During the talks with Dutch Foreign Minister Kaag, State Secretary Dovžan underlined excellent bilateral relations and advocated the continuation of regular dialogue. He briefed his Dutch colleague on the priorities of Slovenia’s EU Council Presidency. The Ministers agreed on the importance of maintaining regular dialogue on the rule of law. During the Slovenian Presidency, a general discussion will be held within the General Affairs Council on the European Commission’s second rule of law report, as well as a debate on the state of the rule of law in five Member States. 

Ahead of Slovenia’s EU Council Presidency, State Secretary Dovžan also visited the Court of Justice of the European Union, where he held talks with its President Koen Lenaerts. He expressed Slovenia’s full support for the work of the Court, briefing his colleague on the priorities of the Slovenian Presidency regarding the rule of law. President Lenaerts presented the development of the Court and some key decisions affecting the functioning of the Union as a whole. State Secretary Dovžan also met with the member of the European Court of Auditors, Annemie Turtelboom, with whom he discussed the Conference on the Future of Europe. They also spent some time discussing the recovery plans forwarded by the Member States. They agreed on the importance of raising awareness of dedicated spending for digital and green transformation.