EU aims to build new energy and climate strategy for next five years

Photo:Xinhua***

European Union (EU) leaders announced in a statement Friday they aim to build a new energy and climate strategy for the next five years after a summit meeting in Brussels.

It said EU countries will aim to build an Energy Union with affordable, secure and sustainable energy in the face of geopolitical events, worldwide energy competition and the impact of climate change.

It emphasized that EU must avoid "relying to such a high extent on fuel and gas imports" and ensure "energy future is under full control."

“Greek Seas” exhibition opens in Belgrade

BELGRADE -- A photo exhibition originally staged by Athens’ Benaki Museum, “Greek Seas - A Photographic Journey Through Time”, has been opened in Belgrade...

The event is hosted at the hall of the National Bank of Serbia (NBS).

The exhibition is a cultural event marking the end of Greece's EU presidency and was opened by Greek Ambassador to Serbia Constantine Economides late on Wednesday.

Economides said that the reason why photographs of the sea had been chosen to represent Greece was because naval policy had been a key priority for the country during its EU presidency.

«AGRIdiversity»: the diversity of European agriculture at the heart of EU policies (Athens 4-6 May 2014)

      The informal meeting of EU ministers of Agriculture took place in Athens from 4 to 6 of May, chaired by the Greek Minister of Rural Development and Food Mr Athanasios Tsaftaris. The key issue of the agenda was “Transforming the European agricultural diversity into strength”.

The Greek Presidency has chosen this specific topic with the goal to further turn the European diversity into strength.

Diversity covers all aspects from the capacity of production to the environmental and social-economic conditions of European member states and regions, while the implementation of the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for the period 2014-2020 is based on the recognition of the wide diversification of agriculture across the EU.

ICRI 2014 – A conference with a view to the future...

The 2^nd International Conference on Research Infrastructures (ICRI 2014) is taking place at the Megaron Athens International Conference Centre on 2-4 April 2014, in the framework of the Greek Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The conference is organised by the European Commission and the Greek General Secretariat of Research & Technology (Ministry of Education & Religious Affairs) with the organisational support of the “Athena” Research and Innovation Center.
The strategic aim of ICRI 2014 is to highlight how global Research Infrastructures may respond to the local and global challenges the world is facing today (environment, poverty, sustainability, security), what lessons have been learnt from the past and what the priorities and directions for the future should be.

Invasive alien species: MEPs reach agreement with the Greek Presidency

Plans to prevent the introduction or halt the spread of “invasive alien species” of plants, animals or insects that cause ecological and economic damage were agreed by MEPs and the Greek Presidency of the Council on Wednesday. The draft legislation, which would require EU member states to coordinate their efforts, provides for a ban on species declared to be of “Union concern”.

“Invasive alien species cause damage worth at least €12 billion every year in Europe and many member states already have to spend considerable resources in dealing with them”, said MEP Pavel Poc (S&D, CZ) who is steering the legislation through Parliament.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Venizelos’ statement following today’s EU General Affairs Council (Brussels, 11 February 2014). -Genetically modified organisms

MFA, Tuesday, 11 February 2014

-

E. VENIZELOS: In the name of the Hellenic Presidency, I want to express warm thanks to Commissioner Sefcovic and all the member states who took the floor to welcome and support the Hellenic Presidency’s priorities. I also want to express thanks for the warm welcome of the practical results presented by the Hellenic Presidency after five weeks of exercising its duties.