Ministers buitenlandse zaken bespreken mensenrechten en prioriteiten buitenlands beleid (en)

The Foreign Minister will - as part of the Danish EU Presidency - be co-hosting the Informal Foreign Minister Meeting together with the High Representative Catherine Ashton i on Friday and Saturday at the so-called Gymnich i-meeting. The meeting will take place in the Bella Centre.

The main issue on the agenda for the Gymnich-meeting will be the EU’s Foreign Policy in a time of economic crisis. As part of this discussion the Foreign Ministers will discuss the strategic priorities for the EU’s foreign policy, the European External Action Service as well as on how to strengthen the EU’s Human Rights Policy.

Besides, the Ministers will have the chance to discuss current foreign policy issues.

In this regard the Foreign Minister comments:

”The Gymnich is an opportunity for the European Foreign Ministers to discuss issues more in depth and focus on the longer term. Together with the EU’s High Representative Catherine Ashton we have proposed a general discussion of how the EU could become a more efficient foreign political actor in a time with economic crisis. We have to become better at focussing and be more direct in our policies.

I am especially looking forward to discuss how we can strengthen our profile on human rights. Even though we are facing new challenges, it is important to build on our strengths, and to remind us that the demand of respect for the individual is shared by all. I hope that we at the meeting can agree on a number of concrete initiatives to ensure that the EU gets a stronger profile and prioritizes the dialogue with other countries and regions on human rights.”

For further information please contact Jean Ellermann-Kingombe, +45 25 26 76 06