Romanian Minister-Delegate for European Affairs George Ciamba attends, on Tuesday, in Brussels, the General Affairs Council (GAC), with Romania's priorities during its EU Council Presidency on the Agenda. GAC meeting of January 8 is the first meeting of the kind chaired by Romania.

General Affairs Council (GAC) is mainly made up of the European Affairs Ministers from all EU Member States and coordinates preparations for European Council meetings (Heads of State or Government of the EU Member States). GAC is also responsible for a number of cross-cutting policy areas, which include EU enlargement and accession negotiations, adoption of multi-annual financial framework (EU's 7 year budget plan),cohesion policy, matters relating to the EU's institutional set-up and any dossier entrusted to it by the European Council.

Romania's six-months Presidency of the EU Council will be held under the motto"Cohesion as a common European value" and its priorities aim at reducing regional disparities, sustainable and equitable development for all citizens, combating discrimination, equal opportunities, security EU, but also to promote enlargement policy.

Another topic on Tuesday’s CAG agenda is the new multi-annual financial framework, and Romanian Presidency will inform EU Ministers about its plans for the next period. According to European sources, this topic will be on agendas of all CAG (that meets once a month), and Romania is aims to obtain political agreements on as many projects as possible.

The whole package on the 2021-2027 multi-annual financial framework is set to be adopted this autumn. Ministers in the Member States will also discuss measures to combat online misinformation, a phenomenon perceived as a threat to democracy in the EU.

Romania wishes that the elections for the European Parliament in May to be protected from any interference that may destabilize the electoral processes.

Source:RRA, Consilium, Romania2019.eu.Translated by Miruna Matei