The minister’s participation marked the first time Croatia was represented at the General Affairs Council as an observer country
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| "Source: Council of the European Union
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Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Vesna Pusić attended 27 January 2012 in Brussels the meeting of the EU General Affairs Council.
The minister’s participation marked the first time Croatia was represented at the General Affairs Council as an observer country.
The meeting focused on the EU budget framework for 2014-2020, which defines the key principles and items for financing all of the Union’s policies and activities. The Danish presidency reported on its work programme, while the ministers discussed the economic issues in regard to preparation for the spring meeting of the European council (1-2 March 2012), that will focus on economy.
“This is the first stage of a discussion on the budget framework which is important for everyone, especially Croatia, whose status is unusual as on the one hand, we attend as observers but don't have the right to vote, while on the other, all decisions relative to this European budget will affect us as well since, if everything goes all right, we will become a member on 1 July 2013," Pusic told the press after the meeting.
She and her European colleagues also attended a working breakfast with European Council President Herman Van Rompuy as part of preparations for an informal summit of European leaders scheduled for Monday in Brussels, which Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic will attend as an observer.
On the fringes of the meeting, Minister Pusić held talks with German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, British Minister for Europe David Lidington, and Irish Minister for European Affairs Lucinda Creighton.
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