Date of release : 18-03-2005

Policy area : General Affairs and External Relations

Event : European Council

I have great pleasure in inviting you to the meeting of the European Council to be held on 22 and 23 March 2005 in the Justus Lipsius Building in Brussels.

In the company of the Foreign Ministers and Finance Ministers we will begin our meeting on Tuesday evening with the traditional exchange of views with the President of the European Parliament.

This will be followed by a short working session, during which I intend to report on the outcome of the Finance Ministers' discussions on reform of the Stability and Growth Pact.

The Heads of State or Government will continue their discussions over dinner.  The Foreign Ministers, for their part, will discuss effective multilateralism.  The issues addressed by the Finance Ministers will include the Presidential succession at the World Bank.

Wednesday's working session will be devoted to adoption of the European Council conclusions, which will deal, in particular, with relaunching the Lisbon process.

The Presidency will inform the acceding and the candidate countries of the outcome of the proceedings.

I very much look forward to meeting you again shortly.

Yours faithfully,

Jean-Claude Juncker