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On Monday January 25, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sophie Wilmès, participated with her counterparts to the Foreign Affairs Council held in Brussels. It began with exchanges on topical issues during which the European ministers discussed the political situation in several regions of the world, but also the future of transatlantic relations or the European strategy to facilitate access by third countries to vaccines against COVID-19. An exchange of views was also held with the Japanese Foreign Minister, H.E. Toshimitsu Motegi.

The American elections herald the beginning of a period of American re-engagement in the world. Strengthened by its steadfastness in defending the multilateral order built after the Second World War, the EU stands ready to cooperate with Washington in defending universal values and in the interest of the American and European peoples. Belgium is actively contributing to these debates and to the development of strategic autonomy that should enable the European Union to be a credible partner. Belgium welcomes the adoption of a sanctions regime to target perpetrators of serious human rights violations around the world, a new tool that Belgium supported.

This Tuesday November 17, the General Affairs Council of the European Union (EU) will bring together by videoconference the Ministers in charge of European Affairs. Due to the unavailability of Foreign Affairs Minister Sophie Wilmès, Belgium will be represented by Minister David Clarinval.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and of Defense Philippe Goffin welcomes the adoption on Monday, June 15, of new conclusions of the Council of the European Union concerning the external dimension of preventing and combating terrorism and violent extremism. The fight against terrorism is a priority of Belgian foreign policy, both for international security and for that of our fellow citizens. It is also one of the central themes of our mandate as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the years 2019 and 2020. Belgium defends a global and inclusive approach in its fight against the scourge of terrorism and is delighted by the fact that this is fully reflected in these conclusions.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defence, Philippe Goffin, today took part in the EU Foreign Affairs Council. Two important issues were addressed by Belgium and its partners: the response to the COVID-19 crisis and the situation in Ukraine.

Deputy Prime minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defense Didier Reynders welcomes the consensus reached by the EU on the modernization of the Common Position on arms export on 16 September.

Besides the coordination of Belgium’s European policy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs plays also a role in informing the public and raising its awareness regarding the European integration project. It is in that framework that Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs and Minister of Defence Didier Reynders launched in 2015 the initiative “Let’s talk together about Europe”. The 8th edition of this event took place today in the Egmont Palace in Brussels.

Op-Ed - Minister Reynders, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium, Minister Roth, Minister of State for Europe of Germany, Minister Blok, Minister of Foreign Affairs of The Netherlands.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Didier Reynders and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Development Cooperation Alexander De Croo express their satisfaction with the conclusions adopted today by the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union regarding the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe yesterday announced an agreement on the essential elements of an economic partnership agreement between the European Union and Japan. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Didier Reynders welcomes this announcement. It is an important step towards the most important bilateral commercial agreement that the European Union has ever concluded.