French Presidency of the EU Council: 01 July - 31 December 2008
(2008 07 11 15:39)
From the 1st of July, France assumed the six-month rotating EU Presidency. The official handover ceremony took place in the Slovenian town of Nova Gorica. Slovenia's Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel symbolically passed to his successor, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner a relay baton and an EU flag.
In his welcome message to the internet users of the website of the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Nicolas Sarkozy, President of France, said:
“The programme of the French Presidency aims to respond to the main concerns of Europeans, mainly with regard to energy and climate change, issues concerning immigration, agriculture and food safety, defence and security. Furthermore, the French Presidency naturally also wants to advance the EU's action in all the main areas, particularly those pertaining to society, the economy, finance and culture, and on an international level. "
As for the cultural programme of the French Presidency of the European Union (PFUE) - its aim is to prepare the cultural future of Europe and give it new momentum. France has thus chosen to address the following major cultural policy issues of European Union members:
>> organise consultations with our European partners to progress projects
>> pursue European cultural policy
>> value and protect heritage common to European continent,
>> support cultural creation in the digital era,
>> affirm the importance of architecture in sustainable development
Find more about the context of the French presidency on the EuroActiv website.
Learn more on the cultural programme of the PFUE on On-the Move website.