COUNCIL OF THE EU:update

 

30/06/2023 18:10 | Article Long-term competitiveness back at the top of the EU agenda The Presidency has successfully promoted the preparation of a strategy for long-term competitiveness and productivity. Basically, the EU’s economy has long lagged behind global competitors, and putting the Union on the right track requires targeted and long-term efforts. The European Commission has taken account of Sweden’s ideas on this and presented initiatives aimed at 2030. This has been welcomed by EU heads of state and government, who have agreed to regularly review these issues.

30/06/2023 17:30 | Press release The Swedish Presidency – here are the achievements Today is the last day of the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. This is where you can learn about everything the Presidency has achieved. 30/06/2023 18:10 | Article Long-term competitiveness back at the top of the EU agenda The Presidency has successfully promoted the preparation of a strategy for long-term competitiveness and productivity. Basically, the EU’s economy has long lagged behind global competitors, and putting the Union on the right track requires targeted and long-term efforts. The European Commission has taken account of Sweden’s ideas on this and presented initiatives aimed at 2030. This has been welcomed by EU heads of state and government, who have agreed to regularly review these issues.

Press material Friday 30 June 2023

● General Secretariat   30/06/2023 18:06 | Press release | Forward look: 3 - 16 July 2023   Overview of the main topics and events at the Council of EU and European Council for the coming fortnight. General Affairs Council, 10 July 2023 Ministers will focus on the priorities of the Spanish presidency, the mid-term revision of the EU’s long-term budget, the Commission’s annual rule of law report and the upcoming evaluation of the Council’s annual rule of law dialogue. Read more Economic and Financial Affairs Council, 14 July 2023 The Council will exchange views on financial support to Ukraine in the context of the Multiannual Financial Framework mid-term revision. The Council will seek to adopt Council Implementing Decisions under the Recovery and Resilience Facility and approve conclusions on the 2023 in-depth reviews under the macroeconomic imbalance procedure. The Council will hold policy debates on own resources, the economic governance review, the European Semester, the customs reform and the Recovery and Resilience Facility. Read more Other events Informal meeting of environment ministers, 10-11 July 2023 Informal meeting of energy ministers, 11-12 July 2023 EU-Japan summit, 13 July 2023 Eurogroup, 13 July 2023 Informal meeting of social affairs ministers , 13-14 July 2023 Indicative calendar of meetings under the Spanish presidency (1 July - 31 December June 2023) Spanish presidency website

