COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,EUROGROUP, update

 

Press material Thursday 11 January 2024

● Council of the EU   11/01/2024 09:42 | Press event | Press briefing ahead of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council of 16 January 2024   The press briefing ahead of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council will take place on Monday, 15 January 2024 at 10.00. This briefing will be "off the record". The press briefing will take place in a hybrid format: EU accredited journalists will be able to participate and ask questions either remotely or in person at the Europa building press room. To attend the event remotely, please use this link to register and have the possibility to ask questions. Those who already registered for previous press events of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council do not need to do it again. Deadline for registration: Monday, 15 January 2024 at 09.00 Further instructions will be sent to all registered participants shortly after the deadline.

Meetings Wednesday 10 January 2024

● Eurogroup   10/01/2024 18:03 | MEETING | Agenda highlights - Eurogroup, 15 January 2024   The Eurogroup will discuss the outcome of the IMF article IV mission to the euro area. Ministers will look into the draft recommendations on the economic policy of the euro area under the 2024 European Semester and exchange views on the euro area’s external competitiveness, with a focus on energy prices. The Eurogroup is also expected to endorse its work programme for the first half of 2024.

Launch of the Belgian presidency citizen panel 09/01/2024 | Article Launch of the Belgian presidency citizen panel Belgium is focusing on citizen participation during its presidency and is launching an innovative initiative at the national level: a citizen panel dedicated to examining artificial intelligence and the role that the European Union could play in this field. In an effort to be inclusive and representative, 16,200 invitations have been sent out nationwide, targeting a large range of Belgian residents. Press material Wednesday 10 January 2024   ● Council of the EU   10/01/2024 16:44 | Press release | Ukraine Facility: Council agrees on elements of new support mechanism for Ukraine   Today, member states’ EU ambassadors approved a partial negotiating mandate on a proposal to set up a new single dedicated instrument to support Ukraine's recovery, reconstruction and modernisation, while supporting its efforts to carry out reforms as part of its accession path to the EU. The Ukraine Facility would thus pool the EU’s budget support to Ukraine into one single instrument, providing coherent, predictable as well as flexible support for the period 2024-2027 to Ukraine, adapted to the unprecedented challenges of supporting a country at war. The Council’s partial negotiating mandate does not include budget-related issues, in particular the overall size of the instrument and the share of grants and loans, which will depend on the final outcome of the horizontal negotiations on the mid-term revision of the multiannual financial framework for 2021-2027. "The EU is committed to providing unfaltering support to Ukraine as long as needed. The Ukraine Facility aims to grant consistent support for Ukraine to rebuild its country in the midst of the unprecedented challenges brought by Russia’s war of aggression. At the same time the support would help Ukraine take forward the reforms and modernisation efforts needed for it to advance on its path towards future EU membership." Vincent van Peteghem, Belgian Minister of Finance Main elements of the partial Council position The partial negotiating mandate preserves the main building blocks of the Commission’s proposal. These include the objectives of the Facility and its structure in three pillars: pillar I: The government of Ukraine will prepare a ‘Ukraine Plan', setting out its intentions for the recovery, reconstruction and modernisation of the country and the reforms it plans to undertake as part of its EU accession process. Financial support in the form of grants and loans to the state of Ukraine would be provided based on the implementation of the Ukraine Plan, which will be underpinned by a set of conditions and a timeline for disbursements pillar II: Under the Ukraine investment Framework, the EU will provide support in the form of budgetary guarantees and a blend of grants and loans from public and private institutions. A Ukraine Guarantee would cover the risks of loans, guarantees, capital market instruments and other forms of funding supporting the objectives of the Facility pillar III: technical assistance and other supporting measures helping Ukraine align with EU laws and carrying out structural reforms on its path to future EU membership Link to the long-term budget The Commission has proposed a total budget of €50 billion - €17 billion in grants and €33 billion in loans - for the Facility. Next steps The partial position will serve as the Council’s mandate for negotiations with the European Parliament. Once an agreement is reached, the regulation will need to be formally adopted by the Council and the European Parliament. Background On 20 June 2023, the Commission adopted a proposal for the revision of the multiannual financial framework (MFF) 2021-2027, together with two proposals for regulations setting up a Ukraine Facility and a Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP). Today the Council also adopted a partial negotiating mandate on STEP. Council’s partial negotiating mandate on the Ukraine Facility Proposal for a Regulation establishing the Ukraine Facility The EU long-term budget (background information) Press material Wednesday 10 January 2024   ● Council of the EU   10/01/2024 16:46 | Press release | Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform: Council agrees its partial negotiating mandate   Member states’ EU ambassadors today agreed on the Council’s partial negotiating mandate on the proposed Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP). The platform will support investments in critical technologies in the fields of digital and deep tech, clean tech and biotech in the EU. It will reduce the EU’s strategic dependencies and enhance its long-term competitiveness. The Council’s negotiating mandate is partial, because its position on additional financial support for STEP will depend on the final outcome of the horizontal negotiations on the mid-term revision of the multiannual financial framework for 2021-2027. Main elements of the Council’s mandate In its mandate, the Council clarifies the objectives and scope of STEP, and confirms its support for the proposed sovereignty seal and sovereignty portal for STEP-related investments. To facilitate the use of available funding and create synergies among funding instruments for investments in critical technologies, the Council supports identifying resources which would support STEP objectives within a range of existing EU programmes and funds, including the InvestEU, Horizon Europe, European Defence Fund, Innovation Fund, Recovery and Resilience Facility and cohesion policy funds. The Council also agrees to the Commission proposal to apply a 100 % co-financing rate and a 30 % pre-financing for STEP priorities under the 2021–2027 programming period for cohesion policy funds, as well as to the proposal to enable investments in large enterprises. Considering the continued budgetary pressure in member states, the Council has also agreed to apply retroactively a 100 % co-financing rate to the 2014-2020 cohesion programmes in the final accounting year, whilst extending the deadline for submitting payment applications by 12 months. In addition, the Council has included in its mandate some other provisions to reduce administrative burden for the member states and facilitate the reprogramming of funds towards STEP objectives. Next steps The partial mandate agreed today will serve as a basis for negotiations on STEP with the European Parliament. Once an agreement with the Parliament is reached, the regulation will need to be formally adopted by the Council and the European Parliament. Background The Commission proposed the creation of a Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform on 20 June 2023 as part of its package of proposals related to the mid-term revision of the multiannual financial framework 2021-2027. Today the Council also agreed a partial negotiating mandate on the Ukraine Facility. Council’s partial negotiating mandate on STEP The EU long-term budget (background information)