control of exports of military technology and equipment was finalised in June 2005 but so far it has not been adopted at the Council. Other external relations themes to be discussed at the meeting will include the Middle East and Iran.

Further information: Jari Luoto, State Under-Secretary for EU Affairs, Government Secretariat for EU Affairs, tel. +358 9 1602 2182 and Anne Huhtamäki, Counsellor, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 9 160 56097 or +358 40 546 0456