Press material Friday 30 June 2023

● Council of the EU   30/06/2023 17:41 | Press release | Critical raw material act: Council adopts negotiating position   The Council has today adopted its position ('negotiating mandate') on the proposed regulation establishing a framework to ensure a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials, better known as the Critical Raw Materials Act. This regulation harnesses the strengths of both the Single Market and partnerships to diversify critical raw material supply chains, which currently rely on imports from a handful of third countries. The Council position raises the level of ambition for recycled and processed raw materials, reinforces sustainability criteria, adapts the process of granting permits and explores obligations on the member states to ensure account is taken of their different situations. "When it comes to raw materials, Europe’s destiny is mainly in the hands of a few third countries. With the Raw Materials Act, we want to recover our autonomy in a truly European way: extracting our minerals sustainably; recycling as much as we can and working in partnership with like-minded third countries to promote their development and sustainability, while ensuring our supply chains." Ebba Busch, Swedish Minister for Energy, Business and Industry and Deputy Prime Minister Ensuring supply from home and abroad The proposed regulation explores the issue's internal and external dimensions to ensure the supply of raw materials that are critical for our economy, and in particular for the green and digital transitions. The Commission proposal established four objectives to increase the contribution of European raw materials: at least 10% of the EU's annual consumption to come from EU extraction at least 40% of the EU's annual consumption to come from EU processing at least 15% of the EU's annual consumption to come from domestic recycling not more than 65% of the Union's annual consumption of each strategic raw material at any relevant stage of processing to come from a single third country To achieve these objectives, the regulation establishes a list of 34 critical raw materials, including 16 that are also considered of strategic importance, and several measures to reduce the risks of our current dependencies. These measures include simplifying permit procedures for projects that are considered strategic, with national designated contact points, risk analysis, member states' exploration plans, investment in research, innovation and skills and protecting the environment by promoting the circularity and sustainability of raw materials. On the global stage, the regulation identifies measures to diversify imports of critical raw materials. These include strengthening engagement and creating partnerships with reliable countries to promote their development, while ensuring supply chains for Europe. The regulation establishes the creation of an advisory body, the European Critical Raw Materials Board, to advise the Commission on the selection of strategic projects and other aspects of the regulation. Council position While the Council shares the objectives of the Commission’s proposal, it proposes a number of improvements to take account of the different situations faced by member states. In particular, it raises the level of ambition for processing and recycling capacity: from 40 to 50% for processing and from 15 to 20% for recycling adds Bauxite/Alumina/Aluminium as strategic raw and critical materials. calls for a more frequent update of the list of critical and strategic raw materials (at least every three years, instead of every four years) reinforces national measures on sustainability and circularity, such as: increasing the re-use of products with high potential for recovering raw materials incentivising the recovery of secondary critical raw materials from waste identifying extractive waste facilities where secondary raw materials can be recovered promoting magnet recovery from products at their life-end showing due regard for the different administrative systems of each country, it allows member states to designate one or several contact points (for instance in the regions). However, member states should help project promoters to identify the designated contact points on an ad-hoc web site facilitates permit procedures for strategic projects excludes member states that do not have relevant geological conditions, and which provide evidence of this, from the obligation to conduct national exploration programmes ensures the smooth operation of the internal market through stricter monitoring obligations concerning competition and the free movement of raw materials lastly, clarifies the roles of the Critical Raw Materials Board, bringing it more closely in line with other similar bodies (i.e. the Chips Act Board). It also creates a sub-group within the board to discuss issues related to public knowledge and acceptance of critical raw materials projects and another to discuss measures to promote the circularity, resource efficiency and substitution of critical raw materials Next steps The mandate agreed today formalises the Council's negotiating position. It provides the Council presidency with a mandate for negotiations with the European Parliament, which will start as soon as the Parliament adopts its own position. Commissions Proposal

