By KUNA,
Paris : On the first day of France taking over the EU presidency from Slovenia, French President Nicolas Sarkozy will be receiving here Tuesday at the Elysee Palace President of the European Parliament Hans-Gert Pottering.
Later today, Sarkozy will also be receiving the President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Durao Barroso.
Sarkozy will then head to the Arch de Triumph to attend a ceremony that will be held there marking Frances take over of the EU presidency.
The French leader will then be receiving, at the Elysee, the Prime Minister Francois Fillon and members of the government over a working dinner which will also be attended by Barroso and Pottering.
To commemorate the arrival of the French presidency in the French capital, France has decorated the Eiffel tower with blue lighting and symbolic yellow stars for the EU members hanging from this famous landmark.
In a television interview on the eve of France taking the helm of the EU for the next six months, Sarkozy said that energy and the environment was one of his top priorities and he would be pushing for progress across the Union on this issue.
He added that immigration would be a key area of focus, hoping to convince his European partners to adopt a tough line on illegal immigration and on the issue of clandestine immigrants already in Europe.
The French leader did not elaborate on his other priorities, which include reinforcing defense cooperation between the 27 EU nations with a view to building an EU army of 60,000, capable of deploying for a year outside of its territory.
He defended the Common Agricultural Policy and affirmed that the energy-climate package is the most difficult item for the presidency.