Media release

Close cooperation with the European Parliament needed for speedy setup of the European Fund for Strategic Investment

Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica. Photo: State Chancellery of Latvia
29 January 2015

On 28 January, in the European Parliament plenary session in Brussels, the Latvian Parliamentary State Secretary for EU Affairs Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica informed the Members of the European Parliament about the Council’s position on the creation of the European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI) and shared its view on the roadmap towards a new international climate agreement in Paris on December 2015.

Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica highlighted the urgency which Europe needs for a boost in investment: “The EU Fund for Strategic Investments is a top priority for the Presidency. It is essential that we strengthen economic growth and reduce unemployment in the EU. The investment package is designed to deliver on this dual goal and it is of utmost importance that the co-legislators, work together as quickly as possible, to meet the ambitious deadline set by the European Council”, said Z. Kalniņa-Lukaševica.

The European Fund for Strategic Investment is the first pillar of the Commission’s EUR 315 billion investment plan for mobilising finance for investment. The other two pillars include creating the project pipeline and providing a friendlier regulatory environment for investment.

The Latvian Presidency’s presentation is a follow up to the first discussions carried out by the Member States during the regular meetings of special ad-hoc working party and the first discussion of ministers took place on 27 January.

Speaking about the UN Climate Change Conference that will take place in Paris on December 2015, Z. Kalniņa-Lukaševica informed about the next steps of the Council in preparing for the international negotiations. “The results of the Lima Climate Change conference (COP20) and the sense of urgency expressed by the world leaders at the UN Climate Summit in September provide the necessary impetus for the work this year”, said the Parliamentary State Secretary for EU Affairs.

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Jānis Bērziņš
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