Brussels, 24/04/2008 (Agence Europe) - The French EU Council Presidency intends to pursue construction of the European legal area with emphasis on family law and the common training of magistrates. This was announced on 22 April by the French minister for justice, Rachida Dati, on the sidelines of the plenary session, in Strasbourg. In her view, family law should be increasingly brought under the scope of Community competence regarding the transmission of goods, maintenance allowances and legislation on divorce (Rome III), a text that is still blocked by Sweden. Ms Dati also hoped to promote common training, taking as an example French reform of the Ecole nationale de la magistrature that now makes it mandatory to master one foreign language, including a compulsory period of stay abroad. She said she was confident that the Lisbon Treaty, which will grant the European Parliament codecision in legal cooperation, will facilitate continued construction of the European judicial area. (B.C).