Videoconference of EU ministers responsible for the internal market and industry: What will be discussed tomorrow

Met dank overgenomen van Duits voorzitterschap Europese Unie 2e helft 2020 (Duits Voorzitterschap) i, gepubliceerd op woensdag 18 november 2020.

On Thursday, 19 November 2020, EU ministers responsible for the internal market and industry will come together via videoconference under the auspices of Germany's Presidency of the Council of the EU.

Originally, the exchange was to be held as a formal council meeting in Brussels, but had to be changed to a videoconference due to COVID-19 restrictions. The meeting is being chaired by Germany's Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, Peter Altmaier. Thierry Breton i, EU Commissioner for Internal Market, is also taking part.

The main topic of the videoconference is industrial policy. The core element is an orientation debate on “Making the most of recovery: a more dynamic, resilient and competitive European industry through investments in the green transition, #cleanindustry”. The discussion is to focus on the ecological transition with regard to pandemic recovery plans and to securing competitiveness on a long-term basis. The debate takes place within the overall context of the Council conclusions on industrial policy, which were adopted via written procedure on 16 November.

Following the orientation debate, three further topics are on the agenda:

  • 2020 Annual Report of the SME Envoy Network to the Council
  • New Consumer Agenda
  • Work Programme of the incoming Portuguese Presidency.

Info

Minister Altmaier's statement upon arrival will be livestreamed from 8.30 on the website of the German Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. Further information on the videoconference, which takes place between 9.00 and 12.30, can be found on the website of the Council of the European Union. At 13.30 a live stream of the press conference following the videoconference can be seen on the website of the Council of the EU.

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