AFR Danish Prime Minister to attend the final Summit of the Danish EU Presidency

18.12.02

On Thursday 19 December, Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen will attend the last in a series of EU Summits held during the Danish Presidency. This final EU-Canada Summit will take place in Ottawa on 19 December.

With the EU-Canada Summit, the Prime Minister will have hosted a total of seven Summits with third countries during the Danish EU Presidency. These have taken place with the Ukraine, China, South Korea, India, Russia, Japan and now Canada, respectively. These Summits constitute an important part of the EU’s ongoing dialogue with key international cooperation partners.

* * *

From the Prime Minister’s travel and meeting schedule during the Danish EU Presidency, the Brussels European Council in October and the recently held Summit in Copenhagen in December were the two most prominent. Both Summits have been absolutely crucial to the success of the Danish EU Presidency, in particular with regard to the EU enlargement. The Summits were each carefully prepared for by a major roundtrip of the capitals of all EU Member States.

In the period leading up to and including the Presidency, the thirteen candidate countries paid individual visits to and attended meetings in Denmark.

As part of the close and fruitful co-operation with the EU institutions, the Prime Minister has visited the European Parliament on four occasions, latest on Wednesday 18 December, when he reviewed the results achieved by the Danish EU Presidency. Furthermore, it should be mentioned that two inter-institutional Summits have taken place between the Danish EU Presidency, the EU Commission and the European Parliament. Finally, the European Parliament’s Conference of Presidents has visited Denmark twice in connection with the Danish EU Presidency.

In regard to other important events during the Danish EU Presidency, Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen hosted the ASEM 4 Summit in Copenhagen in September, where EU Heads of State or Government met with the Asian countries in the forum of ASEM co-operation. Finally, the Prime Minister led the EU delegation to the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg at the beginning of September.

* * *

The Summit in Ottawa, which thus marks the end of an extremely busy travel and meeting schedule for Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, forms part of the continuing development of close and stable transatlantic relations. At the Summit, talks will take place on, among other things, ways to strengthen co-operation within anti-terrorism as well as regarding the Northern regions and youth exchange.

Additional information about the EU-Canada Summit, including press queries, may be found in the press release issued on 17 December.

Contact information Additional information about the Prime Minister’s meetings, travelling activities and visits in connection with the Danish EU Presidency may be found on the website of the Prime Minister’s Office. (www.stm.dk) or obtained by contacting Head of Section, Jesper Fer