State Secretary Hans Winkler represented the Council Presidency at the second informal trialogue with the European Commission and the European Parliament on the establishment of a European Fundamental Rights Agency.
According to Winkler, the "protection and the promotion of fundamental rights are fundamental political goals of the European Union. They are a prerequisite for stable societies based on functioning political institutions and efficient legal systems. Words alone are not enough, however. The Union's citizens need concrete measures. Appropriate structures must therefore be established and resources made available for protecting fundamental rights. This is precisely what we are seeking to do in establishing the Fundamental Rights Agency, which is a decisive development in expanding the protection of fundamental rights in the EU."
Winkler described the negotiations as having been positive and constructive. "In our talks today we were able to reach agreement among the institutions on key questions concerning the establishment of the agency. We are now concentrating our efforts on achieving agreement in the Council on the agency's future powers within the 3rd pillar. This is an area where, in the view of the Austrian Presidency and of the European Parliament, a role for the agency would be very important."
Winkler said he was confident political agreement could be achieved during the Austrian Presidency. At the same time, he stressed that securing an efficient mandate for the agency was paramount.
Email Service
Accreditation
Hotel Reservation
Route Planner
Weather