Επίσκεψη ΑΝΥΠΕΞ Μαριλίζας Ξενογιαννακοπούλου στη Βαρσοβία (12/5/2011)

Η αναπληρωτής υπουργός Εξωτερικών Μαριλίζα Ξενογιαννακοπούλου πραγματοποίησε χθες επίσημη επίσκεψη στη Βαρσοβία, κατά την διάρκεια της οποίας συμμετείχε στη «Συνάντηση Φίλων Πολιτικής Συνοχής» και συναντήθηκε με τον πολωνό υφυπουργό Ευρωπαϊκών Θεμάτων Mikolaj Dowgielewicz.
Η συνάντηση Υπουργών Εξωτερικών και Ευρωπαϊκών Υποθέσεων («Συνάντηση Φίλων Πολιτικής Συνοχής») πραγματοποιήθηκε με πρωτοβουλία της Πολωνίας, η οποία θα ασκήσει την επερχόμενη Προεδρία της ΕΕ. Συμμετείχαν εκπρόσωποι από 14 χώρες μέλη της ΕΕ, με σκοπό τον συντονισμό της κατάρτισης του κοινοτικού προϋπολογισμού και την εξασφάλιση χρηματοδότησης της κοινοτικής πολιτικής της συνοχής.
Η συνάντηση διοργανώθηκε εν όψει της παρουσίασης από την Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή στα τέλη Ιουνίου του πολυετούς προγράμματος της ΕΕ για τον κοινοτικό προϋπολογισμό.
Η αναπληρωτής υπουργός Μ. Ξενογιαννακοπούλου συμμετείχε στη συνάντηση με στόχο την οικοδόμηση του ρόλου της Ελλάδας στο θέμα του κοινοτικού προϋπολογισμού και των δημοσιονομικών προοπτικών της ΕΕ.
Μετά το πέρας της ανωτέρω συνάντησης, η αναπληρωτής υπουργός είχε γεύμα εργασίας με τον πολωνό επίτροπο της ΕΕ για θέματα προϋπολογισμού Janusz Lewandowski.
Το απόγευμα πραγματοποιήθηκε διμερής συνάντηση ανάμεσα στην αναπληρωτή υπουργό Μ. Ξενογιαννακοπούλου και τον πολωνό υπουργό Ευρωπαϊκών Θεμάτων Mikolaj Dowgielewicz. Οι δύο υπουργοί συζήτησαν για τις προτεραιότητες της Πολωνικής Προεδρίας στην ΕΕ, τις αποφάσεις που σχετίζονται με την σταθερότητα της ευρωζώνης, καθώς και για θέματα μετανάστευσης και την πολιτική γειτονίας.

Immigration Policy:Interview of Giorgos Tsarbopoulos

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) In an interview with a Greek daily (Ta Nea), Giorgos Tsarbopoulos, head of the Greek branch of United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) comments on the government’s decision to overhaul Greece’s migration policy. Tsarbopoulos admits that the draft law on granting citizenship to immigrants is a positive initiative but needs to be supplemented. He says that naturalisation should be the first step within a broader social integration policy. Similarly, asylum policy needs to be enhanced by a well organised hospitality and welfare safety net. What is important about the new asylum policy is that it disassociates itself from the police and that a new independent body is created to address the issue. UNHCR recognises that within the European Union, the Dublin II Regulation has placed a disproportionate burden on Greece and advises other EU countries not to send back asylum seekers when their reception is deemed precarious.  Greek News Agenda: UN Refugees High Commissioner in Athens & A Joint Letter on Immigration; UNHCR: 2010 Regional Operations Profile – Greece

PM George Papandreou at the World Economic Forum

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) Speaking as part of a panel – that also included Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero and European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet – at the annual World Economic Forum taking place in Davos, Switzerland (January 27 -31), Prime Minister George Papandreou said that Greece would not leave the euro area and would use the discipline of membership to slash its budget deficit and make long-delayed structural economic reforms. “The answer is very simple. We went [to the market] for borrowing two days ago and we were five times oversubscribed. We’re not looking for money from anywhere else…” said Papandreou. He outlined an ambitious goal to reduce the deficit by four points this year and bring it below 3% by 2012, through measures taken as part of Greece’s Stability and Growth Programme (SGP).  The premier held a meeting with EU Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Joaquin Almunia yesterday, and the discussion focused on Greece’s SGP in light of the report that the European Commission will be submitting on February 3, on Greece.  European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso – speaking in Brussels on Thursday – stressed the need for the greater coordination of economic policies in the EU, emphasising that economic policies are not only a national issue, but European as well. Referring to Greece specifically, he expressed the conviction that the Greek government must be supported in its effort to fulfil its commitments in the framework of the SGP.  See world reports – BBC.co.uk: Davos 2010: Greece denies a bail-out is needed; Reuters.com: Greece says being targeted as euro zone “weak link”

New Maritime and Fisheries Commissioner

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso unveiled on November 27, the members of the new Commission.

Ruling PASOK deputy Maria Damanaki was nominated European commissioner for maritime affairs and fisheries, a key portfolio with particular interest for Greece, where commercial shipping makes a significant contribution to the economy.
Kathimerini daily (28.11): PASOK MP Maria Damanaki nominated commissioner for maritime affairs, fisheries
Greek News Agenda: EU on a new path

Greece at the UN Climate Change Conference in Poznań

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   Today the United Nations’ Climate Change Conference in Poznań, (December 1-12) concludes with the participation of 192 United Nations member states and representatives from international organisations and NGOs. The purpose of the conference is to lay the foundations for the conclusion of a global climate treaty which will succeed the Kyoto protocol. The final agreement is expected to be signed in Copenhagen in 2009. Member states are called to agree upon specific targets and deadlines to curtail carbon emissions, a matter which is directly linked to the course of their economic activity. The conference has set out the goal of reducing carbon emissions by 60-80% by the year 2050. Addressing the conference, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for global solidarity on climate change and talked about a new “Green Deal,” while the European Commissioner for Environment Stavros Dimas stressed that the European Commission aims at shifting the gear towards concrete negotiations and reducing carbon emissions by 20% by 2020. In regard to Greece, the Commissioner noted that Greece’s economy will benefit immensely should the country choose to comply fully with the European aspirations. European Commission: Commissioner’s speech in Poznan & UN Climate Change Conference 2008; Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Greek chair @ Human Security Network- Policy Papers on Climate Change; Secretariat General for Information: About Greece-Environmental Protection & About Brand Greece-Environmental Strategic Policies

European Commissioner Danuta Hubner in Ahtens

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   European Commissioner for Regional Policy Danuta Hubner arrived in Greece on September 7 on an official visit to some of the country’s regions. Speaking to the press, Hubner commented on Greece’s performance on matters of regional policy. The Commissioner stated that she was pleased with Greece’s EU funds absorption rate for the 3th Community Support Framework (CSF) and announced that the following CSF must fund competitiveness, innovation, environmental protection and transport infrastructure. Danuta Hubner: Hübner to see state-of-art impacts of EU investment in Greece; Secretariat General of Information: Spatial Planning and Regional Development of Greece & Community Support Framework (CSF) 2000-2006

Hellenic Railways

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   By 2014, the national railway network will have undergone major infrastructural changes, Hatzidakis announced at a joint press conference with the European Commissioner for Regional Policy Danuta Hubner, on September 9 in Athens. Electrical railway tracks as well as environmentalally-friendly urban transport and the tram line’s extension will be some of the suggested projects to be implemented through the National Strategic Reference Framework (2007-2013), worth €20 billion.