Ministers to discuss aviation security and counter-terrorism on 16 August
Minister of the Interior Kari Rajamäki of Finland, the country currently holding the EU Presidency, and the ministers responsible for internal security of the forthcoming Presidencies, namely Germany, Portugal, Slovenia and France, will meet in London on 16 August together with British Home Secretary John Reid and Commission Vice-President Franco Frattini, EU Commissioner responsible for Justice, Freedom and Security. The ministers will discuss aviation security and counter-terrorism issues. Mr Rajamäki and Mr Reid agreed last week to arrange this meeting because of the airlines terror plot exposed in Great Britain.
At the informal meeting the ministers will discuss the recent events and assess their impact on counter-terrorism cooperation in the EU. Following the meeting in London, issues related to cooperation within the EU will be further discussed at the Union’s institutions. The meeting of aviation security and counter-terrorism experts scheduled for this week will be arranged later on after the ministerial meeting once the experts have received the necessary information from the EU institutions and the British authorities.
For further information, please contact Kari Salmi, State Secretary, tel. +358 9 160 42802, or Antti Pelttari, Director-General, tel. +358 9 160 42290