European priorities for the next six months are to be thrashed out as Tony Blair and members of his cabinet meet all 20 European Commissioners in London.

Tony Blair's opening speech to the meeting (Dur: 4')

The meeting, which marks the formal start of the UK's presidency of the European Union, could well focus on the difficult issues of monetary union and European enlargement.

But Mr Blair has signalled his desire for the priorities to be crime, jobs and the environment.

Symbolic occasion

Jacques Santer comments on Britain's Presidency of the EU on the Today programme (Dur: 5')

The president of the European Commission, Jacques Santer, and the EU Commissioners are expected to meet nearly 40 British ministers, all those whose portfolios will touch on European issues over the next six months.

The British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, emphasised the role Britain wants to take.

Jean-Claude Junker, Luxembourg's Prime Minister

"What we want to do with our presidency is to reconnect Europe with the people, to show that the European politicians are actually addressing the concerns of the people of Europe on jobs, on the environment, on drugs and on crime," he said.

Complex job

Jean-Claude Junker, the Prime Minister of Luxembourg, whose presidency is just ending, warned against trying to push a national agenda, saying that the job is complex enough already.

"Hour after hour during the presidency you have to try to bring things forward to solve problems, to make compromises even in those areas where those compromises might harm what you might call your own national interest," he said.

Shadow Foreign Secretary Michael Howard talks to the Today programme (Dur: 4')

 

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