COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,update

 

Press material Thursday, 28 November 2024

● European Council   28/11/2024 13:16 | Press release | The European Council appoints the European Commission   The European Council today appointed by written procedure the European Commission for the period from 1 December 2024 to 31 October 2029. The President of the Commission will be Ursula VON DER LEYEN (Germany) and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy will be Kaja KALLAS (Estonia), who will also be one of the Vice-Presidents of the Commission pursuant to Article 18(4) of the Treaty on European Union (TEU). The other members of the Commission will be: •    Magnus BRUNNER (Austria) •    Hadja LAHBIB (Belgium) •    Ekaterina SPASOVA GECHEVA-ZAHARIEVA (Bulgaria) •    Dubravka ŠUICA (Croatia) •    Constantinos KADIS (Cyprus) •    Jozef SÍKELA (Czechia) •    Dan JØRGENSEN (Denmark) •    Henna Maria VIRKKUNEN (Finland) •    Stéphane SÉJOURNÉ (France) •    Apostolos TZITZIKOSTAS (Greece) •    Olivér VÁRHELYI (Hungary) •    Michael MCGRATH (Ireland) •    Raffaele FITTO (Italy) •    Valdis DOMBROVSKIS (Latvia) •    Andrius KUBILIUS (Lithuania) •    Christophe HANSEN (Luxembourg) •    Glenn MICALLEF (Malta) •    Wopke Bastiaan HOEKSTRA (Netherlands) •    Piotr Arkadiusz SERAFIN (Poland) •    Maria Luís CASANOVA MORGADO DIAS DE ALBUQUERQUE (Portugal) •    Roxana MÎNZATU (Romania) •    Maroš ŠEFČOVIČ (Slovakia) •    Marta KOS (Slovenia) •    Teresa RIBERA RODRÍGUEZ (Spain) •    Jessika ROSWALL (Sweden) This follows the consent given on 27 November 2024 by the European Parliament. The TEU provides that: "The President, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the other members of the Commission shall be subject as a body to a vote of consent by the European Parliament. On the basis of this consent the Commission shall be appointed by the European Council, acting by a qualified majority." (Article 17(7) TEU). European Council decision

● General Secretariat of the Council   New books added to the Council Library's collection - November 2024   Discover our selection of books recently added to the Council Library collection.