Υλικό για τον Τύπο Παρασκευή 30 Ιουνίου 2023

● Ευρωπαϊκό Συμβούλιο   30/06/2023 16:43 | Συμπερασματα | Συμπεράσματα του Προέδρου του Ευρωπαϊκού Συμβουλίου σχετικά με την εξωτερική διάσταση της μετανάστευσης   ΕΞΩΤΕΡΙΚH ΔΙΑΣΤΑΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΜΕΤΑΝΑΣΤΕΥΣΗΣ 1. Ο Πρόεδρος επεσήμανε ότι το Ευρωπαϊκό Συμβούλιο εκφράζει τη βαθιά του θλίψη για την τρομερή απώλεια ανθρώπινων ζωών που προκάλεσε η πρόσφατη τραγωδία στη Μεσόγειο. Σημείωσε δε ότι η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση παραμένει προσηλωμένη στην εξάρθρωση του επιχειρηματικού μοντέλου των διακινητών και των δικτύων παράνομης διακίνησης, συμπεριλαμβανομένης της εργαλειοποίησης, και στην αντιμετώπιση των βαθύτερων αιτίων της αντικανονικής μετανάστευσης, έτσι ώστε να αντιμετωπιστούν καλύτερα οι μεταναστευτικές ροές και να αποτραπεί η πραγματοποίηση τόσο επικίνδυνων ταξιδιών. 2. Η μετανάστευση αποτελεί ευρωπαϊκή πρόκληση που απαιτεί ευρωπαϊκή αντίδραση. Επανεξετάστηκε συνολικά η κατάσταση της μετανάστευσης στα εξωτερικά σύνορα της ΕΕ και εντός της ΕΕ και επισημάνθηκαν οι εργασίες που έχουν αναληφθεί μέχρι στιγμής στο πλαίσιο μιας ευρωπαϊκής αντίδρασης. Η Προεδρία του Συμβουλίου και η Επιτροπή ενημέρωσαν το Ευρωπαϊκό Συμβούλιο σχετικά με τη σταθερή πρόοδο της εφαρμογής των συμπερασμάτων του της 9ης Φεβρουαρίου 2023, με έμφαση στις εξωτερικές πτυχές της μετανάστευσης και τους σχετικούς μηχανισμούς χρηματοδότησης. Κατόπιν της πρόσφατης επιστολής της Επιτροπής και με βάση την πρόοδο που έχει σημειωθεί μέχρι στιγμής, θα ενταθούν οι εργασίες σε όλους τους άξονες δράσης, κατά μήκος όλων των μεταναστευτικών οδών, σύμφωνα με το διεθνές δίκαιο. Το Συμβούλιο και η Επιτροπή θα συνεχίσουν να παρακολουθούν εκ του σύνεγγυς και να εξασφαλίζουν την εφαρμογή των συμπερασμάτων του Ευρωπαϊκού Συμβουλίου και να προβαίνουν αναλόγως σε ενημέρωση. Η Επιτροπή θα συνεχίσει να επεξεργάζεται τα στοιχεία που περιέχονται στην επιστολή της, μεταξύ άλλων όσον αφορά την κινητοποίηση της υφιστάμενης χρηματοδότησης της ΕΕ για τη στήριξη της προσωρινής προστασίας. 3. Το Ευρωπαϊκό Συμβούλιο θα παρακολουθεί συνεχώς τις σχετικές εργασίες. 4. Σημειώθηκε ότι η Πολωνία και η Ουγγαρία δήλωσαν ότι, στο πλαίσιο των εν εξελίξει εργασιών για το Σύμφωνο για τη Μετανάστευση και το Άσυλο, σύμφωνα με τα προηγούμενα συμπεράσματα του Ευρωπαϊκού Συμβουλίου του Δεκεμβρίου 2016, του Ιουνίου 2018 και του Ιουνίου 2019, είναι αναγκαίο να επιτευχθεί συναίνεση για μια αποτελεσματική πολιτική μετανάστευσης και ασύλου, ότι, στο πλαίσιο των μέτρων αλληλεγγύης, η μετεγκατάσταση και η επανεγκατάσταση θα πρέπει να γίνονται σε εθελοντική βάση και ότι όλες οι μορφές αλληλεγγύης θα πρέπει να θεωρούνται εξίσου έγκυρες και να μην χρησιμεύουν ως δυνητικός παράγοντας έλξης για την αντικανονική μετανάστευση.

Υλικό για τον Τύπο Παρασκευή 30 Ιουνίου 2023

● Ευρωπαϊκό Συμβούλιο   30/06/2023 16:33 | Συμπερασματα | Συμπεράσματα του Ευρωπαϊκού Συμβουλίου, 29-30 Ιουνίου 2023   Στις 29-30 Ιουνίου 2023, το Ευρωπαϊκό Συμβούλιο ενέκρινε συμπεράσματα σχετικά με την Ουκρανία, την οικονομία, την ασφάλεια και την άμυνα, την Κίνα, τις εξωτερικές σχέσεις, την Ανατολική Μεσόγειο και άλλα θέματα. Συμπεράσματα του Ευρωπαϊκού Συμβουλίου, 29-30 Ιουνίου 2023

