Slovenia – Conversation between Franck Riester and Zdravko Pocivalsek (21 June 2021)

Franck Riester, Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness, attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, will meet today via video conference with Zdravko Pocivalsek, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Economic Development and Technology of the Republic of Slovenia.

A few days ahead of the start of the Slovenian presidency of the Council of the European Union, and while Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, received his counterpart,
Anze Logar, on June 18, these discussions reflect our shared determination to work closely together in order to ensure the continuity of the work between our two presidencies.

The ministers will discuss the priorities of the Slovenian presidency in the trade sector and European issues, which France will closely monitor, notably including the ongoing discussions on the instrument for reciprocity in public procurement, the draft regulation on foreign subsidies distorting the internal market, the future anti-coercion instrument, and the EU carbon border adjustment mechanism.

The meeting will provide an opportunity to discuss the new EU trade policy strategy, the strengthening of EU strategic autonomy, and the fight against unfair practices, as well as the consideration of climate change and sustainable development in trade policy. The minister delegate will notably underscore the need to ensure that the Paris agreement is an essential component of EU trade and investment agreements.