No. 21/05
February 18, 2005
PRESIDENT BARROSO
WELCOMES US PRESIDENT BUSH AT EUROPEAN COMMISSION HEADQUARTERS
In the evening of
22 February 2005, US President George W. Bush and European
Commission President José
M. Barroso, will meet at the Berlaymont building, the
headquarters of the European Commission in Brussels. Commissioner
for External
Relations and European
Neighbourhood Policy Benita
Ferrero-Waldner and Trade
Commissioner Peter
Mandelson will also participate. President Bush will
be accompanied by US
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, National Security
Advisor Steve Hadley and White House Chief of Staff Andrew
Card. In the run up to the meeting, President Barroso declared
today: “I am very much looking forward to welcoming President
Bush to the European Commission and to exchange views on
key
bilateral and multilateral issues impacting transatlantic
relations. America needs Europe and Europe needs America
and by working together we can make the world a better one.
We must combine our ideas, experiences and resources to
promote democracy, freedom and prosperity and to build a
safer world with opportunities for citizens around the globe.”
Timing and agenda
In the afternoon prior to the visit to the Commission President
Bush will meet with the 25 Heads
of State and Government of EU Member States (European
Council format) and President Barroso at the Council.
Parallel to this meeting, Foreign Ministers and Commissioner
Ferrero-Waldner will meet with Secretary of State Rice.
The visit of President Bush to the European Commission will
start with an exchange of views involving also the External
Relations and Trade Commissioners and include an encounter
with other members of the Commission.
President Barroso will then host a working dinner for President
Bush and his party, for the President of the European Council,
Prime Minister of Luxembourg,
Jean-Claude Juncker, accompanied by the President of the
Council, Foreign Minister of Luxembourg, Jean Asselborn
and the Secretary General of the Council/High Representative,
Javier
Solana. The dinner will also be attended by Commissioners
Ferrero-Waldner and Mandelson.
This will conclude the visit of the US President to the
European Union institutions.
The discussions at the Commission will focus on two main
issues: the Community contributions to promote stability
in the Middle
East, including the Middle
East Peace Process, Iraq
and reform in the Broader Middle East, and on economic relations.
The Commission can make a substantial contribution to consolidating
peace in the Middle East, both through its assistance programmes
to strengthen institutions and by using its trade instruments
to facilitate trade
and stimulate economic development.
With regard to the economic relations, the Commission intends
to inject new impetus into the deepening of the transatlantic
economic partnership. Both sides are currently working
towards a forward-looking, innovative strategy for endorsement
at the next EU-US
Summit to reduce barriers
to trade and investment and develop the full potential of
the transatlantic market. Public stakeholder consultations
organised by the European Commission and the US Administration
have provided valuable input into this process.
Over dinner, the Commission representatives intend to raise
issues linked to the promotion of effective multilateralism
and to a successful conclusion of the WTO Doha
Development Round, in order to ensure that common development
goals will be achieved.
For further information on the visit of the US President
and for electronic versions of the Fact Sheets go to:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/us/bush/index.htm
.
Further Contact Information
Press and Media Relations
Delegation of the European Commission
2300 M Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037
http://www.eurunion.org/PressRoom
Tel: 202-862-9552
Fax: 202-429-1766
