COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,update

 

Meetings Thursday, 22 May 2025

● Council of the EU   22/05/2025 20:21 | Meetings | General Affairs Council, 27 May 2025   Background brief - General Affairs Council of 27 May 2025

● Council of the EU

22/05/2025 20:09 | Meetings | Main results - Competitiveness Council (Internal market and industry), 22 May 2025   Ministers responsible for the internal market and industry met in Brussels and adopted a general approach on the e-declaration of posted workers regulation. They also held three policy debates: on industrial policy, better regulation and public procurement. ● Council of the EU   22/05/2025 18:24 | Press release | Accession Conference with Albania: EU opens negotiations on the competitiveness and inclusive growth cluster   The fifth meeting of the Accession Conference with Albania was held today in Brussels. The meeting served to open negotiations with Albania on the so-called cluster 3: competitiveness and inclusive growth. This cluster includes the following negotiating chapters: Chapter 10 - Digital transformation and media, Chapter 16 - Taxation, Chapter 17 - Economic and monetary policy, Chapter 19 - Social policy and employment, Chapter 20 - Enterprise and industrial policy, Chapter 25 - Science and research, Chapter 26 - Education and culture, Chapter 29 - Customs union The EU also set benchmarks for the provisional closure of these chapters. This follows the opening of the first cluster on ‘Fundamentals’, the sixth cluster on ‘External relations’ and the second cluster on ‘Internal market’ at the Accession Conferences with Albania held on 15 October 2024, 17 December 2024, and 14 April 2025, respectively. Monitoring of progress in the alignment with and implementation of the EU acquis and relevant European standards will continue throughout the negotiations. The Accession Conference will return to this cluster at an appropriate moment. The European Union delegation was led by Ambassador Agnieszka Bartol, Permanent Representative of Poland to the EU, on behalf of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU, with the participation of Commission Director General Gert Jan Koopman. The Albanian delegation was led by Mr Igli Hasani, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania. Background Following the introduction of the revised methodology for the accession negotiations in 2020, negotiating chapters are divided in six thematic clusters: Fundamentals Internal market Competitiveness and inclusive growth Green agenda and sustainable connectivity Resources, agriculture and cohesion External relations Negotiations on the Fundamentals cluster are the first to be opened and the last to be closed, and progress under this cluster will determine the overall pace of negotiations. EU common position on Cluster 3: Competitiveness and inclusive growth EU common position on Cluster 2 : Internal market EU common position on Cluster 6: External relations First meeting of the Accession Conference with Albania, 19 July 2022 Second meeting of the Accession Conference with Albania, 15 October 2024 Third meeting of the Accession Conference with Albania, 17 December 2024 Fourth meeting of the Accession Conference with Albania, 14 April 2025 ● Council of the EU   22/05/2025 16:42 | Media advisory | Press briefing - General Affairs Council of 27 May 2025   The press briefing ahead of the General Affairs Council will take place on Friday, 23 May 2025 at 14.00 in the Europa building press room. 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. 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 General Affairs Council do not need to do it again. Deadline for registration: Friday, 23 May 2025 at 13.00 Further instructions will be sent to all registered participants shortly after the deadline.