The State Secretary and his Slovak counterpart discussed various topics, including the situation in Ukraine, boosting the competitiveness of the European economy, economic governance and the mid-term review of the Multiannual Financial Framework. They also touched on the future of Europe. In this context, they considered options to improve decision-making on the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy and talked about finding pragmatic solutions within the scope of the existing EU treaties. Their discussion also covered migration, with a focus on EU external border control, the Schengen area and the abolition of internal border checks. In this regard, State Secretary Štucin underlined the importance of a fully functioning Schengen area.

The state secretaries went on to exchange views on EU enlargement and the situation in the Western Balkans. They agreed that the EU enlargement process provides a strong incentive for the countries in the region to implement reforms. State Secretary Štucin stressed the importance of the EU maintaining the credibility of its enlargement policy as it offers a guarantee for stability in the region, which is critical given the current geopolitical instability.