Conclusions of the Council and of the representatives of the governments of the member states on the Northern copresidency of the Union for the Mediterranean

3149th FOREIGN AFFAIRS Council meeting

Brussels, 27 February 2012

The Council and the representatives of the governments of the member states, meeting within the

Council, adopted the following conclusions:

“1 The Council agrees that consideration needs to be given to the chairing arrangements for the Northern co-presidency of the Union for the Mediterranean. The Council agrees that, as ofMarch 1st 2012, the following arrangements will apply:

– The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy will take over the Northern co-presidency of the Union for the Mediterranean in the format ofForeign Ministers Meetings; and

– The Commission will take over the Northern co-presidency of the Union for the Mediterranean for Ministerial Meetings that solely concern matters falling within areas of exclusive Union competence. For other Ministerial Meetings the Commission will also do so, in full cooperation with the Member State holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, except where Ministerial Meetings solely concern matters falling within actions and responsibilities of the Member States, when the chair will be held by the rotating presidency. These arrangements will apply accordingly to the respective preparatory senior official meetings.

– The EU External Action Service will take over the Northern co-presidency of the Union for the Mediterranean for Senior Official Meetings.

2. The General Arrangements on EU Statements in Multilateral Organisations, endorsed by the Council on 24 October 2011 will apply in meetings of the Union for the Mediterranean.

3. These arrangements will be reviewed at appropriate time and no later than March 1, 2013.”

Source: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/Newsroom

 

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