COUNCIL OF THE EU,update

Press material Friday 22 March 2024

● Euro Summit   22/03/2024 13:09 | Statements and remarks | Statement of the Euro Summit, 22 March 2024   The Euro Summit, meeting in inclusive format, adopted a statement on 22 March 2024. Statement of the Euro Summit, 22 March 2024

Press material Friday 22 March 2024

● European Council   22/03/2024 00:06 | Press release | European Council conclusions on Ukraine, security and defence, Middle East, enlargement and reforms, migration, preparedness and crisis response, and European Semester.   On 21 March, the European Council adopted conclusions on Ukraine, security and defence, Middle East, enlargement and reforms, migration, preparedness and crisis response, and European Semester. European Council conclusions on Ukraine, security and defence, Middle East, enlargement and reforms, migration, preparedness and crisis response, and European Semester.

Meetings Thursday 21 March 2024

● Council of the EU   21/03/2024 10:11 | MEETING | Agenda highlights - Agriculture and Fisheries Council, 26 March 2024   The Agriculture and Fisheries Council will meet on Tuesday 26 March 2024. Based on information from the European Commission, agriculture ministers will exchange views on rapid and structural responses to the situation in the agricultural sector. The discussion comes as a follow-up to the work carried out by the Commission following the Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting that took place on 26 February 2024. Additionally, the Council will discuss the market situation, in particular following Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. The Ukrainian Minister for Agrarian Policy and Food, Mykola Solskyi, will address the Council.

Συνεδριάσεις Πέμπτη 21 Μαρτίου 2024

● Συμβούλιο της ΕΕ   21/03/2024 10:11 | ΣΥΝΕΔΡΊΑΣΗ | Κύρια σημεία της ημερήσιας διάταξης - Συμβούλιο Γεωργίας και Αλιείας, 26 Μαρτίου 2024   Το Συμβούλιο Γεωργίας και Αλιείας θα συνεδριάσει την Τρίτη 26 Μαρτίου 2024. Με βάση πληροφορίες της Ευρωπαϊκής Επιτροπής, οι υπουργοί Γεωργίας θα ανταλλάξουν απόψεις σχετικά με την άμεση και διαρθρωτική αντιμετώπιση της κατάστασης στον γεωργικό τομέα. Η συζήτηση έρχεται σε συνέχεια των εργασιών που διεξήγαγε η Επιτροπή μετά τη σύνοδο του Συμβουλίου Γεωργίας και Αλιείας της 26ης Φεβρουαρίου 2024. Επιπλέον, το Συμβούλιο θα συζητήσει την κατάσταση της αγοράς, ιδίως σε συνέχεια του επιθετικού πολέμου της Ρωσίας κατά της Ουκρανίας. Ο Υπουργός Αγροτικής Πολιτικής και Τροφίμων της Ουκρανίας, Mykola Solskyi, θα απευθυνθεί στο Συμβούλιο.

Press material Friday 22 March 2024

● Council of the EU   22/03/2024 14:16 | Press release | Death of Alexei Navalny: EU sanctions 33 individuals and two entities under its Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime   Today, the Council decided to impose restrictive measures against 33 persons and two entities linked to the sudden death in a strict penal colony of the Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny. This decision was taken in the framework of the European Union's Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime. "Alexei Navalny’s slow killing by the Kremlin regime is a stark reminder of its utter disregard for human life. Today’s sanctions demonstrate our determination to hold Russia’s political leadership and authorities to account for the continuing violation of the human rights in Russia. At the same time, we know that Putin is not Russia, and Russia is not Putin. We will continue supporting Russia’s civil society and independent voices." Josep Borrell, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy The new listings include the penal colonies where Alexei Navalny was held from June 2022 until his death, IK-6 corrective colony and IK-3 maximum security corrective colony. Both colonies are known for exerting physical and psychological pressure, full isolation, torture and violence on prisoners. In both places Mr. Navalny suffered abuses, including through repeated solitary confinement in a punishment cell and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, leading to the severe deterioration of his health. The head of IK-3, Vadim Kalinin, and various deputy heads of the colony were also sanctioned. Furthermore, the Council decided to include members of the judiciary such as Andrey Suvorov, who sentenced Alexei Navalny to 19 years in a special regime colony under inhumane conditions last year, Kirill Nikiforov, who rejected his lawsuit against IK-6 to appeal his transfer to a punishment cell for 12 days, and Evgenia Nikolaeva and Natalia Dudar, who have issued a number of rulings against political opponents including Mr. Navalny, thereby contributing to political repression in Russia. Other listings include high-level officials in the penitentiary system and in the Ministry of Justice who were either responsible for the execution of prison sentences of Alexei Navalny, and other political opponents, or failed to ensure the protection of human and civil rights and freedoms. With today’s listings, restrictive measures under the EU’s Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime now apply to 104 natural and legal persons and 23 entities from multiple countries. Those listed under the sanctions regime are subject to an asset freeze, and the provision of funds or economic resources, directly or indirectly, to them or for their benefit, is prohibited. Additionally, a travel ban to the EU applies to the natural persons listed. The EU is deeply concerned about the continuing deterioration of the human rights situation in Russia. Russia’s illegal, unjustified and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine has further accelerated internal repression in the country, drastically limiting the freedom of opinion and expression, as well as media freedom, and introducing war censorship. The EU continues to strongly condemn the severe expansion of restrictive legislation and systematic and intensifying repression against civil society and human rights defenders, as well as the unabated crackdown on independent media, individual journalists and media workers, political opposition members and other critical voices active throughout the Russian Federation and outside the country. On 19 February 2024, in the statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the death of Alexei Navalny, the EU expressed its outrage about Mr. Navalny’s death and recalled its repeated condemnation of his poisoning and the politically motivated actions taken against him, including his imprisonment and ill treatment in the prison system. It underlined that the EU would spare no efforts to hold the Russian political leadership and authorities to account for his death and would impose further sanctions. The EU repeats its call on Russia to immediately and unconditionally release all those imprisoned for politically motivated charges. The relevant legal acts, including the names of the listed individuals and entities, have been published in the Official Journal of the EU. Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/951 of 22 March 2024 amending Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/952 of 22 March 2024 implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1998 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses Consolidated text: Council Decision (CFSP) 2020/1999 of 7 December 2020 concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses, including a list of sanctioned individuals and entities to 29 January 2024 Russia: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the death of Alexei Navalny (press release, 19 February 2024) EU Global Human Rights Regime: restrictive measures prolonged (press release, 4 December 2023) How and when the EU adopts sanctions (background information)