French Presidency of the Council of the EU:10/01/2022 18:00 | Article Inauguration of The Fabric of Europe

10/01/2022 18:00 | Article Inauguration of The Fabric of Europe During each presidency of the Council of the European Union, the buildings of the Council (Justus Lipsius and Europa) are decorated based on an artistic design concept developed by the Member State holding the rotating presidency of the Council. During each presidency of the Council of the European Union, the buildings of the Council (Justus Lipsius and Europa) are decorated based on an artistic design concept developed by the Member State holding the rotating presidency of the Council. Today, the Minister of Culture, Roselyne Bachelot-Narquin, and the Minister of State for European Affairs, Clément Beaune, inaugurated the work that will adorn the buildings of the Council in the 37 colours from the 27 flags of the Member States, throughout the duration of the French Presidency. Created by the Ateliers Adeline Rispal in collaboration with the graphic design agency Si – Studio irrésistible and illuminated by Les Éclaireurs, The Fabric of Europe1 is the fabric woven together by the EU Member States. It provides a visual representation of the links within the European Union and with the rest of the world, which take the form of flows of people, goods, data and information. It symbolises 447 million citizens’ sense of belonging to the European Union while expressing the diversity of their cultures. This scenographic and artistic design embodies the European Union’s motto, “United in diversity”, through two original creations: Aour Europe, a work of digital and audio art by artist Jacques Perconte and Intersection(s), a series of woven screens by textile artist Jeanne Goutelle. The technique used to create The Fabric of Europe reflects the two main challenges faced by the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union: the digital and green transitions. To this end, it particularly emphasises the digital transition by blending the weaving of digital and poetic landscapes with the natural European landscapes thanks to the work of Jacques Perconte, a pioneer of digital art. In addition, the scenographic and graphic creation of the project is environment-friendly, due to: low use of raw materials, recycling used materials, prioritising short supply chains and low energy consumption. For instance, the 18 panels of Intersection(s), a work by Jeanne Goutelle, were handmade in Saint-Étienne using scraps from the city’s textile production. The Fabric of Europe will take several textile and digital artistic forms across eight designated spaces within the Justus Lipsius and Europa buildings, in particular, a 650 m2 monumental textile installation in the Justus Lipsius atrium and a 16 metre-long “data-weaving” installation in the Europa building forum. The project is also a means of showcasing French creation in a European setting, in particular: 6 rising young artists from the French art scene: Léa Belooussovitch, Jérôme Bonvalot, Vincent Chenut, Loup Lejeune, Élise Peroi and Lucien Roux The “Hémicycle” furniture range by designer Philippe Nigro, in partnership with the Mobilier National. 1 Trademark pending. Visit of the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, 11 January 2022, Paris The President of the French Republic, Mr Emmanuel Macron, will receive the President of the European Council, Mr Charles Michel, for a working lunch at the Élysée Palace on Tuesday, 11 January 2022. The President of the French Republic, Mr Emmanuel Macron, will receive the President of the European Council, Mr Charles Michel, for a working lunch at the Élysée Palace on Tuesday, 11 January 2022. This meeting takes place as the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union begins. They will first discuss the agenda of the French Presidency, and particularly its key priorities, as well as the events that will be organized at the level of Heads of State and Government. During the French Presidency of the Council of the EU, a “One Ocean Summit” will be held in Brest on 11 February, a European Union-African Union Summit in Brussels on 17 and 18 February, an informal summit on the new European growth and investment model, in France on 10 and 11 March, and a conference on the Western Balkans in June. They will also work on the preparation of the European Council meeting of 24 and 25 March 2022. The major international challenges will also be discussed. 10/01/2022 00:00 | Article The Informal Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the European Union (“Gymnich”) Foreign ministers of EU Member States will discuss international affairs at this meeting chaired by the High Representative and Vice-President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell. They will also discuss issues in Foreign and Security Policy that are strategically important for the European Union. Foreign ministers of EU Member States will discuss international affairs at this meeting chaired by the High Representative and Vice-President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell. They will also discuss issues in Foreign and Security Policy that are strategically important for the European Union. The Informal Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the European Union, called “Gymnich” after the place where it was first held in 1974, will take place at the Atelier des Capucins in Brest (Finistère, Brittany) on 13 and 14 January 2022. Gymnich meetings are an opportunity for informal, open and strategic discussions about the priorities of the European Union’s foreign policy. Both long-term prospects and the current main international crises are discussed. As tradition goes, the Informal Meeting of Foreign Ministers will directly follow a Meeting of Defence Ministers of Member States. All ministers will attend a joint working session. The French Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy decided to focus the Brest meeting on topics that are fundamental to boosting European sovereignty on the international stage: A Strategic Compass for a More Sovereign Europe Ministers will have an in-depth discussion about the Strategic Compass during a joint session with Defence Ministers of EU Member States ahead of the meeting with Heads of State and Government in March. The Strategic Compass is truly a “White Paper” defining the 2030 ambition for European defence. It allows Member States to set out a common strategic vision for the European Union over the next decade. They have been working on it for over a year. The Strategic Compass will combine a European definition of threats, European operational and industrial capacity building and defending the interests and freedom of action of the European Union in contested areas such as seas and oceans, space, cyber space and information. It will define actions to be taken in four key areas: crisis management, capacity-building, resilience and partnerships. In Brest, the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union wants to push work towards an ambitious Strategic Compass to ensure stronger and more operational European defence. A renewed Eastern Neighbourhood Policy Ministers will discuss the security situation in the European Union’s Eastern Neighbourhood, particularly in Ukraine and Belarus. Following the latest meetings of the Foreign Affairs Council, where Member States reiterated their commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, as well as their solidarity with Belarusian civil society, ministers will reassess the geostrategic environment. They will discuss initiatives to be rolled out in response to immediate and long-term challenges for the region’s security.* A more balanced relationship with China Ministers will discuss the relationship between the European Union and China, particularly China’s attitude towards certain Member States of the Union which are experiencing great political, economic and commercial pressure. This will be an opportunity to ensure that the European Union’s multidimensional approach, developed in its joint communication in 2019, contributes to the objective of having a more balanced, stable and predictable relationship. Ministers will also discuss how China promotes its model within the multilateral system and how the European Union should act in response. A reshaped partnership between the European Union and the African Union The French Presidency of the Council of the European Union will organize a joint working session ahead of the European Union-African Union summit to be held on 17 and 18 February 2022. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chair of the African Union Commission, and Aissata Tall Sall, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Senegal, have been invited to this working session where ministers will discuss the future of African Union-European Union relations. This summit will also provide an opportunity to overhaul the partnership between the two continents and to strengthen the strategic ties between the European Union and the African Union in shared priorities such as prosperity, security and mobility alongside African partners. Ministers will be able to discuss any matter on the international agenda at the Brest meeting. The relevant commissioners and the Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs will be invited to take part in some discussions.