State Secretary for Europe Andreja Metelko-Zgombić on Monday in Brussels attended the General Affairs Council. On the agenda were the Belgian presidency’s priorities, defence of democracy, and the rule of law.
The Belgian presidency set out the priorities for its term of office: democracy, the rule of law and unity; long-term competitiveness and internal market; green and just transition; social agenda and healthcare; protecting people and borders; a resilient, autonomous and globally stronger Europe. Continued support to Ukraine was underlined as the main horizontal priority.
The Council held a policy debate on the Defence of Democracy Package, presented by the Commission on 12 December 2023. The debate focused on the proposal for a directive on transparency of interest representation on behalf of third countries. Ministers discussed what further measures could be taken at EU level to better protect democracies, strengthen the resilience of electoral processes and promote citizens’ participation in policymaking. They welcomed the presentation of recommendations by the Commission on these issues and highlighted in particular the challenge of disinformation and boosting voter participation at the upcoming European Parliament elections. Metelko-Zgombić welcomed the goals of the Package, adding that it should be considered that some countries already have or are developing legal frameworks concerning lobbying transparency. In November last year, Croatia drafted a lobbying act in line with international standards and submitted it to the parliament for the first reading.
As part of the annual rule of law dialogue, ministers held a country-specific discussion. The exchange of views focused on key developments in Spain, France, Croatia and Italy. In her address, Metelko-Zgombić reported on the activities Croatia had undertaken since the Report of July 2023 and reflected on the Commission’s recommendations. In an informal discussion, member states compared their experiences and reflect on both the challenges and positive trends.
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