President Iohannis participates in EU Council meeting due to take relevant decisions on appointments to EU top jobs

President Klaus Iohannis will participate Thursday and Friday in the European Council meeting in Brussels. 

According to the agenda, the Romanian head of state will attend on Thursday the summit of the European People's Party and the meeting of the European Council; on Friday he will deliver a joint statement with European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. 

The topics on the agenda of the European Council meeting mainly concern the appointments to the European bodies' top jobs for the next institutional cycle, the adoption of the EU 2019 - 2024 Strategic Agenda, the Union's future multiannual budget, action against climate change, as well as external relations. 

The meeting will also approach the proposals for the European Commission's country specific recommendations for 2019 which will be adopted in July. 

The EU leaders will also discuss the latest developments in the process of UK's withdrawal from the EU. 

On Friday, President Iohannis will also attend the EURO + Summit in an extended format. 

According to the Presidential Administration, at the end of Romania's term at the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the Romanian President will deliver a briefing on the results obtained in implementing the goals set by the European Council. 

The EU leaders will approve the Union's Strategic Agenda for the 2019 - 2024 institutional cycle. The document provides the framework and general guidelines for the functioning of the European bodies, as well as for shaping a consolidated response of the Union in the new international context. 

"The President of Romania will point out that the member states must stay united in efforts to adopt and implement the Strategic Agenda, as reflected in the 10 commitments of the Sibiu Declaration," the Presidential Administration said. 

With regard to the post-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework, the European leaders will discuss the timeline and future steps in the process of adopting the next EU budget. In this context, President Klaus Iohannis will make an assessment of the progress made by the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in this area, expressing hope that Romania's significant efforts will contribute to reaching a future agreement in due time. 

"As far as foreign relations are concerned, President Iohannis will show that Romania strongly supports the continuation and strengthening of the Union's commitment to the Eastern Partnership, which is of strategic importance to the EU," the cited source said.