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In pictures: Heads of state discuss the future of Europe in Poland

In pictures: Heads of state discuss the future of Europe in Poland © Toms Kalnins (Office of the President of Latvia)

09.10.2013

President Toomas Hendrik Ilves is on a working visit to Kraków. He is participating, with several other heads of state in a meeting of the Arraiolos Group to discuss the future of Europe.

This meeting of the Arraiolos Group, attended by the heads of state whose countries do not participate in the meetings of the EU Council, is focusing on the European Union's Eastern Partnership, trans-Atlantic relations and the post-crisis recovery of the economy.

Speaking about the economy, President Ilves noted that we still cannot speak about a functioning and integrated European Union domestic market. "Structural reforms are needed to ensure the cross-border movement of services, products and capital, and the willingness of the member states to implement these reforms," the head of state said.

According to President Ilves, the priority in relations between the European Union and the United States should be a common understanding and contribution in the field of security, including closer cooperation in the area of cyber security. According to the head of state, greater activity is also required in the name of concluding the Trade and Investment Partnership agreement between the European Union and the United States.

The Eastern Partnership Policy was also discussed by the Estonian Head of State and the Polish President Bronisław Komorowski at a bilateral meeting. They expressed their united support for concluding an Association and Free Trade Agreement with Ukraine and initialling comparable agreements with Moldova and Georgia.

At the invitation of Polish President Bronisław Komorowski, the following heads of state are participating in the meeting of the Arraiolos Group in Kraków: Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev, Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, Latvian President Andris Bērziņš, German President Joachim Gauck, Finnish President Sauli Niinistö and Portuguese President Aníbal Cavaco Silva.

President Ilves will arrive back in Estonia late this evening.


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