COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,update

 

Συνεδριάσεις Δευτέρα, 13 Οκτωβρίου 2025

● Συμβούλιο της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης   13/10/2025 11:53 | Συνεδριάσεις | Κύρια σημεία της ημερήσιας διάταξης - Συμβούλιο Γενικών Υποθέσεων, 21 October 2025   Οι υπουργοί Ευρωπαϊκών Υποθέσεων θα πραγματοποιήσουν συζήτηση προσανατολισμού σχετικά με το πολυετές δημοσιονομικό πλαίσιο (ΠΔΠ) της ΕΕ για την περίοδο 2028-2034 και θα λάβουν υπό σημείωση έκθεση προόδου σχετικά με τις δέσμες νομοθετικών μέτρων για την απλούστευση «omnibus». Οι υπουργοί θα συνεχίσουν επίσης τις προετοιμασίες για το Ευρωπαϊκό Συμβούλιο του Οκτωβρίου και θα πραγματοποιήσουν ακρόαση σχετικά με τη διαδικασία του άρθρου 7 όσον αφορά την Ουγγαρία. Κατά τη διάρκεια γεύματος εργασίας, οι υπουργοί θα συζητήσουν την επικείμενη πρόταση της Επιτροπής για την Ευρωπαϊκή Ασπίδα Δημοκρατίας.   Ειδική σελίδα συνεδρίασης

