Overview of the main topics and events at the Council of EU and European Council for the coming fortnight. Foreign Affairs Council, 24 February 2025Ministers will exchange views on the Russian aggression against Ukraine, after a short intervention of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha via videoconference. They will then hold discussions on the situation in the Middle East, including Syria, Lebanon and UNRWA, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Iran. They will also be informed about current affairs. Agriculture and Fisheries Council, 24 February 2025Based on information from the European Commission and member states, agriculture ministers will discuss the situation of agricultural markets and commodities, a recurring topic on the Council's agenda. The Council will also exchange views on implementing the principle of rural proofing, which involves reviewing policies from a rural perspective to make sure they’re fit for purpose for people living and working in rural areas. General Affairs Council, 25 February 2025The Council will start preparations for the March 2025 European Council and will hold an exchange of views on the Commission’s work programme for 2025 and, more generally, on annual and multiannual programming. Competitiveness Council (Internal market and industry), 6 March 2025Ministers responsible for industry and the internal market will hold four policy debates. The first will focus on ‘Towards a horizontal strategy for a modernised single market: the need for an action plan for services’. The second will cover the Commission’s first omnibus simplification package, presented on 26 February. Ministers will then continue discussion on ‘For a more competitive European Industry – the competitiveness compass and the clean Industrial deal’. The final debate will address ‘A competitive and decarbonised EU industry in the context of the carbon border adjustment mechanism’. Justice and Home Affairs Council (Home Affairs), 6 March 2025Ministers of home affairs will gather in Brussels to discuss the external dimension of migration and the EU’s internal security and to take stock of its actions against drug trafficking and organised crime. The presidency also aims to reach a common member states’ position on a regulation about a progressive start of operations of the Entry/Exit System. Justice and Home Affairs Council (Justice), 7 March 2025Justice ministers will hold a policy debate about a proposed directive to harmonise certain aspects of insolvency law, one of the key initiatives of the Capital Markets Union action plan. Other meetings | 
