COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,update

 

Press material Thursday, 24 July 2025

● European Council   24/07/2025 05:40 | Statements and remarks | Opening remarks by President António Costa at the meeting with President of China Xi Jinping   Mr. President, it is my pleasure to be here in Beijing, together with European Commission President von der Leyen, for this EU-China summit, and to meet with you once again, now in my new capacity. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations. Over the past five decades, we have become key trading partners, contributing to the development and prosperity of our citizens and our economies. We have developed a rich and deep cooperation and our economies and societies are deeply interlinked. The European Union remains committed to deepening our bilateral partnership, making concrete progress in addressing concerns with respect, goodwill and honesty and working together to uphold multilateralism. We need concrete progress on issues related to trade and economy. We both want our relationship to be balanced, reciprocal and mutually beneficial. Today, the world is going through a period of global uncertainty marked by economic volatility, geopolitical tensions, as well as challenges facing the entire humankind. The European Union and China are major economies and actors in the world. We share the responsibility to uphold the rules-based order and tackle global challenges. We have different political and economic systems. We do not always see eye to eye. Yet, we have a shared interest in pursuing constructive and stable relations, anchored in the respect for the rules-based international order, balanced engagement and reciprocity. We wish to continue to engage with China to tackle global challenges and take more ambitious action on climate change and biodiversity, health and pandemic preparedness, food security, disaster reduction, debt relief, and humanitarian assistance. Our cooperation on climate change is an important example, and I look forward, as a result of today’s summit, to a strong joint political message ahead of COP 30 in Brazil. We must also uphold the fundamental values enshrined in the UN Charter, which is celebrating the 80th anniversary, such as sovereignty, territorial integrity and the respect for internationally recognised borders. As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, we call on China to use its influence on Russia to respect the UN Charter and to bring an end to its war of aggression against Ukraine. I am grateful for this opportunity to meaningfully address these and other issues with you. And my wish is that in 50 years from now, the European Union and China will be able to celebrate bilateral relations which have continued to bring prosperity to our peoples, develop solutions to shared global challenges, and serve the cause of global peace. Such relations will benefit our people and contribute to stability in the world. I am looking forward to a fruitful and open discussion with you.   Visit the website

● Council of the EU

24/07/2025 12:17 | Statements and remarks | Syria: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the situation   The European Union strongly condemns the violence that resulted in hundreds of victims last week in Southern Syria, and especially attacks reportedly perpetrated by several armed groups against civilians. We call for a transparent, credible and impartial investigation, and for all perpetrators of grave violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law to be held accountable and brought to justice – including with the support of relevant international mechanisms. The ceasefire now in place must be fully respected. We urge all parties to immediately stop all acts of violence, to ensure the safety of civilians regardless of their ethnic or religious background, to protect civilian infrastructure including religious sites, and to take immediate steps to prevent any further incitement and sectarian discourse. The EU is supporting its partners in delivering critical humanitarian aid amid the ongoing emergency. We call on all parties, in particular the transitional authorities, to ensure urgent, safe and unrestricted humanitarian access for life-saving services such as health, water and food, as well as the protection of humanitarian personnel. The EU urges all external actors without exception to fully respect Syria’s unity, independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. The EU condemns any unilateral foreign military actions and presence as well as attempts to undermine Syria’s stability and prospects for a peaceful transition, including through foreign information manipulation and interference. Now is the time for dialogue and for advancing a truly inclusive and peaceful transition, which guarantees the human rights and fulfils the aspirations of all Syrians. Syria’s transitional authorities bear the responsibility to protect all Syrians without distinction, and to take necessary steps towards disarmament, demobilisation and the restructuring of national security forces in line with international norms and standards. The EU continues to stand ready to assist in these endeavours and reiterates its support to a peaceful and inclusive, Syrian-led and Syrian-owned transition. In this context, we recall the EU’s recent lifting of restrictive measures as part of a gradual, reversible approach.   