Responsibilities within the EU Council Presidency
The DG chairs the domain of Tourism. It does this in the name of the European Union and not as the representative of Belgium. For the first time a Minister of the DG will preside at meetings of the 27 EU Member States. This is both an honour and an opportunity.
The work itself consists of setting the agenda and chairing meetings between the ministers, competent for transport, of all the member states. Tourism has only acquired an EU portfolio since the 1st December, 2009. The Belgian presidency will continue to pursue the goals set under the Spanish presidency in the first half of the year.
The DG represents Belgium in the fields of Youth and Sports policy. Minister Isabelle Weykmans has assumed responsibility for presenting the Belgian position at such meetings.
DG priorities the EU Council Presidency
The key areas for the DG are Tourism, Youth, Sport and Social policy.
Tourism is a new portfolio at the EU level. Work was begun in this domain during the Spanish EU Council Presidency in the first half of this year. During the second half of 2010, the Belgian presidency will advance discussions on the future of tourism in the EU. The goal is to draw up a common basis for policy, which can be presented to the European Commission for approval.
The Belgian EU Presidency in Youth policy involves the collaboration of the three Communities. Flanders assumes the presidency of the Council. The DG intends to engage itself actively for the success of the programme. One step will be to advance the process of structured dialogue with youth in the coming months. The DG would like to give them the opportunity of meeting youth from other states or federated entities, in the context of special events organized for that purpose.
In the arena of Sports policy, a common goal for Europe is to advance the social potential of sport. Simultaneously, a decisive common strategy should be developed to counter doping, violence and racism in sports. The DG actively supports these goals. Further sports policy priorities are the protection of youth and children, training and voluntary work.
The Social policy agenda for the Belgian EU Presidency will be primarily dominated by the European Year for the War on Poverty and Social Marginalization. Poverty is on the increase, even in rich industrialized nations. In Belgium alone, one in every seven citizens lives under the poverty line. The DG plays an engaged role in the national plan of action built around the motto: “The war on poverty concerns all of us”.