On Wednesday, 19 January, Members of the Saeima Foreign Affairs Committee and European Affairs Committee held a joint remote meeting with Aurélie Royet-Gounin, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic to the Republic of Latvia, to discuss the priorities of the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU).

Ambassador Royet-Gounin underlined that the priorities of the French Presidency were reflected in its motto "Recovery, Strength and a Sense of Belonging". The main ambitions are to enable Europe’s support for the green and digital transition, to protect and promote common values and interests, and to build and develop a shared European vision.

The Ambassador noted that, during the Presidency, France will focus on the reform of the Schengen Area to improve its assessment and management processes, given the current lack of mechanisms to regulate migration, external border, and internal security aspects.

"We welcome France's position on security issues regarding the strengthening of the EU's external border and the country's awareness of the migrant crisis. The unity of the Schengen Area must be preserved and solutions need to be found for situations where the EU's asylum policy is used against the interests of the Union," said Rihards Kols, Chair of the Saeima Foreign Affairs Committee, expressing his appreciation of the priorities France has set for its Presidency.

MPs welcomed the Presidency's aim to strengthen European sovereignty by agreeing on a Strategic Compass and the development of a new growth model for Europe that would also cover the social field, thus building a more humane Europe.

Moreover, the Presidency will explore the impact of social media on public opinion, including by organising a summit on digital sovereignty, said Ambassador Royet-Gounin.

MPs noted that the Conference on the Future of Europe, where every European citizen has the opportunity to express their views to shape the course of Europe, also has an important role.

In addition, the Ambassador pointed out that energy would be among the key fields for the Presidency, including in the context of the ongoing energy crisis.

"Latvia and France are close allies that have a lot in common," said Kols at the end of the meeting.

France holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union from 1 January to 30 June 2022.

Saeima Press Service