Visit the website ● European Council   24/07/2025 11:25 | Statements and remarks | Joint EU-China press statement on climate   The way forward after the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Paris Agreement On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union (EU) and the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Paris Agreement, the Chinese and EU leaders hereby: Reiterate that in the fluid and turbulent international situation today, it is crucial that all countries, notably the major economies maintain policy continuity and stability and step up efforts to address climate change;  Recognize that strengthening China-EU cooperation on climate change bears on the well-being of the peoples on both sides and is of great and special significance to upholding multilateralism and advancing global climate governance; Emphasize that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement are the cornerstone of international climate cooperation, and that all parties should adhere to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances and implement the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement in a comprehensive, good-faith and effective manner; Recognize that the China-EU green partnership is an important part of the China-EU partnership, that green is the defining color of China-EU cooperation, and that the two sides have a solid foundation and broad space for cooperation in the field of green transition. The two sides agree to demonstrate leadership together to drive a global just transition in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication and are committed to: Upholding the central role of the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement and fully and faithfully implementing their goals their principles; Strengthening results-oriented actions, and turning their respective climate targets into tangible outcomes through systematic policies and concrete actions and measures; Working with all parties to support Brazil in hosting a successful 30th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP30) and promoting ambitious, equitable, balanced and inclusive outcomes of the conference; Accelerating the global renewable energy deployment and facilitating access to quality green technologies and products, so that they can be available, affordable and beneficial for all countries, including the developing countries;  Enhancing adaptation efforts and support, in order to accelerate swift action at scale and at all levels, from local to global; Submitting before COP30 their respective 2035 NDCs covering all economic sectors and all greenhouse gases and in alignment with the long-term temperature goal of the Paris Agreement; and Enhancing bilateral cooperation in such areas as energy transition, adaptation, methane emissions management and control, carbon markets and green and low-carbon technologies to drive their respective green and low-carbon transition processes together.   Visit the website ● European Council   24/07/2025 11:24 | Press release | 25th EU-China summit - EU press release   The European Union (EU) and China held their 25th Summit in Beijing on 24 July 2025. The President of the European Council, António Costa, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, met with China’s President, Xi Jinping, followed by a meeting with Premier Li Qiang. The High Representative of the EU for Foreign and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, also participated in the meetings. The Summit marked the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the European Union and the People’s Republic of China. It was the opportunity for leaders to discuss the bilateral relationship in all its aspects, as well as global and geopolitical issues. The EU underlined the importance it continues to attach to this relationship and reiterated its commitment to deepen engagement with China, and enhance cooperation to address joint global challenges such as climate change. The EU stressed that deepened engagement must lead to concrete progress on issues of joint interest and more productive work towards a balanced and mutually beneficial economic relationship, built on fairness and reciprocity. The leaders agreed that the EU and China have the shared responsibility to uphold the international rules-based order and to tackle global challenges. They reiterated their commitment to work together to safeguard multilateralism. The leaders discussed Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. The EU underlined that this war of aggression is not only an existential threat to Ukraine, but also to global security. The EU reiterated that, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China bears special responsibility to uphold the rules-based international order, the UN Charter and international law. Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a clear case of their violation. The EU repeated its calls on China not to provide any material support which sustains Russia’s military-industrial base. The EU encouraged China to use its influence to support a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, based on the principles of the UN Charter. The EU underscored that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s supply of troops and arms in support to Russia’s war in Ukraine poses considerable risks to security in Europe as well as East Asia. Leaders discussed the Middle East. On Gaza, the EU recalled its key priorities, namely the unhindered access to humanitarian assistance, the return to a ceasefire, and the unconditional release of all hostages. On humanitarian access, the EU underlined that Israel must fully respect its commitments in this regard. The EU and China reconfirmed their commitment to the two-state solution as the only viable and long-term solution that will bring peace to the region. On Iran, the leaders agreed on the importance of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime. The EU asked China to exercise its influence to prevent any escalation of the conflict and the return to the negotiating table. [On Syria, leaders condemned the recent violence. They called for the full implementation of the reform process, based on recovery and reconciliation, to fulfil the aspirations of all Syrians.] The EU and China are major trading partners. In 2024, the bilateral trade relationship was worth €730 billion. However, current trade relations remain critically unbalanced, with the trade deficit in goods reaching €305 billion. The EU raised its concerns about ongoing systemic distortions and growing manufacturing overcapacity, both of which exacerbate an uneven playing field. Similarly, the EU reiterated its call for progress on longstanding market access issues and recalled that Chinese investments in Europe contribute to the EU’s long-term competitiveness, technological progress and quality job creation. The EU remains ready to continue to engage in constructive dialogue to find negotiated solutions. As long as this is not the case, the EU will take proportionate, legally compliant action to protect its rightful