Luxembourg’s Minister for Foreign and European Affairs, Jean Asselborn, attended the Friends of the Rule of Law meeting on 3 October 2016 in Rome.
Invited by the Secretary of State for European Affairs in Italy, Sandro Gozi, Luxembourg’s Minister for Foreign and European Affairs took part in a political dialogue at the meeting on the Rule of Law at the heart of the EU’s General Affairs Council. The discussions allowed Member states which share similar views on this topic to coordinate common actions aimed at rationalising and reinforcing the mechanism of the Rule of Law.
Jean Asselborn explained “it is a crucially important element of the European Union to respect the primacy of law”. He also recalled the fact that Luxembourg remains committed to any initiative which contributes to the protection and further development of the primacy of law at the heart of the union.
Highlighting Article 2 of the Treaty shows clearly that the EU was founded on the principles of respect and human dignity, democracy, equality, the primacy of law and respect of human rights, and the rights of minority groups. In this sense, Asselborn regards these values as “unnegotiable”.
The Luxembourg Minister continued by emphasising the need for solidarity from all Member states in order to efficiently address the refugee crisis, calling said solidarity an essential element of future strategies.
Photo by MAEE: Jean Asselborn with the Secretary of State, government delegate for the Slovakian presidence of the Council of the EU, Ivan Korčok, the Secretary of State to the Council’s delegaed ministers to European affairs for Italy, Sandro Gozi, the Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Didier Reynders, the Secretary of State for European Affairs for France, Harlem Désir, the Secretary of State for European Affairs for Portugal, Margarida Marques, and the delegated minister of European Affairs for Greece, Nikos Xydakis.
