On Monday 22 February 2016, the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Jean Asselborn, officially launched the Luxembourg Presidency of the Benelux Committee of Ministers, the country's second holding of this post since the Benelux Treaty entered into force in 2012.
Minister Asselborn, as Chairman of the Committee of Ministers, first held a meeting with President of the Benelux Parliament, Maya Detiège, before welcoming the Secretary General of the Benelux Union, Jan van Laarhoven and the College of Benelux Secretaries-General.
The Luxembourg Government stated that it would be using its core values of reliability, dynamism and openness to cater to Benelux objectives, listening to citizens, supporting companies and cooperating with partners to act in the common interest of the three Benelux countries. To this end, Minister Asselborn presented the three-point priority plan of the Luxembourg Presidency:
Increasing Mobility and the Security of Persons
The Luxembourg Presidency will be looking to promote initiatives in the field of labour and education mobility, transferability of diplomas and professional qualifications, within the context of the significant numbers of individuals crossing Benelux borders and of the current climate of threats and challenges.
The Presidency pledged to give special priority to the subject of human trafficking and cooperation in cross-border police operations.
Better Protection of the Environment
The Luxembourg Presidency will aim to used a reinforced approach to address issues related to climate change, environmental protection and energy efficiency in the Benelux region. It stated its intention to improve the coordination of environmental legislation in Benelux border regions and to focus on promoting the circular economy, multi-modality and improving mobility in urban areas.
Strengthening its Internal Market
According to the Benelux cooperation, the completion of the internal market remains a top priority, involving the elimination of remaining barriers and the adaptation to the new realities of a changing economy, particularly with regards to e-commerce. Luxembourg has accorded particular important to the fields of energy and transport, as well as the promotion of renewable energies and the abolition of regulations hindering modern transport.
The Luxembourg Presidency stated its commitment to strengthening cooperation between Benelux countries in the field of foreign policy, with a view to position-taking and decision-making formed jointly between the three regions on items discussed at the Council of the European Union. In this regard, an objective of the Presidency will be to facilitate informal consultations between the Ministers of Foreign and European Affairs ahead of the Foreign Affairs and General Affairs Council.
The Presidency will also look to organise meetings between Ministers of Foreign and European Affairs of Benelux and their counterparts in the Baltic countries and in Višegrad.
"Luxembourg is deeply convinced of the role of Benelux as a motor for European integration and it is to this effect that we intend to work in awareness of our Presidency of the Benelux Committee of Ministers," commented Minister Asselborn during his speech.
Following the presentation of Presidency priorities, a round table was held on the theme of 'Benelux as the Laboratory of the EU' with actors from each of the three countries. The debate involved an exchange of views of the subject of Benelux cooperation within the European Union. In attendance were Minister Asselborn; President of the Commission of Benelux Parliament, Willem Draps; President of the Interparliamentary Delegation of the Benelux Chamber of Deputies, Roger Negri; Belgian Ambassador in Luxembourg, Thomas Antoine; Dutch Ambassador in Luxembourg, Petrus Wouterus Kok; Deputy Secretary-General of the Benelux Union, Alain de Muyser; and historian and publicist, Rolf Falter.
Top photo by © 2016 SIP / Jean-Christophe Verhaegen, all rights reserved (L-R: Jean Asselborn; Willem Draps, Roger Negri)
Bottom photo by MAEE (L-R: Roger Negri; Maya Detiège; Jean Asselborn; Willem Draps)