● European Council

13/10/2025 11:35 | Press release | European Council of 23 October - Invitation letter by President António Costa to the members of the European Council   Dear colleagues, The European Council will meet on Thursday 23 October in Brussels. As usual, I aim for a one-day meeting, if our discussions allow it. Russia continues its relentless attacks against Ukraine’s civilians and civilian infrastructure. We will discuss how to step up our support to Ukraine, namely by reconfirming our commitment to provide financial support to the country for the coming years, and by considering possible options based on Russia’s immobilised assets. Russia is paying a high and mounting economic price for its aggression and we will take stock of our efforts to further increase the pressure on it. Both support for Ukraine and pressure on Russia remain the two necessary requirements to achieve a just and lasting peace. We will have the possibility to hear from President Zelenskyy at the beginning of the discussion about Ukraine. On defence, we will build on the work done since our informal meeting in Egmont in February this year, and follow up on our recent fruitful discussions in Copenhagen, turning them into commitments and concrete decisions on capability projects and governance. The roadmap on defence readiness 2030, which will soon be presented by the Commission and the High Representative, will be a useful contribution to our discussions. We need to empower our Defence Ministers to ensure implementation and follow-up in the Council, and reinforce the European Defence Agency. Hybrid attacks and drone sightings near our critical infrastructures and hostile incursions in Member States’ airspace are another demonstration of the urgency of accelerating work to achieve European common defence readiness by 2030. Turning to competitiveness and the twin, digital and green, transitions, we will focus on three main topics in this European Council. First, we need to step up our efforts to deliver on simplification. There has been progress so far but we need to move up a gear in cutting bureaucratic burdens and preventing new ones. Second, we need to have a strategic debate on how to reach our climate objectives and at the same time strengthen Europe’s competitiveness. This means focussing on the framework that will support our industries and our citizens on the path to carbon neutrality in 2050. Third, we can only reap the rewards of the digital transformation if we can ensure Europe’s sovereignty on digital matters. In light of global challenges, Europe needs to be able to assert its values, interests, and regulatory autonomy, to safeguard its digital infrastructure and technological base, strengthening its own open digital ecosystem, and to harness the full potential of tomorrow’s technologies to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness. European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde and Eurogroup President Paschal Donohoe will join us to discuss the economic situation in the framework of a Euro Summit in inclusive format. The Euro Summit will also focus on reinforcing the international role of the euro and, in this context, on the digital euro. European citizens expect to enjoy the fruits of economic growth and prosperity. Access to affordable housing plays an important role in this context. However, in many Member States housing has become a growing social and economic concern, including for middle-income citizens and the younger generations. This is why I chose to bring this discussion to our agenda: to assess what can be done at European level to support and accompany efforts at national, regional and local levels to improve access to affordable and decent housing. Our discussion will also provide guidance for the Commission’s upcoming European Affordable Housing Plan. When it comes to the situation in the Middle East, peace seems to be within reach in Gaza after two years of war and human suffering. In light of the latest developments, we will discuss how the EU can support the ongoing efforts toward a just and lasting peace, firmly anchored in the two-state solution, as well as the reconstruction of Gaza. As we have done in the past, we will revert to the important topic of migration to ensure that work continues at a high pace on all priority files. We can expect a letter from President von der Leyen to inform our discussion. We will start our meeting on Thursday at 10:00, with our traditional exchange of views with the President of the European Parliament. I am looking forward to seeing you in Brussels. Invitation letter   Visit the website ● Council of the EU   13/10/2025 10:23 | Press release | Council adopts new rules to make children toys safer   The Council has today given its final approval on the toy safety regulation. The new legislation reinforces safety rules, increases protection against harmful chemicals and promotes the use of digital product passports to facilitate enforcement. The new toy safety regulation bans or restricts the use in toys of several dangerous chemical substances, including endocrine disruptors, skin sensitisers, biocidal products, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The regulation strengthens the enforcement of toy safety rules by means of a digital product passport (DPP) containing key safety information, which will facilitate customs control and market surveillance. Next steps The vote today is formally the adoption of the first reading position of the Council. This is expected to be the last step of the adoption process at Council level. The text will now need to be approved by the European Parliament before entering into force. The new rules will fully apply after a transition period of 4.5 years. Background Until now, toy safety has been regulated by Directive 2009/48/EC, which establishes the safety requirements that toys, both EU-made or imported, must meet to be placed and sold in the EU. The new regulation is in line with the EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability that called for strengthening the protection of consumers and vulnerable groups from the most harmful chemicals. Child protection: Council and Parliament strike a deal on a law to make toys safer (press release, 10 April 2025) Toy safety: Council adopts position on updated rules (press release, 15 May, 2024) Council’s negotiating mandate Commission’s proposal   Visit the website ● Council of the EU   13/10/2025 10:57 | Meetings | Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (Employment and social policy), 17 October 2025   Background brief - Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (Employment and social policy) of 17 October 2025   View meeting page ● Council of the EU   13/10/2025 10:59 | Press release | Fighthing cybercrime: EU to sign UN Convention on cybercrime   Today, the Council adopted a decision authorising the European Commission and member states to sign a United Nations Convention against cybercrime. The Convention is an international treaty which puts in place common rules at global level to enhance cooperation on cybercrime and the exchange of evidence in electronic form for the purpose of criminal investigations or proceedings. ““IT fraud, large-scale hacking, the curse of child sexual abuse and exploitation online, as well as other forms of cybercrime, are on the rise. With the adoption of this international legal instrument, we have now taken an important step in our global fight against this type of crime.” — Peter Hummelgaard, Danish Minister for Justice Criminalisation of conduct A key aspect of the Convention is the harmonisation between participating countries of the criminalisation of conduct of certain cyber-related offences. This means that all countries commit to make certain conduct (e.g. IT fraud or illegal interception) a criminal offence in their national  legislation. The Convention will also give an impetus to criminalise acts related to online child sexual abuse material, grooming as well as the non-consensual dissemination of intimate images. These offences are already criminalised at EU level but not yet at a wider international level. International cooperation All signatories of the Convention commit to cooperate to investigate and prosecute criminal offences under the Convention. This includes the collection and sharing of electronic evidence. The latter applies to cybercrimes but also serious crimes such as international organised crime if these are punishable by a prison sentence of at least four years. Human rights and data protection safeguards The Convention comes with important safeguards to prevent the abuse by the participating countries to commit or legitimise human rights violations. Any interpretation that would lead to suppressing human rights or fundamental freedoms, in particular the freedoms of expression, conscience, opinion, religion or belief, peaceful assembly and association is explicitly excluded. These safeguards also ensure that international cooperation can be refused if countries consider that it is being used to commit human rights violations or if requests are deemed to be politically motivated. Cooperation can also be refused if this cooperation would be contrary to a country’s domestic laws or if the refusal would be necessary to avoid any form of discrimination. Next steps The Convention will open for signatures on 25 October 2025 until 31 December 2026. It will enter into force ninety days after the deposit of the fortieth instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession. Furthermore, the presidency will prioritise the finalisation of the corresponding Council decision for the EU and its member states to conclude the United Nations Convention on Cybercrime, with a view to asking for the consent of the European Parliament. Background Cybercrime is a growing threat to the security of citizens and businesses in the EU. According to an Europol threat assessment from 2024 cybercrime has gone up dramatically in terms of volume, intensity and harm potential. At the same time electronic evidence has increasingly gained in importance in the context of criminal investigations. The United Nations Convention against Cybercrime was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in December 2024. According to the Convention, the EU (and other regional economic integration organisations) can sign and ratify the Convention if at least one of its member states signs and ratifies it. Council decision on the signing of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, 7 October 2025 United Nations Convention against Cybercrime (UN)   Visit the website

