COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,update

 

Press material Tuesday, 18 March 2025

● International ministerial meetings   18/03/2025 12:01 | Statements and remarks | Brussels IX Conference on “Standing with Syria: meeting the needs for a successful transition” - Joint Press Statement by the Co-chairs (High Representative Kallas and Commissioners Suica & Lahbib) and Foreign Minister H.E. Asaad Hasan Al-Shaibani of the Syrian transitional government   The Brussels IX Conference on “Standing with Syria: meeting the needs for a successful transition”, hosted and chaired by the European Union (EU) on 17 March 2025, gathered key regional and international partners together with the Syrian Arab Republic. Building on the ministerial meetings in Aqaba (14 December 2024), Riyadh (12 January 2025) and Paris (13 February 2025), the Co-Chairs and Syria’s Minister for Foreign Affairs reaffirmed their wish to work together to ensure the success of the post-Assad transition. The Co-chairs recalled the EU’s commitment to the enduring principles that have guided, since the first Brussels Conference in 2017, the EU’s efforts to support the Syrian people and their host communities in neighbouring countries, including ensuring respect for fundamental freedoms as well as international humanitarian law. The Co-chairs reaffirmed the EU’s support for the unity, independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria and highlighted the key role of inclusive state institutions and the fight against all forms of discrimination and extremism. Recognising the historic opportunity to rebuild Syria as a free, inclusive, united, sovereign, stable and peaceful country, grounded on the respect of human rights and international law, the Co-chairs reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to support Syria’s inclusive transition with a view to ensuring lasting peace and prosperity for all Syrians, without distinction of any kind. Both parties concurred on the necessity, including via the National Dialogue process, to ensure that the transition delivers on the aspirations of all components of Syrian society, and for all Syrians, both in the country and in the diaspora, to have the opportunity to reunify, stabilise and rebuild their country, restore justice and freedom and ensure accountabilityn a spirit of reconciliation. Both parties agreed on the necessity of implementing and supporting the agreement reached on 10 March 2025 with the Syrian Democratic Forces. They reaffirmed the critical importance of preventing the resurgence of terrorism, including Daesh, and touched upon the urgent need to address the issue of non-Syrian nationals held in camps in North-East Syria. Both parties agreed that rebuilding Syria is a collective and holistic effort, which needs to be inclusive, Syrian-led and Syrian owned, in which the United Nations have an important role to play alongside other stakeholders. They stressed the urgent need to alleviate the suffering of two million Syrians living in camps, as well as those whose livelihoods are affected by external threats on Syrian borders. Both the Co-Chairs and the Syrian Foreign Minister reiterated their call for the full respect of Syria’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Recalling the historic opportunity to guard against persistent security threats, they agreed on the importance of achieving the full destruction of chemical weapons in Syria, and recalled the important role of OPCW in this regard. Both parties further underlined the need to work collectively towards discovering the fate of the 150,000 forcibly disappeared Syrians, particularly in Assad’s prisons, whose fates remain unknown, and the EU reaffirmed its support to national and international efforts in this respect. Recognising the urgent need to restore trust and security within Syrian society, the Co-Chairs and the Syrian Foreign Minister condemned the violent attacks by Assad regime remnants against security forces, and rejected any exploitation of Syria’s situation by any state and non-state actors, including manipulation of information. They reiterated their strongest condemnation of the subsequent retaliation, which resulted in horrific crimes against civilians by a number of armed groups and stressed the utmost necessity of holding all perpetrators accountable. They concurred that swift justice is essential to prevent such crimes from ever recurring again and to ensure that all Syrians, without distinction of any kind, can live without fear in the new Syria. The Co-Chairs welcomed the commitments made by the transitional government, and in particular the establishment of an investigative committee, and called for the UN International Independent Commission of Inquiry to also investigate these acts. The Co-chairs and Syria’s Minister for Foreign Affairs emphasised the urgency of meeting the needs of the Syrian people and welcomed the pledging efforts deployed by donors for the benefit of Syria and the region announced today, during the Brussels IX Conference. Following the exchanges conducted in Paris on 13 February 2025, they welcomed the intention to establish a new coordination framework to complement and accelerate an inclusive socio-economic recovery and reconstruction. The Co-chairs also re-affirmed their sustained support to accelerated economic recovery and resilience in Syria, to help foster Syria’s state and local institutionsas much as its thriving, diverse and invaluable civil society, building on the already existing longstanding EU support and re-confirmed in this Conference. The EU’s approach in this respect will be commensurate with developments in the country. They also acknowledged the importance of continued support to refugee-hosting countries as long as conditions for voluntary, safe, sustainable and dignified returns are not fully met. The Co-Chairs conveyed the EU’s intention to support the holding of an event with civil society in Syria, later in 2025, in line with the EU’s longstanding support to Syria’s civil society. Standing with Syria, Brussels ninth conference (European External Action Service)

