Slovenian Presidency debriefs EP committees on priorities

Ministers outlined the priorities of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU to parliamentary committees, in a series of meetings.

Slovenia holds the Presidency of the Council until the end of 2021. The hearings took place between 12 and 15 July.

Fisheries

On 12 July, Agriculture, Forestry and Food Minister Jože Podgoršek told the Fisheries Committee that the Presidency will strive to make fisheries and aquaculture sectors more sustainable. They will focus on small-scale coastal fisheries, the revision of the fisheries control system, as well as negotiations on fishing opportunities for 2022.

Fisheries Committee MEPs welcomed the announcement, urged the minister to move forward with the management plan for Atlantic Bluefin tuna and insisted that the Presidency should be firm when negotiating fishing deals with third countries (e.g., UK, Norway, Mauritania), to ensure equal conditions for EU fishers relative to third country operators.

Internal Market and Consumer Protection

On 12 July, Economic Development and Technology Minister Zdravko Počivalšek and Public Administration Minister Boštjan Koritnik highlighted in the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee the importance of the digital transition for the post-pandemic recovery and longer-term EU policy goals. They stressed that the Presidency will focus on the Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act as well as the Artificial Intelligence Act, key legislative files to ensure citizens’ trust in new technology, encourage digitalisation efforts, and create high standards for the digital economy.

Beyond these digital issues, the MEPs discussed with the two ministers the implementation of key internal market legislation, new product safety rules, customs control issues, the upcoming common charger proposal, construction products regulation and standardisation questions.

Transport and Tourism

On 13 July, Infrastructure Minister, Jernej Vrtovec, and Economic Development and Technology Minister, Zdravko Počivalšek, identified sustainability, resilience, e-mobility and alternative fuels, as well as the recovery of travel sector, as the main policy pillars of the Slovenian presidency in the transport sector. These issues will also be key to make the Green Deal and decarbonisation efforts a success.

Transport committee MEPs welcomed the focus on the decarbonisation of the transport sector, urging the Presidency to ensure technological neutrality in the green and digital transitions. Some MEPs asked for all efforts to be put into to promoting the rail sector, to review TEN-T rules and transport mobility package, to safeguard passengers’ and workers’ rights, invest more in the economic recovery of the tourism sector,and ensure better EU coordination on travel restrictions.