Over the next six months, the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU will focus on the Western Balkans (Albania, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia).
Bulgarian Presidency minister Lilyana Pavlova told EUROPE that her country’s presidency would be one for the Balkans. According to the presidency’s programme, the future of the Western Balkans is in the EU and it will aim to support all countries in the region in their work to move in the direction of Europe. The presidency will draw up Council of the EU conclusions documents based on the European Commission’s enlargement package that will be published in April 2018, the programme states. In addition to aspects relating to joining the EU, Bulgaria wants to encourage connectivity between Western Balkans and EU nations. A demonstration of this interest in the Western Balkans is the EU-Western Balkans summit planned for 17 May (the first for 15 years).
The Bulgarian Presidency is planning to work on continuing dialogue and cooperation with Turkey, including "full implementation" of the migration statement of 18 March 2016. The programme says that one of the presidency’s main priorities will be the democracy, stability, prosperity and viability of countries in the European Neighbourhood, with particular attention being paid to current measures on sustainability and support for connectivity projects, economic and trade development, networking among individuals and overarching cooperation in the fields of education and research.
Sofia will look at the external aspects of migration, particularly the partnership framework for migration and its "geographically balanced implementation". Bulgaria plans to focus on boosting cooperation in the field of migration with the main countries of origin and transit in Asia, and will pay proper attention to the upcoming revision of implementation of the Valletta joint action plan.
The Presidency adds that maintaining the EU's constructive commitment and boosting its relations with priority strategic allies and transatlantic partners (the United States and Canada) is crucial. It says it will support the work of the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy to strengthen ties with important partners in Asia and the Pacific.
The Bulgarian Presidency will continue to work on supporting implementation of the Foreign Affairs Council’s conclusions of 19 June 2017 on fighting terrorism, feeling that the EU should try to be more proactive and less reactive to terror threats.
Finally, in terms of defence, the Bulgarian Presidency will work among other things on a proposal on establishing a European defence industrial development programme once the European Parliament has made its views known. The presidency will support efforts to develop permanent structured cooperation (PESCO) that is effective, inclusive and ambitious. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)