● Council of the EU

18/03/2025 10:18 | Press release | Moldova: Council gives final green light to support reforms and economic growth with €1.9 billion   The Council today gave its final green light to setting up the Reform and Growth Facility for the Republic of Moldova, a new instrument to support EU-related reforms and economic growth in the country. The envelope of €1.9 billion provided by the Facility is the largest EU financial support package since Moldova’s independence and comes on top of the EU’s other substantial support to the country. It will boost Moldova’s economy and bring the country closer to EU membership by accelerating reforms. It will also help Moldova face the challenges stemming from Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and continuous Russia’s attempts to destabilise the country. “Today we are helping Moldovans advance key socio-economic reforms, boost their economy and accelerate the country’s accession to the EU. The new instrument will also strengthen Moldova’s resilience by mitigating the impact of Russia’s unjust war of aggression against Ukraine.” — Adam Szłapka, Minister for European Affairs of Poland This Facility is the financial pillar of the Moldova Growth Plan, presented by the Commission in October 2024. It will support Moldova during the period from 2025 to 2027 and is expected to provide up to €385 million in grants and €1.5 billion in loans. These loans will be highly concessional, with long repayment time and advantageous interest rates. Payments will be subject to strict conditions in terms of the achievement of reforms set out in the agreed Reform Agenda. Objectives of the Facility The Facility will support Moldova in undertaking EU-related reforms, as well as in accelerating growth and achieving economic convergence with the EU. It will cover all sectors that are vital to promote Moldova’s economic growth and integrate it into the EU single market. The Facility will also be instrumental in delivering the EU’s Comprehensive Strategy for Energy Independence and Resilience of Moldova, which aims to decouple Moldova from the insecurities of Russian supply of energy and fully integrate the country in the EU energy market. Funds will be released twice a year, based on requests by the government of Moldova and following verification by the Commission that all relevant conditions laid out in the Reform Agenda have been met. Next steps The regulation on establishing the Reform and Growth Facility for Moldova will now be signed by the presidents of the Council and of the European Parliament, published in the EU Official Journal and enter into force on the following day. Background On 10 October 2024, the European Commission presented a Moldova Growth Plan, which is based on three pillars: supporting Moldova's socio-economic and fundamental reforms, enhancing Moldova’s access to the EU's single market, and increasing financial support for 2025-2027 through a dedicated Reform and Growth Facility for Moldova. The co-legislators reached a provisional agreement on this file on 19 February 2025. Regulation establishing the Reform and Growth Facility for Moldova, 18 March 2025 Moldova: Council and European Parliament agree to support reforms and economic growth with almost €2 billion (Council press release, 19 February 2025) Commission adopts €1.8 billion support package to underpin Moldova's economic growth plan on its path to the EU (European Commission press release, 10 October 2024) ● Council of the EU   17/03/2025 21:35 | Meetings | Main results - Foreign Affairs Council, 17 March 2025   The Foreign Affairs Council exchanged views on the Russian aggression against Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, Syria, Iran and EU-US relations. ● Council of the EU   17/03/2025 20:16 | Meetings | Main results - Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (Energy), 17 March 2025   Energy ministers met in Brussels to discuss the action plan for affordable energy and to exchange views on the EU's energy security architecture. They received information on the energy situation in Ukraine, on EU electricity and gas market developments, on the successful synchronisation of the Baltic electricity systems with the Continental Europe Synchronous Area and on preparedness for the next winter season.  Council of the EU   Career opportunities at the General Secretariat, 17/03/2025   Temporary agent (TA AD5) – Portuguese language translators Reference: CONS/3/2025/TA-AD/LING.1.PT Closing date for applications: 31/03/2025 AT 17:00 (CEST) ● General Secretariat of the Council   Think Tank reports on Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine   How to win in the context of a seven-point plan for sustainable peace in Ukraine; Trump-Putin and the prospects for a negotiation on Ukraine; Ukraine’s fight for Ukrainian refugee and diaspora engagement; shaping Europe’s security future; and China’s economic support for Russia since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine are some of the topics featured in the present update. 18/03/2025 | Press release Almost €2 billion in support for Moldova: Council gives its green light There is a green light from the EU Council for the creation of an Instrument for Reform and Growth in the Republic of Moldova to support EU-related reforms and economic growth in the country.   