Press material Friday 30 June 2023

● European Council   30/06/2023 15:16 | Conclusions | Conclusions by the President of the European Council on the external dimension of migration   EXTERNAL DIMENSION OF MIGRATION 1. The President noted that the European Council expresses its profound sorrow for the terrible loss of life as a result of the recent tragedy in the Mediterranean. He noted that the European Union remains committed to breaking the business model of traffickers and smuggling networks, including instrumentalisation, and to tackling the root causes of irregular migration so as to better address the flows of migrants and avoid that people embark on such perilous journeys. 2. Migration is a European challenge that requires a European response. The migratory situation at the EU’s external borders and within the EU was reviewed in a comprehensive way, and work undertaken so far in the framework of a European response was noted. The Council Presidency and the Commission informed the European Council about the steady progress in implementing its conclusions of 9 February 2023, with a focus on the external aspects of migration and their financing mechanisms. Following the Commission’s recent letter, and building on the progress so far, work will be stepped up on all strands of action, along all migratory routes, in line with international law. The Council and the Commission will continue to closely monitor and ensure the implementation of the European Council conclusions and report accordingly. The Commission will continue working on the elements contained in its letter, including on mobilising existing EU funding in support of temporary protection. 3. The European Council will keep this work under review. 4. It was noted that Poland and Hungary declared that, in the context of the ongoing work on the Pact on Migration and Asylum, in line with the previous European Council conclusions of December 2016, June 2018 and June 2019, there is a need to find consensus on an effective migration and asylum policy, that, in the context of solidarity measures, relocation and resettlement should be on a voluntary basis and that all forms of solidarity should be considered equally valid and not serve as a potential pull factor for irregular migration.

Press material Friday 30 June 2023

● European Council   30/06/2023 13:28 | Press release | European Council conclusions on external relations, Eastern Mediterranean and other items, 30 June 2023   VI. EXTERNAL RELATIONS 38. The European Council discussed preparations for the EU-CELAC Summit. It will be an opportunity to renew and strengthen a partnership based on shared values, history and culture, and to agree on a positive and forward-looking agenda. Regular and structured bi-regional dialogue will ensure the follow-up and implementation of concrete actions in areas of common interest, including trade and investment. The European Council underlines the importance of addressing together the global climate and environmental crises, rising inequalities, the opportunities of digital transformation and the need to diversify supply chains, as well as unprecedented threats to global security and the rules-based order. 39. The European Council held a strategic discussion on the European Union’s relations with partners in the Southern Neighbourhood. In this context, the European Council welcomes work done on a mutually beneficial comprehensive partnership package with Tunisia, building on the pillars of economic development, investment and trade, the green energy transition, migration and people-to-people contacts, and supports the resumption of political dialogue in the context of the EU-Tunisia Association Agreement. It underlines the importance of strengthening and developing similar strategic partnerships between the European Union and partners in the region. 40. Recalling the EU-Western Balkans Thessaloniki Summit Declaration of 21 June 2003, the subsequent Sofia, Zagreb, Brdo and Tirana Declarations and its previous conclusions, notably those of 23-24 June 2022, the European Council reiterates its full and unequivocal commitment to the EU membership perspective of the Western Balkans and its support for the acceleration of the merit-based accession process and the related reforms. 41. The European Council condemns the recent violent incidents in the north of Kosovo* and calls for an immediate de-escalation of the situation, based on the key elements already outlined by the European Union on 3 June 2023. The parties should create the conditions for early elections in all four municipalities in the north of Kosovo. Failure to de-escalate the tensions will have negative consequences. It is essential that the EU-facilitated dialogue led by the High Representative and the swift implementation of the Agreement on the path to normalisation and its Implementation Annex continue. This includes the establishment of the Association/Community of Serb Majority Municipalities. 42. In line with commitments on multilateralism made at the European Union-African Union Summit of 17-18 February 2022, the European Council supports the African Union’s reinforced presence in international forums, notably in the G20. VII. EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN 43. Recalling its previous conclusions, the European Council remains fully committed to a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem, within the UN framework, in accordance with the relevant UNSC resolutions and in line with the principles on which the EU is founded and the acquis. The European Union calls for the speedy resumption of negotiations and is ready to play an active role in supporting all stages of the UN-led process, with all appropriate means at its disposal. 44. Recalling its previous conclusions on the EU’s relations with Türkiye, including those of June 2021 and the March 2021 Statement, and in light of the recent elections in Türkiye, the European Council invites the High Representative and the Commission to submit a report to the European Council on the state of play of EU-Türkiye relations, building on the instruments and options identified by the European Council, and with a view to proceeding in a strategic and forward-looking manner. VIII. OTHER ITEMS 45. The European Council acknowledges the challenges posed by cross-sectoral and cross-border crises and natural and human-made disasters, many of which are exacerbated by climate change and the evolving security landscape in Europe and globally. It underlines the importance of strengthening resilience in strategic areas through an all-hazards approach to preparedness and response using relevant mechanisms, including the Union Civil Protection Mechanism.

