Video: Estonia has important role shaping EU’s future, says Katainen
Vice-president of the European Commission, Jyrki Katainen, said at a conference of EU parliament speakers in Bratislava on Wednesday that the upcoming Estonian presidency of the EU council was going to be very topical, as the Commission was planning six different papers on the future of Europe.
Katainen said that political guidance was needed to see in which direction the European Union should develop in terms of defense cooperation. Guidance was needed towards the union’s future shape with 27 members, and the presidency’s role in the matter was very important, he added.
President of the Riigikogu Eiki Nestor (SDE) said that the six months of the presidency wouldn’t start from an empty place. The presidency countries cooperated between themselves, and would continue what others before them had started.
(Video and subtitles: Riigikogu kantselei)
Estonia will take over the presidency of the Council of the European Union from Malta, and pass it on to Bulgaria. After that, the presidency will be held by Austria. The speakers of the parliaments of Estonia, Bulgaria, and Austria signed a declaration of cooperation in Bratislava earlier this week.
During the Estonian presidency, the Riigikogu will organise seven conferences that will be attended by members of the parliaments of the EU’s member states. Already in July, the chairmen of the European Union affairs committees of national parliaments will meet in Tallinn.
Editor: Dario Cavegn
