State Secretary for Europe, Andreja Metelko-Zgombić, participated in the General Affairs Council meeting on June 25, 2024, in Luxembourg, the last one during the Belgian presidency of the Council of the EU.
The agenda for the ministers and state secretaries for Europe included discussions on the proposed directive on transparency of interest representation on behalf of third countries, preparation for the European Council meeting on June 27-28, and a hearing of Hungary under the procedure initiated based on Article 7, Paragraph 1 of the EU Treaty, in the context of the rule of law.
In the discussion on the proposed directive, which is part of the package of measures for defending democracy published last December, Metelko-Zgombić emphasized the importance of the highest possible transparency of lobbying activities on behalf of third countries, while also pointing out the importance of a flexible approach to this directive and considering national specificities given the various existing legal solutions and practices of member states. She advocated for clearer definitions and as clear communication with the public as possible regarding the goals of the proposed directive, and also reported that Croatia's Lobbying Act will come into force on October 1.
The Council completed preparations for the European Council meeting on June 27 and 28, where leaders will discuss Ukraine, the Middle East, security and defence, competitiveness, appointments to top positions in EU institutions following the European Parliament elections, the new Strategic Program for the period 2024-2029, and the roadmap for future work on internal reforms. Regarding Ukraine, Metelko-Zgombić called for the swift operationalization of agreements on assistance measures from the European Peace Facility (EPF) to enable further military aid to Ukraine. Regarding the draft EU Strategic Agenda 2024-2029 and the priorities covered by it, the state secretary highlighted, among other things, the importance of paying greater attention to the topic of demographic revitalization, especially in the context of strengthening EU competitiveness. Regarding migration, as one of the strategic priorities of the future program, she called for the inclusion of the issue of neighbouring countries' alignment with EU visa policy as one of the key measures to reduce migration pressure on the Western Balkan route.
As part of the procedure initiated against Hungary in 2018 under Article 7 of the EU Treaty, the Council held its seventh hearing of Hungary to become acquainted with the latest activities and measures Hungary has taken since the previous hearing in May 2023 to address identified concerns in the context of the rule of law.
After the meeting, Metelko-Zgombić participated on behalf of Croatia in the Intergovernmental Conference with Ukraine and later with the Republic of Moldova, where the EU accession negotiations with these two countries were officially opened.
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