Brussels, 21/10/2015 (Agence Europe) - Energy cooperation between the EU and North America will be the focus of a five-day visit to the USA, then Canada by European Commission Vice-President for Energy Union Maros Sefcovic (Wednesday 21-Monday 26 October).
A series of meetings with the US authorities are on the day's agenda for Sefcovic's visit to Washington. In particular, he will meet US Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz, Deputy National Security Adviser Caroline Atkinson and Senior Adviser to US President Barack Obama, Brian Deese on Thursday 22 October, and Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday 23 October.
Sefcovic will start the American leg of his tour with a meeting with US Senators Heidi Heitkamp and Ron Johnson on Wednesday 21 October. A visit to the World Bank is planned for 22 October, including a meeting with the bank's Vice-President for Sustainable Development Laura Tuck. The same day, Sefcovic will make a speech to the Peterson Institute for international economics on a transatlantic energy pact for the 21st century. On 23 October, he will participate in a US Chamber of Commerce round table, and will attend a meeting with First Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) David Lipton.
In Canada, on 26 October, Sefcovic will meet Prime Minister of Quebec Philippe Couillard, and Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Quebec Pierre Arcand. Sefcovic is also due to deliver a speech on EU-Energy Cooperation to the Montreal Council on International Relations. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)