Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilizing the situation in Ukraine
On 23 February 2022, the Council adopted Council Decision (CFSP) 2022/2641.
The Council decided to take further restrictive measures in response to Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine.
The Candidate Countries North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania2, the country of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidate Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine align themselves with this Council Decision.
They will ensure that their national policies conform to this Council Decision.
The European Union takes note of this commitment and welcomes it.
Council of the EU
Informal video conference of agriculture meeting, 2 March 2022
Agenda highlights
EU agriculture ministers will convene an informal video conference to discuss the market situation for agri-food products in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Agri-food market situation
The invasion of Ukraine risks disrupting global markets for agricultural products and commodities needed for agricultural production such as energy and fertilisers. Since the beginning of the conflict, there has already been a sharp increase in world prices. This is further affecting the markets, which have recently experienced historically high prices for key commodities.
The aim of the informal video conference is to:
share information and forecasts on supply and prices
identify issues requiring particular vigilance
consider actions to be taken both internally and in terms of international cooperation
Ministers will also discuss food supply and security for the Ukrainian people.
EU relations with Ukraine (background information)
EU restrictive measures in response to the crisis in Ukraine (background information)
Council of the EU
Justice and Home Affairs Council, 3-4 March 2022
Live streaming
Live streaming
3 March 2022
TBC Arrivals
09:35 Public session (Home Affairs)
17:05 Public session (Home Affairs)
TBC Press conference (Home Affairs)
4 March 2022
TBC Arrivals
10:05 Public session (Justice)
TBC Press conference (Justice)
Estimated schedule
Agenda Highlights
Home affairs (Thursday 3 March)
Schengen
EU home affairs ministers will discuss the situation in and political governance of the Schengen area. They will also hold a debate on a proposal to amend the Schengen borders code.
Ministers will seek to agree on a general approach regarding the proposed Council regulation on the Schengen evaluation and monitoring mechanism.
The Schengen evaluation and monitoring mechanism ensures an effective, consistent, timely and transparent application of Schengen rules by member states. The proposed revision of the mechanism will help foster common trust in the implementation of the Schengen rules.
Schengen: new rules to make the area without internal border controls more resilient (European Commission)
Strengthening the EU's external borders (background information)
Migration and asylum
Home affairs ministers will review the progress achieved on asylum and migration.
As part of a more general reform of EU migration and asylum rules, on 23 September 2020 the European Commission proposed a new pact on migration and asylum. The proposal provides for a comprehensive common European framework for migration and asylum management, including several legislative proposals that are currently in discussion at the Council and European Parliament.
EU migration policy (background information)
EU asylum reform (background information)
New pact on migration and asylum (European Commission)
Civil protection and climate change
Infographic - Climate change costs lives and moneySee full infographic
The Council will aim to adopt conclusions on civil protection work in view of climate change.
Climate change is causing an intensification of extreme weather events. Through the EU civil protection mechanism, the European Union helps countries respond to floods, forest fires and other climate-related emergencies.
In 2020 and 2021, the EU civil protection mechanism was activated 23 times for climate-related events:
10 times for forest fires
7 times for extreme weather or storms
6 times for floods
EU civil protection (background information)
Justice (Friday 4 March)
E-evidence
EU justice ministers will assess progress on the e-evidence proposals. Discussions on the proposals are ongoing between the Council and the European Parliament.
Electronic evidence, or 'e-evidence', refers to digital data that are used to investigate and prosecute criminal offences.
Getting access to e-evidence is not always a straightforward matter for law enforcement authorities because it is often stored in another country. The main goal of the new rules proposed by the Commission is to speed up access to e-evidence regardless of the location of the data.
Better access to e-evidence to fight crime (background information)
Hate speech and hate crime
Ministers will discuss the proposal for a Council decision on hate speech and hate crime.
Hate speech and hate crime have seen a sharp rise across Europe and have become particularly worrying phenomena. These are especially serious offenses as they undermine EU common values and fundamental rights. However, there is currently no legal basis at EU level to criminalise them.
On 9 December 2021, the European Commission proposed to include hate speech and hate crime in the list of EU crimes in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). The proposal aims to harmonise the rules on the definition of and sanctions for these criminal offences at EU level.
Commission proposes to extend the list of ‘EU crimes' to hate speech and hate crime (European Commission)
Fundamental rights
Justice ministers will exchange views on fundamental rights with Michael O'Flaherty, the director of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, and will aim to adopt conclusions on combating racism and antisemitism.
Protection and promotion of human rights (background information)
EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (website)
Council of the European Union
Informal meeting of the General Affairs Council, 3-4 March 2022
Official Council meetings are organised by the Council of the EU and chaired by the Council presidency. However, each Council presidency also organises informal meetings of ministers to discuss initiatives related to a particular topic or Council configuration.
More information about the agenda and the outcome of this meeting is available on the presidency website.
Informal meeting of the General Affairs Council, 03-04/03/2022
