#Gymnich Informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Amsterdam (Gymnich)

On 5 and 6 February Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Bert Koenders

The defence ministers will meet with their foreign affairs colleagues at a joint working lunch to discuss progress in the area of EU foreign and security policy. ‘This unique setup reflects the importance of effectively linking foreign and security policy,’ said the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bert Koenders.

The EU’s relations with Iran

The next issue on the agenda is the EU’s relationship with Iran. The nuclear agreement with Iran paves the way for renewed relations between Iran and the EU.

Watch the meeting live on the European Commission’s website.

Discussion on crisis response

The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, will chair the informal meeting. At the joint initiative of Koenders and Mogherini, ministers will meet to take part in a crisis simulation exercise. A fictitious scenario will provide a basis for discussing various possible responses to an acute external threat.

Migration issues

The second day of the informal Gymnich meeting will address migration. EU ministers will join ministers from candidate countries along the route taken by migrants through the Western Balkans and Turkey, to discuss difficulties and ways they could be resolved.