EU European Affairs Ministers will debate proposals on the European Union's Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021-2027 and the so-called Article 7 procedures on respect for the Rule of Law, on Tuesday 10 December in Brussels, with a hearing on Hungary and an update on the situation in Poland. Ministers will then continue preparations for the European Council meeting on 12 and 13 December by examining the draft conclusions.
MFF. The EU Council will hold a public policy debate on the MFF. This will be an opportunity to react to the 'negotiating box with figures' presented by the Finnish Presidency, in the run-up to the European Summit on 12 and 13 December (see EUROPE 12384/10, 12383/1).
EU leaders are expected to discuss this sensitive issue over dinner on Thursday 12 December.
The 'negotiating box' presented foresees an overall level of €1,087 billion for the period 2021-2027, or 1.07% of EU GNI. At the end of the EU Council's discussions, the work will be led by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, with the aim of reaching a final agreement.
"The aim is not to reach an agreement at this European Council", a diplomatic source warned, on Friday 6 December. The real negotiations at the highest political level have only just begun. In early 2020, Mr Michel is expected to start bilateral meetings with all Member States to discuss how to take negotiations forward on what promises to be difficult ones.
There is a difficult balance to strike: with the figures now presented, Member States are assessing what they will have to pay and what they will receive from the EU budget, a diplomatic source recalled.
The Finnish Presidency has planned increases (compared to the current MFF) in all headings of the 2021-2027 MFF, except those involving agriculture and cohesion policy.
A "major 'net contributor' to the EU budget is leaving the EU. So we need cuts. It is logical that these cuts come from the Common Agricultural Policy and cohesion, knowing that these are important items", one source said.
But the Finnish Presidency has tried to balance the cuts in these two items, in particular by adding (compared to the Commission's proposal) an envelope of €10 billion for rural development.
Rule of Law. On Tuesday morning, the General Affairs Council of the EU will hold Hungary's second hearing on the Rule of Law.
After a first hearing in September (see EUROPE 12328/1), this second exercise will focus on very specific themes that are sources of "concern" for Member States, a diplomatic source explained on Friday.
The second exercise will thus focus on the independence of the judiciary, freedom of the media and academic freedom (see EUROPE 12378/18), while the first hearing focused on the very general problems identified in the European Parliament's 'Sargentini' report, which triggered the Article 7 procedure in September 2018 (see EUROPE 12094/14).
Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield (Greens/EFA, France), who took over, in the Parliament, the torch carried by Mrs Sargentini in the previous legislature, was invited by the Finnish Presidency to an informal breakfast with the Member States. The aim is to overcome the EU Council's refusal to allow MEPs to participate in formal sessions on the situation in Hungary.
The Commission will also inform ministers about recent developments in the Article 7 procedure against Poland. In particular, it should review the recent judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union which sets out the elements to be taken into account in determining whether the disciplinary chamber of the Polish Supreme Court is sufficiently independent (see EUROPE 12372/28, 12384/28).
Poland will be able to make comments, as will the other Member States if they want to.
Climate. The Ministers for European Affairs will reconsider the draft conclusions of the European Council. Climate is the most important issue at the EU summit, the Finnish Presidency stressed on Friday.
Leaders will need to finalise political guidelines to prepare the EU's long-term strategy, focusing on a climate neutral EU by 2050.
On Friday, at the time of going to press, there were no new draft conclusions amending the first version of 2 December (see EUROPE 12384/11, 12383/7). Changes could be made to the text on Monday, 9 December.
At the European Council, climate change will be discussed from 12 December, starting at 3.30 p.m. "The debate will be long. It is likely to be extended to dinner", warned a European source.
Legislative programming. Ministers will have an exchange of views on priorities for future legislative work.
The objective of the discussion is to contribute to the European Commission's work programme for 2020 and the first ever multiannual programme. The views expressed by the ministers will be summarised in a letter from the Finnish Presidency to the Commission.
Enlargement. In 'various points', the Commission should provide Member States with indications on the timetable for its work on the enlargement process.
Since the deadlock at the European Council on the opening of negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia, some 15 countries have called for a reform of the EU accession negotiation process (see EUROPE 12375/23).
See the draft conclusions of the European Summit dated 2 December: http://bit.ly/36dqRyX (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic, Lionel Changeur and Aminata Niang)