COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,update

 

Press material Thursday, 04 September 2025

● European Council   04/09/2025 23:28 | Statements and remarks | Press remarks by President António Costa ahead of the meeting with the Prime Minister of Bulgaria, Rossen Jeliazkov   Dear Rossen, first of all, I would like to thank you for your kind words about the tragedy that occurred yesterday in Lisbon. It was very, very sad. Thank you also for welcoming me here in Sofia. This is my third visit to Bulgaria since I started my new functions, and it is very important to be here close to Bulgarian citizens, engaging with you and working together with all the leaders to prepare the next political year. It is gratifying to see how Bulgaria has been achieving its full European Union potential within the last months, becoming a full member of the Schengen area and clearing the last hurdles to join the Euro area as of 1 January 2026. This is a clear achievement for Bulgaria and for the European Union. Congratulations, dear Rossen. These are significant events for Bulgarian citizens and businesses, bringing changes to everyday life. I am confident that with your support they will make the most of this, reaping the benefits while overcoming any challenges. Our dialogue tonight will help shape our common agenda together, as we have several topics to discuss ahead of a very busy autumn. My visit to Sofia comes right after an important meeting of the Coalition of the Willing on Ukraine today in Paris. We gave political endorsements to security guarantees that are essential for building a credible and lasting peace in Ukraine. The great news is that we are ready for the day after. Now we need, of course, to conclude this negotiation process and achieve this lasting peace. Europe has stood firmly with Ukraine against Russia's war of aggression, as the truly indispensable partner. Our support has helped Ukraine remain sovereign after more than three years of war. Bulgaria has contributed significantly to this effort with your military aid, expertise, and regional know-how you have been indispensable in our efforts to support Ukraine. We will continue the course. Our security is tied to Ukraine's resilience. Russia's hostile behaviour goes beyond Ukraine, with hybrid threats on EU territory: manoeuvres close to the border, cyber-attacks, disruption of critical infrastructure, and attempts to undermine democracy. We will continue to strengthen our resilience, including through the European Union hybrid toolbox to prevent, deter, and respond to such threats. This brings me to our defence efforts. Your commitment to increase defence spending is not only key in our efforts to intensify our defence investments, but also a clear opportunity for the Bulgarian industry to strongly emerge on the European defence market. This is what I witnessed first-hand during my visit to the Arsenal firearms and munitions factory in Kazanlak, last April. These key milestones for the country and the region bring me to the importance of the momentum we are witnessing in the broader area. Enlargement is the most important geopolitical investment the European Union can make. There is clearly a new momentum, starting with Ukraine and Moldova, and the shared commitment by all Western Balkans. Not all countries are progressing at the same pace, but our commitment is clear: to continue advancing the gradual integration between the European Union and the region during the enlargement process itself. The European Union's growth plan for the Western Balkans is a potential game-changer, offering financial support and incentives for reforms, regional cooperation, and economic integration. We must not lose this momentum and all leaders must do their part. All parties must take responsibility. These are a few of the topics we are discussing and preparing today with you, Rossen, ahead of an intensive period of important meetings, starting with the informal European Council in Copenhagen and the European Council in Brussels in October, where we will also be discussing competitiveness, migration, and the European Union in the world. A last point I would like to add: the process for the next Multiannual Financial Framework has started and given the challenges we face, it is important that we all approach this debate with an open mind and in a spirit of collective responsibility. We will work hard in the months ahead to start forging a consensus and a budget that works for all Europeans, and naturally for Bulgaria also. Thank you.   Visit the website

