COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION latests

 

Press material Friday 18 November 2022

● Council of the EU   18/11/2022 17:32 | Press release | Hybrid threats: EU concludes EU Integrated Resolve 2022 exercise   * This is a joint press release issued by the Council of the European Union, the European Commission, and the European External Action Service. The EU has concluded the EU Integrated Resolve 2022, a joint exercise co-led by the Council of the European Union, the European Commission and the European External Action Service. Over the past three months, the EU has tested its preparedness and capacity to effectively manage complex, cross-sectoral crises. The exercise will help to enhance the EU's ability to respond to a complex, hybrid crisis with both an internal and an external dimension. Launched on 19 September, this exercise was structured in two phases. The first revolved around the planning of a Common Defence and Security Policy (CSDP) military operation and a civilian mission. In the second phase, from 14 to 18 November, the EU was confronted with a simulation of various hybrid threats. EU institutions, EU Agencies and bodies, and 20 member states took part in this simulation. During this phase the exercise was taken to the very heart of the EU's decision-making process, with a debate organised at the level of EU member states' ambassadors and the activation of the Council's Integrated Political Crisis Response arrangements (IPCR). The exercise was then marked by the execution of the CSDP operation and mission planned in the first phase. This included a Live Military Exercise carried out by 'HELBROC BG', the EU Battle Group with Greece as the Framework Nation and Bulgaria, Romania, Cyprus, Ukraine, Serbia and the Republic of North Macedonia as Troop Contributing Nations, as well as an evacuation event in an EU Delegation. EU Integrated Resolve 2022 also helped strengthen EU cooperation with NATO. In parallel with the second phase of EU Integrated Resolve 2022 from 14 to 18 November, NATO carried out the table-top exercise PACE 2022. During this period, NATO and EU staff exchanged information about decision-making procedures in both organisations. This was an opportunity to test their respective crisis management procedures and to coordinate at multiple staff-to-staff levels. Overall, EU Integrated Resolve 2022 offered a valuable and timely opportunity to test the EU’s response to hybrid campaigns, following the adoption of Council Conclusions on a Coordinated EU Response to Hybrid Campaigns. It was also in line with the EU Strategic Compass, which provides a shared assessment of possible threats and guidance as to EU response. The EU is facing unprecedented times that require unity of action, swift decision-making, and a rapid, effective and coordinated European response. This successful wide-scale exercise is one of the concrete actions taken to improve the EU preparedness and response mechanisms and related decision-making processes.

Press material Saturday 19 November 2022

● Council of the EU   19/11/2022 11:48 | Press release | DPRK/North Korea: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile   The EU strongly condemns the DPRK’s launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile that landed in Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone on 18 November. The EU is deeply concerned by such dangerous, illegal and reckless action. Pyongyang’s continuing efforts to develop ever more menacing means to deliver weapons of mass destruction threatens all countries. The EU urges the DPRK to immediately stop destabilising actions that violate United Nations Security Council resolutions and raise international and regional tensions. The EU calls upon the DPRK to comply with its obligations under UN Security Council resolutions. The DPRK must abandon all its nuclear weapons, any other weapons of mass destruction, ballistic missile programmes and existing nuclear programmes, in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner, and cease immediately all related activities. The DPRK cannot and will never have the status of a nuclear weapon state under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. It is critical that the United Nations Security Council responds in an appropriate manner in order to address the growing threat the DPRK poses to international peace and security. The EU recalls the duty for all UN Members to take action to fully implement sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council. The EU insists that the DPRK returns to full compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as a non-nuclear weapon State and the IAEA Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement, and brings into force the Additional Protocol. At the same time, the EU urges Pyongyang to sign and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. The EU expresses its solidarity with Japan and the Republic of Korea and once again urges the DPRK to resume meaningful dialogue with all the main parties concerned. The EU stands ready to support any meaningful diplomatic process and is committed to working with all relevant partners to build a basis for sustainable peace and security and to take steps aimed at pursuing the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

Meetings Friday 18 November 2022

● Council of the EU   18/11/2022 17:37 | MEETING | Main results - General Affairs Council, 18 November 2022   Ministers focused on preparations for the December European Council, EU-UK relations, protection of EU values in Hungary and the Commission's work programme for 2023.

