One day working meeting between the French President, the French Government and the European Commissioners

N. Sarkozy, J. M. Barroso © Elysée

• On: 01.07.2008
• In: Paris

On 1 July the French President, Prime Minister and members of the government met with the President of the European Commissioner and the Commissioners for a one day meeting.

The first day of the French presidency of the Council of the European Union was marked by the visit to Paris of the college of European Commissioners. The President, José Manuel Barroso, accompanied by all the Commissioners, met with the President of the French Republic, Nicolas Sarkozy, the Prime Minister of France, François Fillon and all the members of the French Government mobilised for the occasion.

Over the working dinner at Matignon, the members of the French government and the European Commission discussed topical issues and the priorities of the French presidency. The targets set out for the six months of this presidency were then reviewed in more detail in sectoral meetings between the French ministers and the European Commissioners. French minister, Jean-Louis Borloo, met with his counterparts from the European Commission, Andris Piebalgs and Stavros Dimas, for discussions focusing on the energy and climate package; Commissioner Barrot met with the ministers who deal with justice and home affairs to discuss subjects such as the pact on immigration and asylum; the French Minister for Agriculture, Michel Barnier, discussed agricultural issues with Commissioner Fischer-Boel; Commissioner Spidla met with all the French ministers responsible for employment and social policy, etcetera.

The President of the European Commission, for his part, held bilateral talks first with the French Prime Minister, then with the French President.

After these working meetings, the ministers and Commissioners went to the Arc de Triomphe for a brief ceremony where they were joined by President Sarkozy. Under the French and European flags, the eternal flame was rekindled and followed by the playing of the French and European anthems.

To conclude the fruitful exchanges of the day, the President of the French Republic, Nicolas Sarkozy, hosted a dinner in honour of the European Commission, with the members of the French Government also in attendance.

• Updated: 23.12.2008

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