OREANDA-NEWS. On July 1, the presidency of the Council of the European Union passed from Croatia to Germany. It will last six months; on January 1, 2021, it will be transferred to Portugal.

Over the next six months, Germany will focus on overcoming the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, climate protection issues, strengthening the European healthcare system and digitalization. In addition, Berlin will try to unify the policies of the members of the European Union towards large geopolitical players: China, Russia, and the United States.

The day before, German Chancellor Angela Merkel had a telephone conversation with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic. “During the chairmanship, Germany will rely on the progress that has been achieved under Croatia,” the press service of the German government quoted her.

The priorities of the chairmanship of Berlin have been discussed many times in recent months. Germany pointed out that Europe needs to become more competitive and effective in the context of world politics in order to protect its values ​​and interests.