interests. The EU expressed its expectation that China takes concrete action on EU firms’ access to China’s market in priority areas such as meat, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. The EU insisted on the need for China to put an end to unjustified and retaliatory trade defence cases and measures on EU exports of brandy, pork and dairy. The EU highlighted the negative impact of export controls on rare earths and permanent magnets introduced by China and urged China to lift these restrictions. Leaders welcomed the positive and productive bilateral cooperation on climate change, built on close engagement both bilaterally and in international fora. They agreed that the EU and China must lead global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions including at COP30. [Underlining this commitment, the two sides agreed a Joint Press Statement on Climate Change.] The EU’s share of global emissions has dropped to 6% and the EU reaffirmed its determination to reduce it even further, to 4%, by 2030. The EU encouraged China to propose an ambitious plan for its emission reductions up to 2035, and to step up its international finance contributions, commensurate with its size and global responsibility. The EU invited China to join the Global Methane Pledge and to contribute to the Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Framework. Both sides agreed to cooperate on achieving an ambitious and balanced international treaty on plastic pollution. Since the last Summit in December 2023, the EU and China have kept up intensive engagement both at technical and political levels in a wide range of areas. This has resulted, among other things, in upgrading cooperation on emissions trading systems in relation to greenhouse gases, the implementation of a joint roadmap on the circular economy, a new Action plan on regional policy cooperation for the period 2024-29, a new dialogue on financial regulation and relaunching the work of a group on drug precursors. The EU and China are also working to extend the protection of geographical indications from 200 to 550 products. The EU stressed the need to foster reciprocity in the digital sphere, underlining that European companies faced limited access to China. The EU further reiterated continued concern about the lack of clarity regarding Chinese data security rules and cross-border data flows from China, as well as malicious cyber activities detected as originating from China. The EU reiterated its deep concerns about the human rights situation in Xinjiang and Tibet, forced labour, the treatment of human rights defenders and persons belonging to minorities, as well as the continued erosion of fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong, where China should honour its prior commitments. The EU welcomed the holding of the 40th session of the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue on 13 June 2025 in Brussels, which allowed for an in-depth exchange on human rights issues, including on a number of individual cases of concern. The EU reaffirmed its consistent One China policy and expressed concerns about increased tensions in the Taiwan Strait. Heightened instability in the East and South China Seas threatens regional and global prosperity and security. The EU opposes any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion and insists on resolving disputes through peaceful means in accordance with international law, in particular the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Joint EU-China press statement on climate   Visit the website ● European Council   24/07/2025 10:03 | Statements and remarks | Opening remarks by President António Costa at the meeting with Premier of China Li Qiang   Mr. Prime Minister, it is a pleasure to be here with you, together with President von der Leyen, after an excellent summit with President Xi this morning. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations. Over this period, economic and people-to-people ties have increased exponentially, bringing prosperity to both sides. Being key trading partners, means that our economies and our societies have become closely interlinked. The European Union and China also cooperate to move forward the multilateral environmental agenda. We also have a number of concerns to address. Earlier today we discussed at length with President Xi our expectations for China to use its influence as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council to bring an end to Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. We also touched upon the need to progress on issues related to trade and economy. We would like to work further on making sure that our economic relationship is balanced, reciprocal and mutually beneficial. EU-China trade has grown increasingly one-sided, and this is not sustainable. It is in our mutual interest that our trade relations are balanced and fair, to benefit current and future generations. We hope to go through other sectors of bilateral cooperation and how the EU and China can tackle global challenges. To conclude, we are committed to deepening our bilateral partnership and pursuing constructive and stable relations, anchored in respect for the rules-based international order, balanced engagement and reciprocity. We are ready to make progress in addressing concerns with goodwill and honesty and working together to uphold multilateralism. Thank you.   