On 22 April 2020, Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs took part in a videoconference of the European Union’s General Affairs Council.
During the videoconference, Ministers discussed the response of the European Union and each of its member states to the COVID-19 pandemic. Representatives of EU Member States paid special attention to economic recovery, and the importance of a common and coordinated approach in an exit strategy as well as the connection between this particular question and eventual agreement on the EU’s multiannual financial framework for 2021-2027.
Edgars Rinkēvičs advocated the view that negotiations on the EU Multiannual Financial Framework for 2021-2027 should resume as soon as possible. The budgetary framework should correspond, he said, to the circumstances resulting from the COVID-19 crisis and consequently should be larger, taking into account the cohesion policy, rural development and the importance of bringing direct payments up to the level of the EU average.
At the videoconference, the need was underlined for improvement of mechanisms for EU crisis coordination and ensuring that any limitations placed on fundamental rights and freedoms are in accordance with the rule of law and balanced with it.
Background Information
Meetings of the EU General Affairs Council take place once a month and in the first half of 2020, the meetings are chaired by Croatia, the EU Member State that currently holds the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union.