● Council of the EU

13/10/2025 10:22 | Press release | EU-Ukraine trade: Council agrees to reduce or eliminate customs duties for several agri-food products   Today, the Council adopted a decision on the position that the EU will take in the EU-Ukraine Association Committee (in trade configuration) as regards the reduction or elimination of customs duties for a variety of agri-food products, such as dairy products, fresh fruit and vegetables, meat and meat preparations. This follows the preliminary agreement on the review of the EU-Ukraine Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA), reached by the European Commission and Ukraine on 30 June 2025 with the aim of establishing a long-term, predictable and reciprocal trade framework within the broader context of Ukraine's accession process. “Today’s decision reaffirms the EU’s unwavering and multifaceted support for Ukraine, after three years of Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified military aggression. We are helping Ukraine militarily and financially, but we need to also help them by promoting trade liberalisation. Both the EU and Ukraine will benefit from the elimination of customs duties, leading to sustained economic stability, enduring trade relations, and further Ukrainian integration with the Union.” — Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Denmark The EU position agreed today will enhance trade flows between the EU and Ukraine, while ensuring that Ukraine’s market access is contingent on its gradual alignment with EU production standards on animal welfare, pesticides and veterinary medicines. Furthermore, it takes into account the specific needs of certain EU agricultural sectors by setting up a robust safeguard mechanism that either party can activate in the event of market disruption. It also ensures that market access for the most sensitive products, such as sugar, poultry, eggs, wheat, maize and honey, remains more limited and gradual. Full liberalisation will only be considered for certain non-sensitive products such as milk and milk products. Next steps Following adoption of the decision by the Council, the EU-Ukraine Association Committee, meeting in trade configuration, will adopt the decision as part of the review process under Article 29(4) of the EU-Ukraine association agreement. The aim of the review process is to expedite and broaden the scope of customs duty elimination in EU-Ukraine trade. Background The association agreement between the EU and Ukraine was signed in 2014 and entered into force on 1 September 2017. Its objective is to bring Ukraine and the EU closer together by promoting deeper political ties, stronger economic links and respect for common values. The DCFTA is the economic part of the agreement, which provides a framework for the modernisation of Ukraine's economy and trade relations. Following Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EU granted Ukraine trade facilitations and exceptional instruments offering a high level of unilateral liberalisation in the form of autonomous trade measures (ATMs). These were renewed in 2023 and 2024 and expired on 6 June 2025. EU relations with Ukraine (background information) EU-Ukraine association agreement (Official Journal of the EU)   Visit the website

● General Secretariat of the Council

Same as it ever was? The changing landscape of EU administration   While crises are often analysed for their political consequences, they have also left a quieter yet equally significant mark on the EU's administrative landscape. These developments are examined in the book 'The Changing Topography of EU Administration: Organisations, Actors, and Policy Processes', published last year. The Council Library invited the book's editor, together with three of its authors, to share their insights.   Read full post