Date of release : 14-06-2005

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 in Brussels on 16 and 17 June 2005.

In the company of the Foreign Ministers we will begin our meeting at the end of Thursday afternoon with the traditional exchange of views with the President of the European Parliament.

This will be followed by a working session during which I intend to hold an initial "tour de table" on one of the two crucial issues facing this European Council, namely the process of ratification of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe.

Over dinner, I should like to continue the discussion on the next steps in the process of ratification of the Constitutional Treaty, with a view to adopting a joint declaration.  I have asked the President of the European Parliament to join us.  The Foreign Ministers, for their part, will discuss all the external relations issues covered in the European Council's draft conclusions.

The whole of Friday will be spent on the financial perspective, with the aim of reaching political agreement.

Our meeting comes at a difficult moment in the construction of Europe.  The citizens of Europe will be paying particular attention to our discussions and will be expecting answers and action from us.  I am counting on your support and cooperation in showing that the European Union is acting in their interest.

I very much look forward to meeting you again in Brussels on 16 June.

Yours faithfully,

Jean-Claude Juncker

President of the European Council