● Council of the EU

03/09/2025 19:53 | Press release | Simplification: Council agrees position on simplifying the common agricultural policy (CAP)   Member states’ representatives agreed today the Council’s position on simplifying provisions related to the common agricultural policy (CAP). The aim is to boost the competitiveness of European agriculture by reducing red tape, supporting farmers, including new and young farmers, encouraging innovation and boosting productivity. The proposal forms the so-called ‘Omnibus III’ package adopted by the Commission on 14 May 2025 to simplify EU legislation in the field of agriculture. The package contains amendments to two of the three basic legislative acts establishing rules for CAP, namely the strategic plan regulation (SPR) and the ‘horizontal’ regulation. In view of its significant implications, the Council has treated this initiative with utmost priority aiming to provide EU farmers and national administrations with the necessary legal certainty as regards their obligations. The proposed simplification measures could lead to significant reductions in administrative costs for both farmers and national administrations. According to the Commission’s assessment, this simplification could lead to annual savings of up to €1.6 billion for farmers and more than €200 million for member states’ administrations. The Council’s position maintains the general thrust of the Commission proposal in support of the following objectives: easing the administrative burden for farmers and administrations and reducing controls increasing the payments to small farmers and simplifying the rules on conditionality, in particular for organic farms reducing the on-the-spot checks and deleting of the annual performance clearance The amendment of the agricultural reserve would limit demands for the use of this fund but corresponding new types of crisis payments in the SPR should, on balance, improve funding of farmers in times of crises. These proposed new types have now been deferred to the wider CAP revision. Moreover, the Council’s mandate improves the following elements of the Commission proposal: gives flexibility to member states to decide to what extent partially organic farms could be considered to fulfil certain environmental standards, the so-called GAECs (good agricultural and environmental conditions) improves the possibility for farmers to benefit from risk management tools increases the percentage rate for advanced direct payments, improving the possibility for member states to assist farmers hit, for example, by natural disasters Next steps The Presidency stands ready to negotiate with the European Parliament, once the latter reaches its own negotiating position, to reach a final agreement on this file. Background The simplification package “Omnibus III” on agriculture is part of a broader political objective of enhancing EU competitiveness, by reducing businesses’ administrative burden and creating more favourable conditions for them to operate in the EU.  This simplification drive is conducted in response to the impetus from the European Council (March 2023 Conclusions, 2024-2029 Strategic Agenda) that called for simplifying the general regulatory environment and reducing the administrative burden. On 26 February 2025, as a follow-up to EU Leaders’ call, the Commission put forward the first two Omnibus packages with the aim of simplifying the existing legislation in the field of sustainability reporting and certain EU investment programmes. On 20 March 2025, the European Council in its conclusions urged the co-legislators to take work forward on the Omnibus simplification packages as a matter of priority and with a high level of ambition. Regulation amending regulation (EU) 2021/2115 as regards the conditionality system, types of intervention in the form of direct payment, types of intervention in certain sectors and rural development and annual performance reports and regulation (EU) 2021/2116 as regards data and interoperability governance, suspensions of payments annual performance clearance and controls and penalties, Commission proposal, 14 May 2025   Visit the website

● European Council

03/09/2025 15:10 | Statements and remarks | Press remarks by President António Costa following the meeting with the Federal Chancellor of Austria, Christian Stocker   First of all, I would like to thank Chancellor Christian Stocker for this warm welcome during my visit to Vienna. This tour des capitales is a very important moment for me. First, because the European institutions must be close to the different member states. Secondly, because we need to engage with the different leaders. The Union is a union of nations, and all the voices matter. We need to take into account all the different leaderships and national positions to build unity among the 27 member states.    Austria is a very important member of our Union, always very committed - not only to protect their own interests, such as those of Austrian farmers, to protect your borders, and manage migration - but also very engaged in our common challenges: competitiveness, security and defence in Europe, and also promoting the enlargement of the European Union to new member states.    And I want to commend, first of all, Austria on the way that you manage your specific constitutional neutrality while fully engaging in European Security and Defence, and your clear support to Ukraine.    Secondly, we are fully committed to working with you to protect our borders and to manage collectively migration. But we also work together for our main priorities: boost competitiveness, strengthen our single market, promoting trade and promoting innovation. This is a key issue to improve our competitiveness.   Allow me to use this moment to commend the European Commission for approving today the final version of the Mercosur agreement, a new version, who solved many of the previous issues we identified. This agreement will be a great opportunity to boost our competitiveness and open our markets to new products and services.   This is very important for a country like Austria, which already has a trade surplus up to €1 billion with Mercosur countries. Now, with this new Mercosur agreement, I think it is good news for Austria, as it can boost your exports to a very important market.    Finally, as you said, Christian, the next MFF is a great opportunity for all of us. We need a new MFF with a purpose, one that is specifically targeted to support our main policy priorities: competitiveness and security.    And we will certainly focus our work on this in the coming months, counting on your support to deliver on these issues.   Visit the website

