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Image header Agence Europe
Europe Daily Bulletin No. 13778
Contents Publication in full By article 3 / 28
CYPRUS PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION / Eu2026cy

Security, competitiveness and budget - Cyprus sets out EU Council Presidency priorities for “an autonomous Union - open to the world”

With ten days to go before his country takes office at the head of the Council of the European Union, the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, presented the political priorities of the future Presidency for the first half of 2026 in Lefkara on Sunday 21 December.

Cyprus will hold the Presidency of the Council of the EU from 1 January to 30 June 2026.

With “an autonomous Union - open to the world” as its guiding principle for these six months, the Cyprus...

Contents

Winter break: Christmas/New Year
BEACONS
Beacons: continued funding for Ukraine, mission accomplished for António Costa
CYPRUS PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
EU2026CY: security, competitiveness and budget - Cyprus sets out EU Council Presidency priorities for “an autonomous Union - open to the world”
CLIMATE/ENERGY: Cyprius Presidency wants to advance negotiations on new European Grids Package
TRANSPORT: Cyprus Presidency of Council of EU wants to advance connectivity of island and peripheral regions
FINANCE: six key legislative initiatives to drive forward Savings and Investment Union under Cyprus Presidency of EU Council
Russian invasion of Ukraine
RUSSIA: by stepping up sanctions against Russia, EU intends to keep up pressure on Kremlin
HUMANITARIAN AID: European Commission delivers thermal power plant to Ukraine
ECONOMY: European Commission disburses €2.3 billion in macro-financial assistance to Kyiv under ‘Ukraine Facility’
EXTERNAL ACTION
TRADE: new tariffs on EU dairy products - European Commission deems China’s new announcements “unjustified”
SECTORAL POLICIES
HOME AFFAIRS: European Commission highlights continuing difficulties with Georgia in its eighth report on visa liberalisation schemes
CONSUMERS: European citizens want Commission to take stronger action to regulate addictive designs and features of online platforms
ENERGY: revising electricity pricing can boost European heat pump industry, says Ember
REGIONS: EU to develop macro-regional strategy for Atlantic
RESEARCH: EU leads world in green inventions but lags behind in twin transition, according to European Commission
SOCIAL AFFAIRS - EMPLOYMENT
SOCIAL: Member State experts invited on 8 January to discuss draft EU Council conclusions on child poverty
EMPLOYMENT: according to Eurofound, collective agreements improve job quality for workers in low-paid sectors
ECONOMY - FINANCE - BUSINESS
STATE AID: European Commission validates reform of French capacity mechanism in electricity sector
STATE AID: European Commission opens in-depth investigation into Czech Republic’s support for construction of two nuclear reactors
COUNCIL OF EUROPE
COUNCIL OF EUROPE: in 2025, Council of Europe consolidated its support for Ukraine and defended democratic values on international stage
NEWS BRIEFS
AGRICULTURE: EU agri-food trade surplus reaches highest level in over a year
EYCS: ‘Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values’ programme initiates its first wave of calls for proposals for 2026
ENERGY: ACER approves move to 30 minutes before delivery for closing of electricity trades on intraday market
MIGRATION: ‘Pact on Migration and Asylum’ - Member States approve first ‘solidarity pool’ for second half of 2026
DIGITAL: Apple fined €98.6 million by Italian competition authority
RESEARCH: EU and Japan decide to work more closely together through Horizon Europe framework programme
REGIONS: Czechia receives aid from EU Solidarity Fund
Op-Ed
SOCIAL/EMPLOYMENT: Minimum wages in Europe - a ruling that changes everything, by Torsten Müller and Thorsten Schulten