Estonian Presidency of the Council of the EU

Tallinn Design House was visited in conjunction with Estonian presidency of the Council of the European Union.

On July 9 2017, chairpersons of the European Union affairs committees of national parliaments and representatives of the European Parliament met in Tallinn at the opening conference of the parliamentary events of the Estonian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

According to the Chairman of the European Union Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) Toomas Vitsut, parliamentary level cooperation in the European Union is more important than ever before. “In parliamentary debates, we usually find the right balance between different opinions, which is important for preserving the unity of the European Union,” Vitsut said.

The Presidential Troika of COSAC, which is made up of the current Presidency holder Estonia, the preceding Presidency holder Malta and the next Presidency holder Bulgaria, also met in Tallinn. The purpose of the meeting, which is also attended by a representative of the European Parliament, is to ensure the continuity of the work of COSAC. The Estonian delegation has three members: Toomas Vitsut, Marianne Mikko and Jaak Madison.

All delegates had a chance to visit Tallinn Design House showroom, established by Tallinn Business Incubators. During the visit delegation was introduced to Estonian design and the activities of Tallinn Creative Incubator. Discussions were held on companies’ ability to enter foreign markets, interdisciplinary technology transfer and cross-border partnerships. CEO of Tallinn Creative Incubator Anu Lõhmus: “We outlined our work as an experienced entrepreneurship support organization and introduced Tallinn Design House as a co-marketing and export sales platform for Estonian design brands. We received positive feedback on our unique incubation model, which acts as a launchpad for both creative companies and technology-oriented startups.”

The Meeting of the Chairpersons of the Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs of the Parliaments of the European Union (COSAC) is a preparation for the COSAC Plenary Meeting, which will be held in Tallinn at the end of November. The main topics of the Plenary Meeting are the future of the EU, the role of national parliaments, the development of digital single market, the external dimension of migration, and the security issues.

Photo: Erik Peinar.