Common Security and Defence Policy

The Standing Committee on Operational Cooperation on Internal Security (COSI) and the Strategic Committee on Immigration, Frontiers and Asylum (SCIFA) carried out several informal meetings on Wednesday and Thursday in Bucharest, in view of discussing the specific and unitary ways aimed at the citizens's safety in the European Union space.

At a CFSP/CSDP conference in Bucharest on Thursday, President of the Romanian Senate Calin Popescu-Tariceanu urged the Western Balkan countries to overcome their differences so that the European Union's sustainable commitment to internal and external reconciliation may be reconfirmed as preconditions for EU membership.

The Romanian presidency of the Council of EU already concluded 43 legislative files since taking over, among which a provisional agreement reached this week regarding the revision of the directive on natural gas, which will lead to the consolidation of energy security in the EU, PM Viorica Dancila said in the opening of the government meeting.

The cooperation in several initiatives of the European defence area is progressing, as it is the case of the PESCO (the Permanent Structured Cooperation in the area of security and defence policy) and the EDF (the European Defence Fund), EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini stated on Thursday after the informal meeting of the defence ministers of the

Discussions carried out by the defence ministers in the 28 EU states at the informal meeting in Bucharest were fruitful, generating a positive exchange of opinions on topical security issues and topics related to the future of EU defence, Minister of Defence Gabriel Les stated on Thursday.

Defence ministers from EU Member States gathered at an informal meeting on Thursday morning at the Palace of Parliament to analyze the prospects for the implementation of the EU's Global Strategy for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, an event organized by the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday evening in Bucharest that it is important that the European Union's defense efforts do not compete with those of the North Atlantic Alliance but are complementary.

The partnership between the European Union and NATO is essential, being strengthened over the past years and the consolidation of European defence and, at the same time, the EU-NATO cooperation represent a reason of pride, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini stated on Wednesday evening, shortly after arriving in Bucharest in order to attend the info

Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu presented the priorities of the Romanian Presidency at the Council of the European Union in the field of foreign relations during the information session organized by the European Policy Center think tank in Brussels on Tuesday.

Secretary of State for Defence Policy, Planning and International Relations Nicolae Nasta and Chief of General Staff General Nicolae Ciuca met on Tuesday at the National Military Circle with attaches of defence of the EU member states and partner countries, accredited in Bucharest, within a reception organised on the occasion of Romania taking over the mandate of the Presidency at the European