Brussels, 16/04/2004 (Agence Europe) - The President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), Roger Briesch, and the EESC Secretary General, Patrick Venturini, will be making an official visit to Tallinn, Estonia on 19 and 20 April. On Tuesday, they will meet the President of Estonia, Arnold Ruutel, foreign minister Kristiina Ojuland, social affairs minister Marco Pomerants, and Ambassador of Ireland, Sean Farrell. The main areas of discussion will be the role of Estonia's future members of the EESC, the consequences of EU enlargement on the EESC and the EESC's role in decision making in the greater EU. President Briesch will also outline the EESC's proposals to the European Convention.
In Tallinn on Monday, the 5th meeting of the EU-Estonia Joint Consultative Committee will be held, jointly chaired by Mall Hellam (for Estonia) and Filip Hamro-Drotz (EESC). The meeting will look at food safety in the Estonian farming and food sector, vocational training and lifelong learning, and the EU's Northern Dimension and the New Neighbourhood Strategy. President Briesch will meet member of the Estonian parliament and government over dinner, along with ambassadors of current and future EU Member States, Siim Kallas, candidate for the position of Estonia's European Commissioner and the head of the European Commission's delegation in Tallinn, John Kjaer.