Nicosia, Cyprus. EU trade ministers meeting in Nicosia under the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union placed preparations for the upcoming WTO Ministerial Conference and the recalibration of EU-China trade relations at the top of their agenda, Energy Minister Michael Damianos said on Friday.
Agenda under Cyprus Presidency
Opening the informal meeting in the capital, Damianos outlined a programme focused on competitiveness, resilience and strategic autonomy amid what he described as “truly demanding geopolitical circumstances.”
He said it was the first gathering of EU trade ministers under the Cyprus Presidency. “Our aim as a Cyprus Presidency is to promote a forward looking agenda aimed at strengthening the Union’s competitiveness,” he added.
Damianos said Cyprus has assumed the rotating presidency “under truly demanding geopolitical circumstances,” citing instability in Europe’s neighbourhood and rapid shifts in the global order that have made “Europe’s resilience more vital than ever.”
Under the motto “An autonomous union, open to the world,” he said the Presidency is committed to helping the EU navigate uncertainty “with unity, clarity of purpose and an unwavering commitment to our shared values.”
WTO Ministerial Conference preparations
Ministers are set to begin discussions with preparations for the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference in Cameroon scheduled for the end of March.
“Let me be frank, the WTO remains the backbone of a predictable, rules based global economy, but it needs renewal,” Damianos said.
In earlier doorstep remarks, he said talks would centre on the WTO ministerial meeting in Cameroon at the end of March, describing it as a key milestone for the EU’s trade policy.
EU-China trade relations
EU-China relations are also high on the agenda, with ministers expected to assess recent developments and future engagement between the two sides.
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