January 22, 2019

Romanian ministers present in Brussels the agenda and priorities of the Romanian presidency of the Council of the EU.

Newsroom, 22.01.2019, 14:22

FLU — Romanian medical authorities have warned that immunization is the most effective protection measure against the flu virus, given that the country is facing a flu epidemic. The number of deaths cased by the flu this winter stands at 27. Children are the most affected by the disease. Daily triages have been recommended in schools and kindergartens.

TREATY – Romanian President Klaus Iohannis has today said that the French-German Cooperation and Integration Treaty in Aachen mirrors the commitment of France and Germany to consolidate the European project. According to President Iohannis Romania will continue to be close to the two countries in their efforts to reach this goal. Attending the ceremony in Aachen, along President Iohannis, who represents the country holding the six-month presidency of the Council of the EU, were European Council President Donald Tusk and the European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. The Aachen Treaty is based, from a political and juridical point of view, on the Elysee French-German Treaty of 1963 that set the basis for a historic reconciliation between Germany and France. The Aachen Treaty is aimed at adjusting the relations between the two states to the challenges of the 21st century, laying emphasis on the cohesion of the two countries’ action at European level.

BRUSSELS – Most of Romanian Government’s ministers are in Brussels until Wednesday to present the agenda and priorities of the Romanian presidency of the Council of the EU before expert committees of the European Parliament. Today, the interim Transport Minister, Rovana Plumb, the Education Minister Ecaterina Andronescu, the Health Minister Sorina Pintea and the Agriculture Minister Petre Daea will discuss with the MEPs. On Monday, Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici said before the European Parliaments Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs that promoting the Banking Union, given the need for a safe and solid European financial sector, is a priority. In the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, the Romanian Minister for Water and Forestry Ioan Deneş, and the Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Graţiela Gavrilescu, said that Romania’s priorities in the field include fighting climate change, protecting biodiversity, sustainable development and water management.

ECOFIN – Romanian Finance Minister, Eugen Teodorovici, is chairing as of today, in Brussels, the first meeting of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) during the mandate of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU. European ministers are discussing, among other things, about a prospective programme on supporting investment, innovation and job creation in the EU. They also discuss about the stage of negotiations on the revision of the current financial surveillance mechanism, in particular the stipulations referring to the fight against money laundering. According to Radio Romania’s correspondent in Brussels, Romania plans to work, during its mandate as president of the Council of the EU, on a number of important dossiers, such as the Economic and Monetary Union, the multi-annual financial framework and the modernization of the VAT system.

BREXIT — British PM Theresa May on Monday set out her Brexit plan B to MPs, which she was obliged to do under the EU Withdrawal Act after the defeat of her plan in the House of Commons last week. A change to her initial deal is that the government has scrapped the ­£65 (€73.69) fee EU citizens were going to pay to secure the right to continue living in the UK after Brexit. Once again, the British prime minister vowed to find a solution to the Irish backstop, which she said was the key issue blocking her deal going through. May once again rejected calls for a second referendum. Mays deal will now be debated in Parliament on January 29. A vote is expected the same day. The prime minister will then take the conclusions back to the EU. The UK is scheduled to leave the EU on Friday, March 29, 2019, at 11 pm UK time.

TENNIS — Romanian Filip Jianu, aged 17 and the Spanish Nicolas Alvarez Varona qualified today to the quarterfinals of the junior men’s doubles at the Australian Open, after defeating the all-British pair Jacob Fearnley/Connor Thomson 6-3, 6-7, 10-8. The Romanian-Spanish team will next be up against the Australian pair Tristan Schoolkate/Dane Sweeny.

(Translated by Elena Enache)