On Tuesday 18 March, the European Affairs Ministers of the EU countries will prepare for the discussions of the EU27 Heads of State or Government, who will meet again on Thursday 20 March for a European Council that its President, António Costa, hopes to limit to one working day, two weeks after the Special European Summit devoted to European defence and Ukraine (see EUROPE 13594/1).
Following an exchange of views with Belarusian opposition figure Svetlana Tikhanovskaya over breakfast, the General Affairs Council will review the draft conclusions of the European Council, which will focus on Russian military aggression against Ukraine, strengthening European defence (see EUROPE 13599/1), economic competitiveness and regulatory simplification (see EUROPE 13598/4) and the EU’s post-2027 budget.
A second version of the text now refers to Ukraine, supporting all negotiations leading to a just peace, and the Middle East, calling for the resumption of humanitarian aid to Gaza “immediately” and for Israel to supply electricity to the water desalination plant. The text also advocates planning cross-border investments with a view to integrating the European energy market, and calls for “decisive steps” from 2025 onwards in the introduction of pan-European savings and retirement products.
It is “extremely likely” that European leaders will discuss trade tensions between the EU and the United States, said a European source on Thursday 13 March (see EUROPE 13598/1).
As far as the post-2027 EU budget is concerned, some feel that this debate has come too soon, and expect the traditional positions to be expressed, including those of the frugal countries, the friends of cohesion policy, and the advocates of new political priorities.
Early on Thursday afternoon, a Euro Summit in an expanded format will meet to discuss economic and competitiveness issues, in the presence of the presidents of the ECB, Christine Lagarde, and the Eurogroup, Paschal Donohoe (see other news).
See the draft conclusions of the European Council of Thursday 13 March: https://aeur.eu/f/fxu
See Mr Costa’s letter of invitation: https://aeur.eu/f/fym
Legislative Programme 2025. The Ministers will attempt to finalise the interinstitutional discussions on the draft joint declaration on the 2025 legislative programme, which the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of the EU will sign in the margins of the European Council.
With its focus on regulatory simplification, the Commission’s initial proposal has provoked reactions from the Member States, particularly with regard to the list of legislative texts that the Commission is proposing to withdraw, citing a deadlock in negotiations. This is particularly true of the proposed Directive on equal treatment, presented in 2008 (see EUROPE 13596/31).
On Tuesday, the Ministers will also adopt specific conclusions on the political priorities linked to the 2025 work programme.
United Kingdom. The General Affairs Council will also hold a brief exchange of views on relations between the EU and the United Kingdom.
The European Commission will keep them informed about the implementation of existing agreements: the Agreement on an Orderly Brexit, the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and the so called ‘Windsor Framework’ of the Northern Ireland Protocol. The Commission will be expected to focus on preparations for the UK-EU Summit on 19 May, as Member States seek to better identify the additional areas of cooperation that London is seeking with the EU and to understand what can be done.
On Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 March, MEPs and British MPs will meet in Brussels to discuss bilateral relations and cooperation on foreign and security policy. This will be the fifth meeting of the EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly (PPA), now co-chaired by Sandro Gozi MEP (Renew Europe, Italian) and British MP Marsha de Cordova.
European Semester. The General Affairs Council will discuss a synthesis report on the contributions of the various EU Council configurations to the ‘European Semester’ budget process for 2025.
See the synthesis report of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU: https://aeur.eu/f/fyj
The Presidency will transfer the recommendation on economic and budgetary policies at euro area level (see EUROPE 13578/30) to the European Council for adoption. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion and Solenn Paulic)