Slovenian Presidency of the Salzburg Forum
Slovenia will be presiding the Salzburg Forum from 1 July to 31 December 2010.
During the Slovenian Presidency the majority of the meetings will be held on the sidelines of the Working Groups sessions and Council meetings in Brussels since by this approach we wish to reach better operation and efficiency.
The Slovenian Presidency program will be presented at a meeting on the margins of the informal Justice and Home Affairs Council on 15 and 16 July in Brussels. The member states of the Salzburg Forum will at the same time try to carry out a joint review of possible files.
Slovenia’s plans for its Presidency include the adoption of the Salzburg Forum Vision 2020 document which will be followed by the preparation of the 18-month work programme. In addition, its priority will be to strengthen the mechanism within the Salzburg Forum through which the member states could jointly express their common interests and by doing this their voice within the EU Council would become more powerful. This could be used at the level of the Council of Ministers as well as at the level of CATS, SCIFA and COSI and at the level of working groups within the framework of the EU Council.
In pursuing these goals the following meetings will be held during the Slovenian Presidency:
1. The Salzburg Forum Ministerial Conference - Austria, Salzburg (26 - 28 August 2010)
The Ministerial Conference will be held on the occasion of the Salzburg Forum’s 10th anniversary in Salzburg. The discussion will include the following topics: cooperation and lobbing in the EU, regional cooperation and cooperation with third countries.
2. Meeting of the Working Group on Road Traffic Safety - Ljubljana (September, November (possibly) 2010)
On the basis of the documentation, prepared by the Expert Group, the Ministers will adopt at the end of the year a joint declaration with a model of an agreement on the exchange of data on road traffic offences between the members of the Salzburg Forum, which could be used as the basis of bilateral agreements on the exchange of personal data on road traffic offences within the meaning of the Council Framework Decision 2005/214/JHA.
3. Meeting of the Working Group on Witness Protection - Ljubljana (October 2010)
The Expert Group will prepare a draft joint document on the basis of which the rules of cooperation could be standardized with emphasis on carrying of weapons during international activities in line with the Prum Treaty (witness protection). In addition, practical examples of the implementation of the Witness Protection Program will be presented.
4. Meeting of Ministers of the Salzburg Forum on the margin of the Council (December 2010)
At the Meeting of Ministers on the margin of the JHA Council the Ministers will adopt an 18-month SF work programme.
In addition, the Slovenian Presidency plans to organize several smaller events at a lower level during the half-year (such as: coordination at the working groups on the level of SCIFA, COREPER, JHA Counsellors, etc.).