Amélie de Montchalin, Minister of state for European Affairs attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, today received George Ciamba, Romanian Minister Delegate for European Affairs; Romania currently holds the presidency of the EU General Affairs Council.

The minister of state paid tribute to the work carried out by the Romanian presidency of the General Affairs Council to conclude some 90 legislative files before the end of the current term of the European Parliament. She discussed the ongoing work with her interlocutor, notably on the future Multiannual Financial Framework and on the reform of the Common European Asylum System. The two ministers discussed the forthcoming informal summit in Sibiu on May 9 which will be devoted to the future of Europe: The minister of state outlined President Macron's priorities focused on the goals of freedom, protection and progress; she also underscored the need for Europeans to come together to defend the European Union's values.

Amélie de Montchalin thanked George Ciamba for his participation in and support for the ministerial meeting on May 3 aimed at establishing a European mechanism for safeguarding endangered heritage, following the fire at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris.

The two ministers also discussed opportunities for strengthening French-Romanian relations within the framework of the bilateral strategic partnership and in the context of the France-Romania Season launched in Paris on November 27, 2018, by President Macron and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, which is now running until July 14 in Romania.

Lastly, the minister of state made her interlocutor aware of the priorities of the French chairmanship of the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers, due to begin on May 17.