T
he context of the Greek presidency is chal-
lenging. The extent of the debt crisis and
of the associated recession and unem-
ployment has undermined the confidence of EU
citizens to the very idea of European integration.
Furthermore, social cohesion has suffered enor-
mously especially in the countries where the
effects of crisis have been more pronounced.
To overcome the hiatus, Europe needs to move
forward, not backwards. We need more European
integration, not less. Moreover, we need good jobs
and sustainable growth and we must ensure that
our policies are aligned with this demand.
These aspirations are shared by the Greek presi-
dency. We have formulated our political priorities in
order to reflect and serve these goals. To this end,
the Greek presidency will focus on four main the-
matic areas:
●The promotion of growth-oriented policies, in
order to boost employment and cohesion.
●The reformulation of the EMU architecture,
including the establishment of a Banking Union,
in order to streamline monetary policy and safe-
guard the common currency.
●A comprehensive review of the immigration, bor-
der and mobility policies, in order to reflect the
needs of member states and in particular those
which share a disproportional burden.
●The implementation of a comprehensive initiative
on Maritime policy to ensure sustainable growth.
Closely related to these goals, the Greek presi-
dency also hopes to register good progress in
other important policy areas. Namely, in the pro-
motion of trade agreements with North America
and China, and the promotion of business-friendly
practices across the spectrum and, in particular, in
the field of digital economy.
Several promising trade initiatives are on the table
at the moment. The negotiations with Canada
Trade with Greece
36
By Dimitris Kourkoulas, Deputy Minister for Foreign
Affairs
On January 1st, 2014, Greece assumes the
rotating Presidency of the Council of the
EU. This is an important role for Greece
in, what can be described as, a tumultuous
time for Europe. To put it simply, Europe
is undergoing rapid change and for a brief
six-month period we have the opportunity
to be at the driving seat.
The Forthcoming Greek
Presidency: Challenges
and Opportunities
