Ministers Logar and Blok welcomed the excellent and friendly relations between the two allies, which share a number of positions relating to the European Union and its future functioning. They called for the positive trade trends that place The Netherlands 6th among foreign investors in Slovenia to be maintained. The country of tulips ranks 10th among Slovenia’s foreign trade partners, with an annual trade exchange of EUR 1.6 billion.

The ministers discussed the revised proposal of the multiannual financial framework (MFF), currently being prepared by the European Commission, and the related new European recovery fund. Minister Logar spoke in favour of rapidly concluding an MFF agreement, which is indispensable to respond to the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. He stressed the importance of the cohesion policy for Slovenia, both within the MFF and the Recovery Fund.

The two counterparts also touched on the challenges lying ahead of Slovenia in preparing its 2021 EU Council presidency and on the current situation in the Union. They endorsed close cooperation between the two countries in the run-up to the 2021 EU Council presidency, coming in a period strongly marked by mitigating, and recovering from, the effects of the pandemic.

Minister Logar underlined the need for solidarity among EU Member States in responding to Covid-19 and for a coordinated easing of restrictive measures aimed at a speedy economic recovery. Both ministers advocated effective international cooperation and concerted action in response to the pandemic.