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Media release

General Affairs Council discusses migratory pressures in the Mediterranean

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General Affairs Council. © European Union

Latvian Minister for Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkēvičs. © European Union

19 May 2015

On Tuesday, May 19, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Edgars Rinkēvičs chaired the meeting of the EU General Affairs Council in Brussels. During the meeting, ministers debated migratory pressures in the Mediterranean, focused on youth employment and prepared the ground for the June European Council.

The Council adopted a regulation increasing the advance payments for the youth employment initiative by almost €1 billion in 2015. This decision addresses the budgetary constraints faced by member states at the initial stage of the programming period. It also responds to the urgent need to act against youth unemployment.

The Council followed up the Special meeting of the European Council of 23 April on migratory pressures in the Mediterranean. The Presidency and the Commission informed ministers of on-going and planned work. The Commission presented its Agenda for Migration on which ministers made preliminary remarks pending publication of the Commission legislative proposals.

The Council also prepared the ground for the June European Council. It examined an annotated draft agenda which includes a number of security challenges and some economic issues. In this context the Council was updated on the preparations of the four President's Report on the Economic and Monetary Union.

Remarks by Edgars Rinkēvičs following the General Affairs Council