As is customary, the European Affairs ministers of the EU27 will meet on Tuesday 21 October to prepare for the meeting of their leaders two days later, on 23 October, in Brussels. They will also discuss the post-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), simplification and the rule of law, notably the case of Hungary.
In addition, lunch at the ‘General Affairs’ Council will be devoted to the future proposal for a ‘European Democracy Shield’.
European Council. The ministers will prepare for discussions at the EU leaders’ summit, which will have a packed agenda: European defence (see EUROPE 13732/1), military and financial support for Ukraine (see EUROPE 13720/4), the situation in the Middle East, climate action (see EUROPE 13730/10), competitiveness (see EUROPE 13730/8), migration and housing.
Link to the European Council’s draft conclusions of 13 October: https://aeur.eu/f/ixq
Budget. The General Affairs Council will then look at the next MFF, in particular horizontal issues such as simplifying the architecture of the budget and its governance. The ministers will also be looking at ‘pillar 2’ of the MFF, which deals with the EU’s competitiveness. In the run-up to the meeting, the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU prepared elements for the negotiating box (see other news).
Simplification. The progress report on the ‘omnibus’ simplification texts, prepared by the Danish Presidency, will be presented to the ministers (see EUROPE 13731/31). In a debate in the public session, the Member States are expected to reiterate the need to make rapid progress on the various simplification texts and give their opinion on the areas or legislation that they feel should be simplified.
Hungary. At the end of the day, the ministers will also hold Hungary’s 9th hearing under the so-called ‘Article 7’ procedure on respect for the EU’s fundamental values. The last hearing took place in May, prior to the Pride March in Budapest at the beginning of June, which crystallised tensions between Budapest and the other member countries (see EUROPE 13649/1).
The aim of the exercise is to keep up the pressure on Hungary at a time when a number of offences are being brought against the country over reforms deemed contentious, such as the law on sovereignty and the various measures tightening up the activities of NGOs and access to funding. (Original version in French by Léa Marchal, Mathieu Bion and Solenn Paulic)