● Council of the EU

28/11/2024 20:08 | Press release | Israel/Lebanon: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the ceasefire agreement   The EU welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon and commends the mediation efforts undertaken by France and the United States which have allowed it. This is a significant achievement, which the EU and its Member States have been repeatedly calling for throughout this year. It is now crucial that the ceasefire holds as agreed, to guarantee the safety of people in both Lebanon and Israel, and to allow internally displaced people on both sides of the border to return to their homes. This requires first and foremost the commitment of the two sides: the sovereignty of both Lebanon and Israel must be fully respected and all cross-border attacks must stop. The EU calls on all regional and international stakeholders to actively engage in support of the ceasefire for it to become a permanent contribution to regional peace and stability. The EU and its Member States are committed to mobilizing a wide range of EU instruments, including the European Peace Facility, to support the Lebanese Armed Forces and UNIFIL so that UNSC resolution 1701 can be effectively and fully implemented on the ground. The EU will also pursue its humanitarian assistance and engage in post-conflict early recovery and reconstruction, so as to support the Lebanese people affected by the conflict, including the countless internally displaced people. The EU is especially determined to support further the Lebanese State’s sovereignty and State-building efforts. Lebanese political leaders have an opportunity – and the immense responsibility – to swiftly put aside their differences and find a way out of the protracted political and economic impasse, so that all Lebanese share the same national future as part of a common, peaceful and prosperous Lebanese destiny. They now have to move forward with the swift election of a President, after two years of vacancy, to start rebuilding a strong and sovereign Lebanese State. ● Council of the EU   28/11/2024 15:15 | Meetings | Main results - General Affairs Council (Cohesion), 28 November 2024   The Council approved conclusions on the role of cohesion policy in addressing demographic challenges in the EU. Ministers also discussed how to strengthen the key assets of cohesion policy and improve the shared management of cohesion funds. ● Council of the EU   28/11/2024 17:49 | Meetings | Main results - Competitiveness Council (Internal market and industry), 28 November 2024   Ministers responsible for industry and the internal market adopted Presidency conclusions on the future of EU competitiveness and held a political debate on better regulation. ● Council of the EU   29/11/2024 13:28 | Media advisory | Media advisory - Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council of 2-3 December 2024   Indicative programme All times are approximate and subject to change Place: Europa building, Brussels Chairs: Márton Nagy, Minister for National Economy Ádám Kósa, Minister of State for Disability Affairs Balázs Hankó, Minister for Culture and Innovation Péter Takács, Secretary of State for Health 2 December 2024 - Employment and social policy From 8.30 Arrivals (live streaming) +/- 08.45 Dorsteps by Ministers Márton Nagy and Ádám Kósa (live streaming) +/- 09.30 Beginning of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (Employment and social policy) Adoption of the agenda Approval of "A" items - Non-legislative list +/- 09.40 Traineeships (public session) +/- 10.20 Council Recommendation on a reinforced Quality Framework for Traineeships (public session) +/- 10.25 European Semester (public session) +/- 11.55 Labour and skills shortages in the EU (public session) +/- 12.05 Any other business: - Regulation on European Union labour market statistics on businesses (public session) - Regulation on a public interface connected to the Internal Market Information System for the declaration of posting of workers (public session) - Tripartite social summit (public session) - Porto Social Forum 2025 (public session) - Presidency events (public session) - Digital tools to promote free and fair movement of workers in the EU (public session) +/- 12.35 Promoting social inclusion by reducing territorial inequalities (public session) +/- 12.45 Any other business: - Commission reports on the implementation of equality strategies (public session) +/- 12.45 Doorstep by minister Balázs Hankó (EB forum) +/- 12.50 Social inclusion of persons with disabilities (public session) +/- 13.00 Working lunch debate on ‘Tackling skill gaps for a successful green and digital transition towards high-quality jobs in the labour market’ +/- 14.45 Comprehensive solutions to demographic challenges (public session) +/- 16.10 Any other business: - Presidency event - Informal meeting of Ministers responsible for Demography (public session) +/- 16.15 Work-life balance and gender equality in the context of demographic challenges (public session) +/- 16.25 Women’s and girls’ mental health (public session) +/- 16.35 Any other business: - Equal treatment and intersectional discrimination (public session) - Commission reports on the implementation of equality strategies (public session) - EU survey on gender-based violence (EU-GBV survey) - Work programme of the incoming presidency At the end of the meeting (+/- 17.30), press conference in live streaming. 3 December 2024 - Health From 09.00 Arrivals (live streaming) +/- 09.15 Doorstep by Minister Péter Takács (live streaming) +/- 10.00 Beginning of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (Health) +/- 10.05 Smoke- and aerosol-free environments (public session) +/- 10.20 The European Health Union in light of the Draghi report (public session) +/- 11.50 Pharmaceutical package (public session) +/- 12.05 Cardiovascular health in the EU (public session) +/- 12.15 Organ donation and transplantation (public session) +/- 12.25 Any other business: - Necessary reforms in the Medical Device and In vitro Diagnostic Medical Device Regulations (information from France and Germany, supported by Ireland, Luxembourg and Romania) (public session) - Voluntary cooperation for joint procurement of medicinal products (information from Cyprus) (public session) - Health sector as a key part of the future preparedness Union strategy (information from Finland) (public session) - Presidency conferences (information from the presidency) (public session) - Tackling the sale of unauthorised medicines to European citizens (information from Belgium and Spain) - Negotiations for an international agreement on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, as well as complementary amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) (information from the presidency and the Commission) - Work programme of the incoming presidency (information from Poland) +/- 13.45 Working lunch debate on ‘Short- and long-term actions for the security of supply of medicines beyond the proposed pharmaceutical package’ At the end of the meeting (+/- 15.30), press conference in live streaming. Videos and photos from the event

● Council of the EU

28/11/2024 17:06 | Media advisory | Media advisory - Competitiveness Council (Research and space) of 29 November 2024   Indicative programme All times are approximate and subject to change Place: Europa building, Brussels Chairs: - Balázs Hankó, Hungarian Minister for Culture and Innovation - Richárd Szabados, Hungarian Minister of State for SME Development and Technology, Ministry for National Economy From 08.15 Arrivals (live streaming) +/- 08.45 Doorstep by Balázs Hankó (live streaming) +/- 09.30 Beginning of the Competitiveness Council (Research) Adoption of the agenda +/- 09.40 (public session) - Strengthening the competitiveness of the EU, reinforcing the European Research Area and overcoming its fragmentation - Europe-wide R&I initiative on advancing sustainable natural resource management, food  systems security and the deployment of the bioeconomy, harnessing the potential of Central and Eastern Europe - Commission’s communication on advanced materials - The contribution of research and innovation to the competitiveness of the European Union Any other business: - Reinforcing the independence of the European Research Council (public session) - Work programme of the incoming Presidency +/- 14.20  Press conference in live streaming from Europa building press room   14.30 Beginning of the Competitiveness Council (Space) Adoption of the agenda +/- 14.35 (public session) - Reinforcing European competencies in the space sector - Interim evaluation of the European Union’s Space Programme The future of the Union space policy Any other business: Work programme of the incoming Presidency ● Council of the EU   26/11/2024 09:42 | Meetings | Agenda highlights - Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (Health), 3 December 2024   On 3 December health ministers will meet in Brussels to discuss smoke- and aerosol-free environments, the pharmaceutical package, cardiovascular health, organ donation and transplantation, and the European Health Union.