Meeting with Ms. Andreja Metelko-Zgombić, State Secretary, MFEA

Other participants of the meeting included Ms. Rina Eterović, Head of Sector for Economic Affairs, Ms. Irena Alajbeg, Head of Sector for Trade and Investment Policy and Diana Mihelić, Desk Officer for North America from the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and Mr. Dražen Malbašić, Policy Manager form AmCham.  The topic of the meeting was Croatia's upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

State Secretary Metelko-Zgombić reaffirmed Croatia's readiness to assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2020. This is an important period for the Union as a new European Commission is expected to be formed as well as the adoption of the Multiannual Financial Framework for 2021-2027. Priorities that will be in the focus of European policy during the Croatian Presidency will include topics such as digitization, demography, education funding, Connectivity (transport and energy), enlargement and security.

Ms Doko Jelusic emphasized the importance of economic topics, in particular digitization, during the Croatian Presidency of the EU Council, both for the European Union and for Croatia as a Member State. The Presidency represents an opportunity for Croatia to position itself as a constructive and participatory member not only within the EU institutions but also globally.

Further cooperation was agreed on a range of economic topics of interest to the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and AmCham such as energy, digitalization and health care.