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+/- 08.00
Arrivals (live streaming)
+/- 08.15
Doorstep by High Representative Josep Borrell
+/- 09.30
Beginning of the Foreign Affairs Council (roundtable)
– Adoption of the agenda
– Approval of “A” items:
a) Legislative list (+/- 09.30 public session)
b) Non-legislative list
– Belarus
– Iraq
– Latin America
– Current affairs
– Other business
At the end of the meeting (+/- 16.45) press conference in live streaming.
In light of the gradual relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions both in Belgium and Luxembourg, a limited number of journalists will be allowed to attend physically the Foreign Affairs Council. More info here.
Press conference will remain accessible also in video conference. EU accredited journalists should register using this link to be able to ask questions remotely. Journalists who already registered for previous Foreign Affairs Council press conferences do not need to register again.
Deadline: Monday, 21 June 2021, 15.45
Further instructions will be sent to all registered participants approximately half an hour after the deadline.
On June 21, a majority of Ethiopian voters will be invited to participate in elections. Some constituencies will vote at a later stage, in part due to security and logistical challenges. The European Union (EU) takes note of this important step and recalls the fundamental democratic right of all Ethiopian citizens to be able to vote, everywhere in the country.
Aware of the importance of these elections for the political transition in Ethiopia, the EU has supported the electoral process and the work of the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE). The EU commends the efforts deployed by NEBE personnel around the country, and welcomes the public commitment of the Ethiopian government to hold democratic and peaceful elections. Yet, the EU regrets the impossibility of sending an election observation mission.
Ethiopia remains in a complex domestic situation. Concerned with ongoing violence across the country, human rights violations and political tensions, harassment of media workers and detained opposition members, the EU calls upon the government and local and regional authorities to ensure a transparent and safe process, to guarantee the free and equal participation of all political parties and candidates who are running, to facilitate the participation of all citizens, to ensure freedom of the press and of expression as well as the safety of journalists, other media workers and election observers and to provide full logistical and administrative support to NEBE. The EU also calls on all actors to refrain from spreading hate speech and from calling for acts of violence.
The elections could be an important step in Ethiopia’s democratic process. The EU also recalls the importance to engage in and foster a comprehensive, inclusive and transparent national dialogue with the participation of women and youth and all relevant stakeholders, including civil society organisations, political parties and regional authorities, in order to strengthen democracy and to support conflicts resolution as well as reconciliation. The EU will stand by Ethiopia in the implementation of democratic reforms as well as reconciliation efforts that would emerge from an inclusive and transparent dialogue.
Chair: Ms. Ana Paula Zacarias, Portuguese Secretary of State of European Affairs
+/- 08.00
Arrivals (live streaming.)
+/- 09.00
Beginning of the meeting of the General Affairs Council
– Adoption of the agenda
– Approval of “A” items
a) Non-legislative list
b) Legislative list
– Enlargement and Stabilisation and Association Process
– Conference on the Future of Europe
– Preparation of the European Council on 24-25 June 2021
– Rule of law in Poland / Article 7 (1) TEU Reasoned Proposal
– Values of the Union in Hungary / Article 7 (1) TEU Reasoned Proposal
Any other business
At the end of the meeting (+/- 16.15) press conference in live streaming.
In light of the gradual relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions both in Belgium and Luxembourg, a limited number of journalists will be allowed to attend physically the meeting of General Affairs Council. More info here.
Press conferences will remain accessible also in video conference. In order to participate and ask questions, EU accredited journalists should register using this link.
Those who already registered for previous press briefings or press conferences of European affairs ministers do not need to do it again.
Deadline for registration: Tuesday, 22 June 2021, 15.15
Further instructions will be sent to all registered participants shortly after the deadline.
The Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO) launched an improved version of MyPVR, the online portal for users and clients of the CPVO.
MyPVR 4.0.0 includes a series of new functionalities, and the design, speed and user friendliness of the portal has been improved considerably:
We invite all users to try the new functionalities and to communicate any feedback at: suggestions [at] cpvo [dot] europa [dot] eu