Council of the EU
General Affairs Council, 18 November 2022

Main results
December European Council

Ministers started preparations for the European Council meeting on 15 and 16 December 2022 by discussing an annotated draft agenda.

At their meeting in December, EU leaders will address Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine in all its dimensions and the EU’s continued support to Ukraine. They will also revert to the topics of energy and economy.

On security and defence, the European Council will discuss the implementation of the Strategic Compass and ways to further increase the EU’s security and defence capacity. It will also give guidance on support to EU partners.

Leaders will also hold a strategic discussion on relations with the Southern Neighbourhood and may address other specific foreign policy issues in the light of events.Annotated draft agenda
Respect for EU values in Hungary

As part of the Article 7(1) TEU procedure regarding Hungary, the Council held a hearing.

The hearing covered all the issues raised by the European Parliament in its reasoned proposal from September 2018, which triggered this procedure. The exchanges focused in particular on the fight against corruption, including the recent anti-corruption measures implemented by Hungary, the independence of the judiciary, the functioning of the constitutional and electoral system, media freedom and LGBTIQ rights.



Our dialogue with Hungary on respect for EU values is continuing. In the past months, important developments have taken place on the various issues raised by the Parliament’s reasoned proposal. Hungary has presented a list of reforms that are being implemented or are due to be implemented soon and answered ministers' questions on the details of these reforms as well as Hungary’s other commitments and the Commission’s recommendations. The hearing gave ministers a timely update of the situation on the ground, including as regards the parallel budget conditionality mechanism.Mikuláš Bek, Czech Minister for European AffairsReasoned proposal of the European Parliament triggering the Article 7(1) TEU procedure for Hungary
Interim report of the European Parliament
EU - UK relations

Ministers assessed the state of play of EU-UK relations, focusing on the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement, in particular the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland. They reaffirmed their support to the European Commission's approach. They reiterated in particular the EU’s readiness to constructively discuss a negotiated solution within the Protocol to the practical difficulties in implementing it on the ground and called on the UK government to engage seriously and constructively to find joint solutions.

Unilateral action by the UK, such as the proposed Northern Ireland Protocol Bill, makes the work on possible solutions more difficult and undermines long-term legal certainty and predictability for the people and businesses in Northern Ireland. The EU has called on the UK to abandon this path and remains ready to react to any further developments in this direction.Commission launches four new infringement procedures against the UK (22 July 2022)
Commission launches infringement proceedings against the UK and provides further details on possible solutions to facilitate the movement of goods (15 June 2022)
Remarks by Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič at the press conference on the Protocol of Ireland / Northern Ireland (15 June 2022)]
Legislative programming

As part of the annual legislative programming exercise, the Commission presented its 2023 work programme to the Council. Ministers exchanged views on the priorities for the work of the EU institutions until the EP elections in 2024. By December, the three EU institutions are set to agree on the Joint Declaration on the EU’s legislative priorities for 2023-2024.Commission work programme 2023
Legislative programming - Letter from the Presidency to the Commission
Conference on the future of Europe

Based on a request by the German delegation, the Council briefly addressed the latest state of play on the follow-up to the Conference on the Future of Europe, including the planned programme and preparation of the feedback event.
Cybersecurity

Without discussion, the Council adopted its position on a draft regulation on cybersecurity at the EU institutions, bodies, offices and agencies. The measures set out to improve their resilience and incident response capacities and to address the disparities in their approach by creating a common framework.Cybersecurity at the EU institutions, bodies, offices and agencies: Council adopts its position on common rules (press release, 18 November 2022)
Frontex cooperation

The Council decided to authorise the opening of negotiations with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia to broaden agreements on Frontex cooperation. On the basis of these mandates, the Commission will now be able to start negotiations with the four countries.Border management: Council authorises the opening of negotiations with four Western Balkans partners on Frontex cooperation (press release, 18 November 2022)

The Council also adopted without discussion the other items on the lists of legislative and non-legislative A items.


Meeting information

Meeting n°3908
Brussels
18 November 2022
Preparatory documentsProvisional agenda
List of A items, legislative deliberations
List of A items, non-legislative activities
Background brief
Outcome documentsList of participants