Visit the website ● International ministerial meetings   18/03/2025 12:01 | Statements and remarks | Brussels IX Conference on “Standing with Syria: meeting the needs for a successful transition” - Joint Press Statement by the Co-chairs (High Representative Kallas and Commissioners Suica & Lahbib) and Foreign Minister H.E. Asaad Hasan Al-Shaibani of the Syrian transitional government   The Brussels IX Conference on “Standing with Syria: meeting the needs for a successful transition”, hosted and chaired by the European Union (EU) on 17 March 2025, gathered key regional and international partners together with the Syrian Arab Republic. Building on the ministerial meetings in Aqaba (14 December 2024), Riyadh (12 January 2025) and Paris (13 February 2025), the Co-Chairs and Syria’s Minister for Foreign Affairs reaffirmed their wish to work together to ensure the success of the post-Assad transition. The Co-chairs recalled the EU’s commitment to the enduring principles that have guided, since the first Brussels Conference in 2017, the EU’s efforts to support the Syrian people and their host communities in neighbouring countries, including ensuring respect for fundamental freedoms as well as international humanitarian law. The Co-chairs reaffirmed the EU’s support for the unity, independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria and highlighted the key role of inclusive state institutions and the fight against all forms of discrimination and extremism. Recognising the historic opportunity to rebuild Syria as a free, inclusive, united, sovereign, stable and peaceful country, grounded on the respect of human rights and international law, the Co-chairs reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to support Syria’s inclusive transition with a view to ensuring lasting peace and prosperity for all Syrians, without distinction of any kind. Both parties concurred on the necessity, including via the National Dialogue process, to ensure that the transition delivers on the aspirations of all components of Syrian society, and for all Syrians, both in the country and in the diaspora, to have the opportunity to reunify, stabilise and rebuild their country, restore justice and freedom and ensure accountabilityn a spirit of reconciliation. Both parties agreed on the necessity of implementing and supporting the agreement reached on 10 March 2025 with the Syrian Democratic Forces. They reaffirmed the critical importance of preventing the resurgence of terrorism, including Daesh, and touched upon the urgent need to address the issue of non-Syrian nationals held in camps in North-East Syria. Both parties agreed that rebuilding Syria is a collective and holistic effort, which needs to be inclusive, Syrian-led and Syrian owned, in which the United Nations have an important role to play alongside other stakeholders. They stressed the urgent need to alleviate the suffering of two million Syrians living in camps, as well as those whose livelihoods are affected by external threats on Syrian borders. Both the Co-Chairs and the Syrian Foreign Minister reiterated their call for the full respect of Syria’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Recalling the historic opportunity to guard against persistent security threats, they agreed on the importance of achieving the full destruction of chemical weapons in Syria, and recalled the important role of OPCW in this regard. Both parties further underlined the need to work collectively towards discovering the fate of the 150,000 forcibly disappeared Syrians, particularly in Assad’s prisons, whose fates remain unknown, and the EU reaffirmed its support to national and international efforts in this respect. Recognising the urgent need to restore trust and security within Syrian society, the Co-Chairs and the Syrian Foreign Minister condemned the violent attacks by Assad regime remnants against security forces, and rejected any exploitation of Syria’s situation by any state and non-state actors, including manipulation of information. They reiterated their strongest condemnation of the subsequent retaliation, which resulted in horrific crimes against civilians by a number of armed groups and stressed the utmost necessity of holding all perpetrators accountable. They concurred that swift justice is essential to prevent such crimes from ever recurring again and to ensure that all Syrians, without distinction of any kind, can live without fear in the new Syria. The Co-Chairs welcomed the commitments made by the transitional government, and in particular the establishment of an investigative committee, and called for the UN International Independent Commission of Inquiry to also investigate these acts. The Co-chairs and Syria’s Minister for Foreign Affairs emphasised the urgency of meeting the needs of the Syrian people and welcomed the pledging efforts deployed by donors for the benefit of Syria and the region announced today, during the Brussels IX Conference. Following the exchanges conducted in Paris on 13 February 2025, they welcomed the intention to establish a new coordination framework to complement and accelerate an inclusive socio-economic recovery and reconstruction. The Co-chairs also re-affirmed their sustained support to accelerated economic recovery and resilience in Syria, to help foster Syria’s state and local institutionsas much as its thriving, diverse and invaluable civil society, building on the already existing longstanding EU support and re-confirmed in this Conference. The EU’s approach in this respect will be commensurate with developments in the country. They also acknowledged the importance of continued support to refugee-hosting countries as long as conditions for voluntary, safe, sustainable and dignified returns are not fully met. The Co-Chairs conveyed the EU’s intention to support the holding of an event with civil society in Syria, later in 2025, in line with the EU’s longstanding support to Syria’s civil society. Standing with Syria, Brussels ninth conference (European External Action Service) ● European Council   18/03/2025 16:49 | Media advisory | Media advisory - Tripartite Social Summit, 19 March 2025   Indicative programme All times are approximate and subject to change +/- 13.30 Arrivals and doorsteps (live streaming) +/- 14.00 Beginning of the Tripartite Social Summit (roundtable) +/- 16.10 Family photo At the end of the meeting (+/- 16.15) - Press conference in live streaming. Arrangements for the press conference The press conference will be in physical format only: EU accredited journalists will be able to participate and ask questions in person in the Justus Lipsius main press room.