Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs G. Katrougalos participates in EU General Affairs Council (Brussels, 12 November 2018)

Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs, G. Katrougalos, participated today in the EU General Affairs Council in Brussels, where issues such as the progress of the negotiations on BREXIT, the multi-year fiscal framework -in other words the European Union's Budget for the years 2021-2027- the state of the rule of law in the EU, and more specifically in Poland and Hungary, as well as the preparation of the European Council of December, were discussed.

Referring to next month’s European Council, Mr. Katrougalos argued for the need to strengthen the areas of competence and the image of a “Europe which protects,” both as regards European defence and the protection of European borders as well as the equally necessary social dimension of the single market. European Policies, stressed the Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs, do not respond, to the extent they should, to the need to have a social dimension in growth and development and to tackle inequalities within each country as well as between countries. Their social reorientation constitutes an existential challenge for the European Union.

Mr Katrougalos also stressed that the consultations with citizens on the future of Europe have been concluded, indeed with the third largest participation in the electronic consultation among the Member States. He supported the view that the conclusions drawn from these consultations must be discussed at a later meeting of the Council.

During the discussion on the Rule of Law, the Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs stressed that solidarity and respect of the rule of law must be reflected in all the policies of the European Union, nonetheless to the promotion of democracy and social rights. The most recent findings of the Eurobarometer demonstrate the negative views held by European citizens with regard to these critical issues. Mr Katrougalos stated that in practice, phenomena of “antidemocratic liberalism,” in other words protection only of economic rights, while ignoring social and democratic rights, represent a catalyst for the emergence of “un-free democracies.” He reiterated the need to conduct a yearly report on the protection of rights and democracy for all the Union's countries, as well as accession of the EU to the European Convention of Human Rights and the European Social Charter. With regard to implementation of Article 7 of the Agreement in the case of Hungary, in follow-up of a related decision by the European Parliament, Mr Katrougalos supported the need of the latter to be present before the Council in order for their views to be heard.

With regard to BREXIT, limited discussion took place in light of the continuation of negotiations, whose main subject was ensuring the non-existence of borders between Ireland and the United Kingdom. The Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs reiterated the critical issues for Greece, such as the protection of the geographical identifications of agricultural products as well as the need to inform the states on the progress of the negotiations.

Before the session of the General Affairs Council, Mr Katrougalos participated as an observer in a preparatory meeting of the European Affairs Ministers of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats.