They discussed in particular the current Covid situation. Mr Janša presented the situation in Slovenia’s immediate neighbourhood and briefed Mr Maas about the measures adopted by the Slovenian government. Mr Maas highlighted the two key challenges of Germany’s EU Council Presidency, namely to reach as soon as possible an agreement on the multiannual financial framework and the recovery fund, and about Brexit at the end of Germany’s Presidency. He went on to stress that the purpose of his visit to Ljubljana was not only Germany’s Presidency but also the trio presidency with Portugal and Slovenia that play a very important role and will continue the work started by Germany.

Mr Janša supported the priorities of the programme for Germany’s Presidency. He pointed to the urgent need to improve the EU’s joint level of preparedness to tackle pandemics, which was included in the trio presidency programme at the initiative of Slovenia.  With respect to the multiannual financial framework and the recovery fund, he emphasised the need to secure funding for the repayment of bonds used by the EU to finance these assets; since the rapidly emerging digital economy is an important source, it would be reasonable to open discussions on the suitable taxation of the digital economy at the EU level. Mr Janša recalled the first time Slovenia held the presidency of the European Council and the Council of the European Union in 2008, and its very good and close cooperation with Germany and Portugal. The Prime Minister and the German Foreign Minister are convinced that the close and good cooperation between their two countries will continue during the current trio presidency.