Education

Latvian Presidency priorities discussed by European Parliament committees

Published

11 years ago

January 20, 2015

The priorities of Latvia’s EU Council Presidency will be outlined to the various parliamentary committees by Latvian ministers in a series of meetings to be held during the last two weeks of January.

Culture and education

Culture and creative industries are an engine of economic growth and the Presidency will focus on bridging them to foster their development in Europe, Culture Minister Dace Melbārde told the Culture and Education Committee on Monday. Answering MEPs’ questions, she underlined the importance of technologies in broadening access to digital content and the diversity of broadcasting material. The Presidency will work to build consensus around the proposed "cultural exception" in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) talks, she added.

The Presidency aims to consolidate the role of education and training in delivering skills that the labour market needs, in line with Agenda 2020, said Education and Science Minister Mārīte Seile. It will also seek to strengthen informal education, including social skills that are essential for working life. Replying to MEPs’ questions, she added that the Presidency would prepare a coordinated position on the work of the Anti-Doping Agency and is looking for ways to move forward with the European Convention on the Manipulation of Sport Competitions.

Foreign affairs

EU enlargement talks will "advance where possible" promised Foreign Affairs Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs, presenting the Presidency’s priorities to the Foreign Affairs Committee on Monday. He hoped to open the first negotiating chapters with Serbia, sign a stabilization and association agreement with Kosovo, open new chapters in talks with Montenegro and achieve progress with Turkey, should it "show commitment to EU values".

MEPs asked whether progress could be expected with Bosnia and Hercegovina. Some worried that Latvia’s restrictions on the use of Russian could affect relations with Russia, but also asked what would be done to implement the Ukraine ceasefire. Other questions concerned Latvia’s aims for the EU Eastern Partnership summit in Riga in May, fighting terrorism, engaging Muslim societies to counter radicalization and support for peace in Syria and Libya.

More information

Website of the Latvian Presidency
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Committee on Development
Committee on International Trade
Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs
Committee on Legal Affairs
Committee on Culture and Education
Committee on Constitutional Affairs
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs
Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
Committee on Regional Development
Committee on Transport and Tourism
Committee on Fisheries
Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development