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European Council      5/6/2018  Remarks by President Donald Tusk after his meeting with President of Montenegro Milo Đukanović Good afternoon. First of all, I wish to warmly welcome President Đukanović, my old friend, in Brussels and congratulate him on his election. It is highly symbolic that President Đukanović decided to come to Brussels for his first official trip abroad. It is another confirmation that the European and Euro-Atlantic direction of Montenegro is beyond any doubt. In fact, Montenegro celebrates today its first anniversary of NATO membership and remains also a frontrunner in EU accession talks. Last month, the leaders from both the European Union and the Western Balkans re-confirmed the European perspective as their firm strategic choice. Today more than ever, we need not only political declarations but also concrete actions. Therefore, I would also like to see a faster progress in the accession talks with Montenegro. This means not only opening but also closing of new chapters. I told President Đukanović that the pace of talks is set by his country. A strong track record in the rule of law, fight against corruption and organised crime is essential. Just like thriving free media and civil society are an integral part. We also discussed the domestic situation in Montenegro. I shared with President Đukanović my personal regrets that pro-European forces in his country are not able to cooperate within the existing institutions. I encouraged him to take leadership to overcome this strategic weakness. I believe that a full implementation of the recommendations made by international observers on the electoral process in his country could strengthen public trust in the institutions and in the vote's outcome.  Last but not least, I used our meeting to once again thank Montenegro for its unwavering solidarity with and support to our foreign and security policy. Council of the European Union     5/6/2018  Main results - Justice and Home Affairs Council (Home Affairs issues) of 5 June 2018 Home affairs ministers discussed migration, the reform of the common European asylum system, the reform of the visa code and security matters. Main results Justice (Monday 4 June) Directive on insolvency, restructuring and second chance The Council agreed on a partial general approach on the directive on insolvency, restructuring and second chance. The agreement covers, in particular, aspects related to the discharge of debts, measures to increase the efficiency of procedures and the collection of data on those procedures. This directive, once adopted, will support growth and jobs across the EU and help develop a business culture in which entrepreneurs are allowed to fail and try again. I hope today's agreement will pave the way for a full Council position later this year and political agreement before the European Parliament elections. Tsetska Tsacheva, Bulgarian minister of Justice E-evidence  Ministers of justice and home affairs discussed the proposal of the Commission and reaffirmed its importance for ensuring effective and quick mechanisms to collect and use e-evidence. With regards to recent international developments, in particular the adoption of the US CLOUD act, the Council was supportive of a common approach at EU level and encouraged the Commission to continue its contacts with the US authorities and to urgently submit a negotiation mandate, ideally before the summer recess. E-Justice strategy Ministers were informed by the Presidency about progress on the new 2019-2023 e-Justice Strategy and Action Plan. The main elements of the new strategy which have already taken shape will contribute to the modernisation of justice at national and European level. The framework and principles agreed for the draft strategy and action plan will entail: ensuring the sustainability of e-Justice projects, developing the principle of interoperability between member states' national electronic systems, and preserving the principle of voluntary participation in projects. Highlights from the Home Affairs Council of 5 June 2018 Home affairs (Tuesday 5 June) Reform of the Common European asylum system and resettlement Ministers took stock of progress on all the asylum reform files.  Before the Council meeting, ministers held informal discussions on the application of the principles of responsibility and solidarity in the context of the common European asylum system. The results of these discussions, together with the latest compromise text, will form the basis for further work in the run-up to the European Council meeting at the end of June.  Ministers also informally covered the Asylum Procedure Regulation,  broadly supporting the idea of having an EU list of safe third countries by the time of adoption of the regulation. Today we have had a frank discussion on fundamental aspects of the asylum reform. We are no longer in the crisis situation we faced in 2015, but we must still make sure we are ready to face any future crisis. Discussions will now be continued by EU leaders on the basis of the work done so far. Valentin Radev, Bulgarian minister of interior Visa code Home affairs ministers discussed the proposal to reform the visa code, focusing in particular on the link between visa policy and readmission. Most of the delegations supported the codification of the link between visa policy and readmission and expressed a preference for the negative incentives. The work will continue at expert level in order to achieve a negotiating mandate as soon as possible. Migration Over lunch, ministers discussed the state of play and way forward on a number of migration issues, covering all three Mediterranean routes. They considered how to strengthen ongoing work in different fields, including support to EU agencies, continued respect of the EU-Turkey statement, the provision of sufficient funding for the EU Trust Fund for Africa and support to partners along the Western Balkans. EU cooperation against organised and serious crime Ministers took stock of the impact of the EU policy cycle for organised and serious crime, following the completion of the first EU policy cycle (2014-2017). They confirmed its added value and highlighted its multidisciplinary component as a clear example of a successful EU initiative. Meeting information Meeting n°3622 Luxembourg 04-05/06/2018 Preparatory documents Provisional agenda, Justice and Home Affairs Council, 04-05 June 2018 Indicative programme, Justice and Home Affairs Council, 04-05 June 2018 List of A items, non-legislative activities, Justice and Home Affairs Council, 04-05 June 2018 Background brief Outcome documents Outcome of the Council meeting List of participants Video footage of the meetin Council of the European Union      5/6/2018  Presidency press release after the informal meeting of EU Agriculture Ministers, 5 June 2018, Sofia, Bulgaria Read the full press release (PDF). European Council      5/6/2018  Remarks by President Donald Tusk after his meeting with Prime Minister of Norway Erna Solberg Good afternoon. I am very happy to receive Prime Minister Erna Solberg today. When it comes to close partners, you simply cannot find one that is closer to us than Norway. And today such partners matter more than ever. Our relations are close and stable. What keeps us together is more than just economic interests. What is important for the European Union is important for Norway, and vice-versa. Today I expressed my appreciation to the Prime Minister for the new, forward-looking strategy her government recently adopted regarding the EU, which reflects this spirit of cooperation. We took stock of our bilateral relations, including within the European Economic Area. The EEA agreement has demonstrated its strength over the years. It has served both the EU and Norway well. It is here to stay and will be safeguarded from other current developments. We know that Brexit raises important questions also for the EEA EFTA countries. As close partners and friends, we stand ready to assist you in your talks with the UK and to keep you duly informed of the process ahead. In our discussions today, we confirmed our commitment to the further strengthening of co-operation in the field of security and defence, including between NATO and the EU. We also discussed our continued commitment to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and to the Middle East Peace Process. We touched on the Western Balkans, in light of the successful Summit in Sofia, and on the complicated situation we are witnessing in Turkey. I am happy to consider Norway an ally in all these efforts. I also want to acknowledge the personal engagement of the Prime Minister on international development, as you have demonstrated again this morning in your address at the European Development Days. And we appreciate your commitment to the future of our oceans, and look forward to working together with you on this. In the area of energy, we share much common ground. Norway remains a key supplier of gas and oil, but is also a partner in developing other sources of energy. Our close cooperation is crucial for the EU's energy security and for the Energy Union. And we are both determined to implement the Paris Agreement. Tusen takk!