President Iohannis welcomes conclusions of the EU Council meeting

European Council on 28 June adopted conclusions on migration, security and defense, jobs, growth and competitiveness, innovation and digital, and on other issues.

Migration

European Council recalls the need for Member States to ensure the effective control of the EU's external borders with EU financial and material support.

In order to definitively break the business model of the smugglers, thus preventing tragic loss of life, the European Council calls on the Council and the Commission to swiftly explore the concept of regional disembarkation platforms, in close cooperation with relevant third countries as well as the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and International Organization for Migration (IOM). Such platforms should operate distinguishing individual situations, in full respect of international law.

On EU territory, those who are saved, according to international law, should be taken charge of, on the basis of a shared effort, through the transfer in controlled centers set up in Member States, only on a voluntary basis, where rapid and secure processing would allow, with full EU support, to distinguish between irregular migrants, who will be returned, and those in need of international protection, for whom the principle of solidarity would apply.

Security and Defense

EU Council Invites the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the European Commission to present, in cooperation with the Member States and in line with the March 2015 European Council conclusions, an action plan by December 2018 with specific proposals for a coordinated EU response to the challenge of disinformation, including appropriate mandates and sufficient resources for the relevant European External Action Service (EEAS) Strategic Communications team.

EU Council stresses the need to strengthen capabilities against cybersecurity threats from outside the EU and asks the institutions and Member States to implement the measures referred to in the Joint Communication, including the work on attribution of cyber-attacks and the practical use of the cyber diplomacy toolbox.

EU Council calls for further coordination between Member States and, as appropriate, at EU level and in consultation with NATO, to reduce the threat from hostile intelligence activities.

Council also calls for further deepening of EU-NATO cooperation.

Position of some EU Member States on Migration Agreement

Agreement on migration is analyzed and interpreted in the Western capitals according to the problems that each of them faces. Italy - which has a very large number of refugees on its territory – doesn’t even want to hear about taking over of those who will be expelled from Germany. Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic have categorically refused to accept migrants and, moreover, they have called for the closure of the European borders.

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis welcomes conclusions of the EU Council meeting

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis welcomes the unlocking of the talks at the Brussels summit and the EU Council agreement on migration, after nine hours of negotiations.

Klaus Iohannis: It seems important to me - one - that we found common conclusions; two - that we have agreed to start an intense and, we think, fruitful collaboration with international organizations on this issue. I also think it’s important that we all accepted that solutions can also be found outside the European Union.

Romania's position expressed at the European Summit

President Klaus Iohannis underlined at the meeting in Brussels the need to identify solutions to improve migration management and to enhance security at the Union's external borders, including by stepping up dialogue with countries of origin and transit.

Head of state also advocated strengthening EU-NATO cooperation, mentioning the importance of counteracting false perception of the existence of a competitive relationship.

Regarding Brexit, President of Romania appreciated the progress made in approving the withdrawal agreement and reiterated the need to maintain unity at Union level. He also supported the correct implementation of the withdrawal agreement, including from the perspective of administrative procedures for obtaining new status for Union citizens who want to remain in the UK after Brexit.

Source:RRA, EUCouncil Press Room.Translated by Miruna Matei