Visit the website ● European Council   24/07/2025 11:24 | Press release | 25th EU-China summit - EU press release   The European Union (EU) and China held their 25th Summit in Beijing on 24 July 2025. The President of the European Council, António Costa, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, met with China’s President, Xi Jinping, followed by a meeting with Premier Li Qiang. The High Representative of the EU for Foreign and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, also participated in the meetings. The Summit marked the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the European Union and the People’s Republic of China. It was the opportunity for leaders to discuss the bilateral relationship in all its aspects, as well as global and geopolitical issues. The EU underlined the importance it continues to attach to this relationship and reiterated its commitment to deepen engagement with China, and enhance cooperation to address joint global challenges such as climate change. The EU stressed that deepened engagement must lead to concrete progress on issues of joint interest and more productive work towards a balanced and mutually beneficial economic relationship, built on fairness and reciprocity. The leaders agreed that the EU and China have the shared responsibility to uphold the international rules-based order and to tackle global challenges. They reiterated their commitment to work together to safeguard multilateralism. The leaders discussed Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. The EU underlined that this war of aggression is not only an existential threat to Ukraine, but also to global security. The EU reiterated that, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China bears special responsibility to uphold the rules-based international order, the UN Charter and international law. Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a clear case of their violation. The EU repeated its calls on China not to provide any material support which sustains Russia’s military-industrial base. The EU encouraged China to use its influence to support a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, based on the principles of the UN Charter. The EU underscored that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s supply of troops and arms in support to Russia’s war in Ukraine poses considerable risks to security in Europe as well as East Asia. Leaders discussed the Middle East. On Gaza, the EU recalled its key priorities, namely the unhindered access to humanitarian assistance, the return to a ceasefire, and the unconditional release of all hostages. On humanitarian access, the EU underlined that Israel must fully respect its commitments in this regard. The EU and China reconfirmed their commitment to the two-state solution as the only viable and long-term solution that will bring peace to the region. On Iran, the leaders agreed on the importance of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime. The EU asked China to exercise its influence to prevent any escalation of the conflict and the return to the negotiating table. [On Syria, leaders condemned the recent violence. They called for the full implementation of the reform process, based on recovery and reconciliation, to fulfil the aspirations of all Syrians.] The EU and China are major trading partners. In 2024, the bilateral trade relationship was worth €730 billion. However, current trade relations remain critically unbalanced, with the trade deficit in goods reaching €305 billion. The EU raised its concerns about ongoing systemic distortions and growing manufacturing overcapacity, both of which exacerbate an uneven playing field. Similarly, the EU reiterated its call for progress on longstanding market access issues and recalled that Chinese investments in Europe contribute to the EU’s long-term competitiveness, technological progress and quality job creation. The EU remains ready to continue to engage in constructive dialogue to find negotiated solutions. As long as this is not the case, the EU will take proportionate, legally compliant action to protect its rightful interests. The EU expressed its expectation that China takes concrete action on EU firms’ access to China’s market in priority areas such as meat, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. The EU insisted on the need for China to put an end to unjustified and retaliatory trade defence cases and measures on EU exports of brandy, pork and dairy. The EU highlighted the negative impact of export controls on rare earths and permanent magnets introduced by China and urged China to lift these restrictions. Leaders welcomed the positive and productive bilateral cooperation on climate change, built on close engagement both bilaterally and in international fora. They agreed that the EU and China must lead global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions including at COP30. [Underlining this commitment, the two sides agreed a Joint Press Statement on Climate Change.] The EU’s share of global emissions has dropped to 6% and the EU reaffirmed its determination to reduce it even further, to 4%, by 2030. The EU encouraged China to propose an ambitious plan for its emission reductions up to 2035, and to step up its international finance contributions, commensurate with its size and global responsibility. The EU invited China to join the Global Methane Pledge and to contribute to the Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Framework. Both sides agreed to cooperate on achieving an ambitious and balanced international treaty on plastic pollution. Since the last Summit in December 2023, the EU and China have kept up intensive engagement both at technical and political levels in a wide range of areas. This has resulted, among other things, in upgrading cooperation on emissions trading systems in relation to greenhouse gases, the implementation of a joint roadmap on the circular economy, a new Action plan on regional policy cooperation for the period 2024-29, a new dialogue on financial regulation and relaunching the work of a group on drug precursors. The EU and China are also working to extend the protection of geographical indications from 200 to 550 products. The EU stressed the need to foster reciprocity in the digital sphere, underlining that European companies faced limited access to China. The EU further reiterated continued concern about the lack of clarity regarding Chinese data security rules and cross-border data flows from China, as well as malicious cyber activities detected as originating from China. The EU reiterated its deep concerns about the human rights situation in Xinjiang and Tibet, forced labour, the treatment of human rights defenders and persons belonging to minorities, as well as the continued erosion of fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong, where China should honour its prior commitments. The EU welcomed the holding of the 40th session of the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue on 13 June 2025 in Brussels, which allowed for an in-depth exchange on human rights issues, including