EC head in Warsaw for presidency talks

EC President Jose Manuel Barroso with Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Photo: PAP/Paweł Supernak

Apart from a joint session between cabinet ministers and European commissioners, seven working groups are to be held which will include discussions on the government’s plans for the six-month presidency.

The internal market, energy policy, neighbourhood policy, and the economy are to be tackled during today’s meetings.

“Prime Minister Tusk and Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso will address the EU’s long-term budget perspective, the Eastern Partnership, as well as energy and climate policy before the COP17 summit in Durban,” Konrad Niklewicz, spokesman for Poland’s EU Council presidency told Polish Radio.

While discussions have already taken place in Brussels concerning Poland’s priorities for its six-month rotating presidency, the joint EC-government gathering is expected to be of a less formal nature.

“[The meetings] will have more of a working atmosphere,” Commission spokesman Cezary Lewanowicz states.

Today’s meeting is to also synchronise the calendars of the European Commission with that of the EU Council, currently led by Poland.

Not all 23 members of the European Commission will be in Warsaw for the talks, however. The EU’s so-called ‘foreign minister’, Catherine Ashton will not be present as she leaves for a mission to Sudan.

The Commissioners for development and environment, Andris Pielbalgs and Janez Potocnik respectively, will also be absent from today’s meetings. (jb)