Press material Friday 30 June 2023

● European Council   30/06/2023 15:02 | Conclusions | European Council conclusions, 29-30 June 2023   On 29-30 June 2023, the European Council adopted conclusions on Ukraine, economy, security and defence, China, external relations, Eastern Mediterranean and other items. European Council conclusions, 29-30 June 2023 Press material Friday 30 June 2023   ● European Council   30/06/2023 12:26 | Press release | European Council conclusions on China, 30 June 2023   V. CHINA 32. The European Council continued its strategic discussion on the EU’s relations with China and reaffirmed the EU’s multifaceted policy approach towards China, where it is simultaneously a partner, a competitor and a systemic rival. Despite their different political and economic systems, the European Union and China have a shared interest in pursuing constructive and stable relations, anchored in respect for the rules-based international order, balanced engagement and reciprocity. 33. The European Union will continue to engage with China to tackle global challenges and encourages China to take more ambitious action on climate change and biodiversity, health and pandemic preparedness, food security, disaster reduction, debt relief, and humanitarian assistance. 34. The European Union and China continue to be important trade and economic partners. The European Union will seek to ensure a level playing field, so that the trade and economic relationship is balanced, reciprocal and mutually beneficial. In line with the Versailles agenda, the European Union will continue to reduce critical dependencies and vulnerabilities, including in its supply chains, and will de-risk and diversify where necessary and appropriate. The European Union does not intend to decouple or to turn inwards. 35. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China has a special responsibility in upholding the rules-based international order, the United Nations Charter and international law. Hence, the European Council calls on China to press Russia to stop its war of aggression, and immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw its troops from Ukraine. 36. The East and South China Seas are of strategic importance for regional and global prosperity and security. The European Union is concerned about growing tensions in the Taiwan Strait. The European Council opposes any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion. It reconfirms the EU’s consistent ‘One China policy’. 37. The European Union remains firmly committed to the promotion of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. The European Council welcomes the resumption of the Human Rights Dialogue with China. It reiterates its concerns regarding forced labour, the treatment of human rights defenders and persons belonging to minorities, the situation in Tibet and Xinjiang, as well as the honouring of China’s previous commitments related to Hong Kong.

Υλικό για τον Τύπο Παρασκευή 30 Ιουνίου 2023

● Ευρωπαϊκό Συμβούλιο   30/06/2023 03:46 | Δελτίο τύπου | Συμπεράσματα του Ευρωπαϊκού Συμβουλίου σχετικά με την Ουκρανία, καθώς και την ασφάλεια και την άμυνα (29 Ιουνίου 2023)   Στις 29 Ιουνίου 2023 το Ευρωπαϊκό Συμβούλιο εξέδωσε συμπεράσματα σχετικά με την Ουκρανία, καθώς και την ασφάλεια και άμυνα. Συμπεράσματα του Ευρωπαϊκού Συμβουλίου σχετικά με την Ουκρανία, καθώς και την ασφάλεια και την άμυνα (29 Ιουνίου 2023) Press material Friday 30 June 2023   ● European Council   30/06/2023 01:53 | Press release | European Council conclusions on Ukraine and security and defence, 29 June 2023   On 29 June 2023, the European Council adopted conclusions on Ukraine and security and defence. European Council conclusions on Ukraine and security and defence, 29 June 2023