NEWS

16 Jan 2014

EU GREEK PRESIDENCY INAUGURATED

Categories: Misc.

Athens, 15th January it will be Greece that holds the EU Presidency for the first semester of 2014, then to be followed by Italy, that will take the baton as of 1st July.

The official opening of the Hellenic Presidency of the Council of the EU in Brussels took place on Tuesday, 14 January at 20:00, at one of the most prestigious cultural venues in Brussels, the Bozar Center for Fine Arts, and the event was followed by a concert hosted by the  Greek Permanent Representation to the EU and the Embassy of Greece in Brussels, and funded by the Greek Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation. 

The following day, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras attended a plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg where he outlined the Greek Presidencys priorities, followed by a press conference  attended by the President of the Commission , José Manuel Barroso, and the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, at which the Greek Prime Minister spoke about the four priorities the Greek Presidency wants to address, which are to stimulate growth, employment and cohesion, support the EUs common currency, give an answer to the immigration issue, and give new impetus to EU maritime policy.

As concerns sport, the start of the Greek Presidency coincides with the launch of  “Erasmus+”, a new EU programme for education, training, youth and sport.

The EOC EU Office in Brussels (www.euoffice.eurolympic.org) is following developments closely.