on a number of individual cases of concern. The EU reaffirmed its consistent One China policy and expressed concerns about increased tensions in the Taiwan Strait. Heightened instability in the East and South China Seas threatens regional and global prosperity and security. The EU opposes any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion and insists on resolving disputes through peaceful means in accordance with international law, in particular the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Joint EU-China press statement on climate   Visit the website ● European Council   24/07/2025 15:34 | Statements and remarks | Remarks by President António Costa at the joint press conference with President von der Leyen following the EU-China Summit in Beijing   We have just concluded the 25th EU-China Summit. I would like to thank President Xi and Premier Li for hosting us today and for the open and frank exchanges that we had. This EU-China Summit takes place on the 50th anniversary of our diplomatic relations. This anniversary is an opportunity to reflect on our shared history and to look towards the future. Over the past five decades, EU-China relations have evolved greatly. The European Union remains committed to deepening our bilateral partnership, making concrete progress in addressing concerns with respect, goodwill and honesty. We have become key trading partners and developed a wide-ranging, rich and deep cooperation. The EU and China are major economies and global powers. How we engage and cooperate matters to the world. The EU and China have a shared interest in pursuing a constructive, stable, balanced and mutually beneficial relationship. We want to work together on global peace and security, prosperity and sustainable development. As such, tackling the global challenge of climate change is a shared priority. Today, we discussed with President Xi and Premier Li ways to further expand and deepen our longstanding engagement, both bilaterally and as responsible leaders at global level. We agreed that the EU and China have a joint responsibility to uphold the Paris Agreement. And I am very pleased that for today’s Summit we have managed to agree on a substantive joint statement on our cooperation in the climate field. This sends an important message on our work together. We encouraged China to also propose an ambitious National Determined Contribution for COP30. China should lead by example, in line with its major global role. We agreed that we have a shared responsibility to support multilateralism and the rules-based international order, and to uphold all the principles enshrined in the UN Charter. As a permanent member of UN Security Council, China has a key role and responsibility for this. In this context, we addressed Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The war in Ukraine goes far beyond Europe – it is a conflict with global implications, that undermines the rules based international system. It is not just a “European” conflict. We agreed on the need to achieve a just and lasting peace as soon as possible. Today’s discussion was one of great sincerity. This discussion must continue even if we don’t agree on certain issues. Promoting and protecting human rights is a central pillar of the EU’s engagement with other countries, including with China. We welcomed the recent round of the European Union-China Human Rights Dialogue that took place in Brussels in June. Today, we reiterated our concerns and we will continue engaging on this important topic. Last but not least, an important part of our agenda concerned our trade and economic relations. The EU and China together account over a third of global GDP. So having a fair balance in our economic relations is essential. We discussed trade distortions, imbalances and market-access issues, with one clear message as a bottom line: fair and mutually beneficial trade relations are possible and should be our joint aim.  Together with President von der Leyen and the High Representative, I came to Beijing to address all these issues directly with China’s President Xi and Premier Li. The European Union always prioritises open and constructive dialogue to find shared solutions. Dialogue and negotiation are in our DNA. That’s what we did today – in an open and frank manner. Now it is time to put today’s discussions into action and to make further progress. Thank you.   Visit the website ● European Council   24/07/2025 10:03 | Statements and remarks | Opening remarks by President António Costa at the meeting with Premier of China Li Qiang   Mr. Prime Minister, it is a pleasure to be here with you, together with President von der Leyen, after an excellent summit with President Xi this morning. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations. Over this period, economic and people-to-people ties have increased exponentially, bringing prosperity to both sides. Being key trading partners, means that our economies and our societies have become closely interlinked. The European Union and China also cooperate to move forward the multilateral environmental agenda. We also have a number of concerns to address. Earlier today we discussed at length with President Xi our expectations for China to use its influence as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council to bring an end to Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. We also touched upon the need to progress on issues related to trade and economy. We would like to work further on making sure that our economic relationship is balanced, reciprocal and mutually beneficial. EU-China trade has grown increasingly one-sided, and this is not sustainable. It is in our mutual interest that our trade relations are balanced and fair, to benefit current and future generations. We hope to go through other sectors of bilateral cooperation and how the EU and China can tackle global challenges. To conclude, we are committed to deepening our bilateral partnership and pursuing constructive and stable relations, anchored in respect for the rules-based international order, balanced engagement and reciprocity. We are ready to make progress in addressing concerns with goodwill and honesty and working together to uphold multilateralism. Thank you.   Visit the website