German Conference of Premiers – Picture by Saarland.de
Thursday, 15 March 2018, Brussels, Representation of the Free State of Bavaria to the EU: For the first time in eleven years the Conference of German Premiers (Ministerpräsidentenkonferenz) of the sixteen federal states took place at Brussels under the chairmanship of the freshly elected Premier of Saarland, Tobias Hans.
All premiers agreed on a “Brussels Declaration” including the strong commitment for the growth of the European Union with a strong participation of European regions. Topics of particular relevance were the financing of agriculture after 2020, the digitalisation around the EU, air cleanliness, scientific and research promotion, Brexit and EU integration and expansion after the latter.
President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker was present for the presentation of the Brussels Declaration as were the Budget Commissioner Günther Oettinger as well as Commissioner for Regional Policy, Corina Crețu and the Brexit Chief Negotiator, Michel Barnier.
Upon the initiative of the premiers of Saarland, Tobias Hans, North Rhine-Westphalia, Armin Laschet and Lower Saxony, Stephan Weil, a further declaration positioning the German federal states in favour of international trade without barriers, or with as little as possible, was likewise presented in the conference’s framework.
For further information:
https://www.saarland.de/SID-3AB96A25-763E6DF0/234529.htm
Brussels declaration 2018: https://www.saarland.de/dokumente/res_stk/Bruesseler_Erklaerung.pdf