● European Council

05/09/2025 12:08 | Press release | António Costa's 'Tour des Capitales': preview for week 2   The President of the European Council, António Costa, is visiting EU leaders in their member states in the first three weeks of September. This 'Tour des Capitales' allows President Costa to gather views from the heads of state or government about the EU’s agenda and to prepare the ground for upcoming European Council meetings and international summits. In his meetings with leaders, President Costa will discuss their political priorities as well as working methods of the European Council. Schedule for week 2 During the second week of his tour, President Costa will meet the Prime Minister of Finland, Petteri Orpo, in Helsinki on 8 September. On the same day, he will hold meetings with the Prime Minister of Sweden, Ulf Kristersson, in Stockholm and the Prime Minister of Estonia, Kristen Michal, in Tallinn.   On 9 September, he will meet the Prime Minister of Latvia, Evika Siliņa, in Riga, as well as President of Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda in Vilnius and Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk in Warsaw.   On 10 September, he will be in Budapest for a meeting with the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, and in Berlin for a meeting with German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz.   The week will end with meetings with the Prime Minister of Slovakia, Robert Fico, in Bratislava and with Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, in Madrid on 11 September.   The details of the following week will be announced on Friday 12 September. Background The President will visit most EU countries between 1 and 19 September. Overview of the first week of the tour   Visit the website

● European Council

05/09/2025 12:30 | Statements and remarks | Press remarks by President António Costa following the meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy   Dear President Zelenskyy, dear Volodymyr. This is my third visit to Ukraine in less than a year, but my very first time in Western Ukraine, a region bordering the European Union. That means and that proves that we are so close that in the future this region will be not anymore in the borders of the European Union, but it is a part of the European Union, because Ukraine will be a member, a full membership of the European Union. We are here to participate in the congress of regional authorities. So please let me start by paying tribute to Ukrainian local communities. You are showing incredible resilience in the face of this awful war, and you are a true inspiration for us all. Europe has stood firmly with Ukraine against Russia's war of aggression since day 1, being a reliable and predictable partner. Together with our member states, the European Union is the largest contributor of any global donor. We are supporting Ukraine on defence, on economy, on energy grid, and institutions. The Ukrainian people, dear Volodymyr, have shown to the world the extraordinary courage when facing the Russian aggression. And you are fighting for a just and lasting peace. And this is our common goal: to achieve a just and lasting in peace in Ukraine. I hope through the related to the renewed diplomatic efforts over the summer and the meeting in Alaska. And Ukraine, and you personally, dear Volodymyr, and the European Union member states and all members of the Coalition of Willing has been supporting President Trump's efforts to open peace negotiations. You accepted President Trump proposal for peace negotiations. We are preparing security guarantees to ensure a just and lasting peace when peace comes. And we are fully committed to providing strong security guarantees to help preventing future attacks. Yesterday, in Paris, 26 countries plus the European Union committed to joint forces on offer strong security guarantees to Ukraine through air, land, sea and the regeneration of Ukraine's forces. Yesterday, we demonstrated that the Coalition is not only willing, but it is able to deliver. In the nutshell – we are ready for the day after. But for that day to come, we must push Putin to the negotiating table. And however, Russian bombs continue to hit Ukrainian cities, killing people, killing children, destroying cities and causing enormous suffering. Only more pressure can change this course and we are ready to do more. We are working with the United States and other like-minded partners to increase our pressure through further sanctions, direct sanctions and secondary sanctions. More economic measures to push Russia to stop this war, to stop killing people, to stop destroying Ukraine. The work has already started in Brussels on the new sanctions package, and a European team is travelling to Washington DC to work with our American friends. And we are working together with you, with Ukrainian people. To own our common future. Supporting Ukraine's reconstruction and its European Union’s accession path. It is clear that Ukraine's European Union full membership is not only the best security guarantees, it is also the most effective path for prosperity and for the best future for Ukrainian people. I want to stress here today how impressed we are with the reforms you have carried out with the war in your soil. This work must continue, and we are there to support you. We are supporting you in the war when it is continuous. We will support you in your peace efforts in future peace negotiations and most important in our shared future as Ukrainian full membership of the European Union. Thank you, Dear Volodymyr, and Glory Ukraine.   Visit the website