COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,update

Press material Saturday, 22 November 2025

● European Council   22/11/2025 15:51 | Statements and remarks | Remarks by President António Costa at G20 Session I: "Inclusive and sustainable economic growth - leaving no one behind"   First of all, I would like to thank for the warm welcome from South Africa, the personal leadership of President Ramaphosa and the South African Presidency of the G20.   I am very honoured to be here with President von der Leyen, representing the European Union in this very first G20 Summit in Africa. It is very important to show the global importance of Africa but we are here also to say that we are supporting multilateralism and we are upholding the international rules based order. Moving into the theme of our first panel. The global economy has been performing better than expected. But we have all been stress-testing our economies to an unsustainable degree: unilateral and unjustified trade tensions; man-made disruptions to global supply chains. All this, coupled with destructive trends that we have not been able - or willing - to contain: illegal and unjustified wars, like the Russian invasion of Ukraine; extreme weather events driven by climate change;  or high debt levels that are perpetuating inequalities.  We must put a stop to this.  In this first session I will focus on debt. Debt burden is stopping developing countries from investing in their own future. The Presidency has taken very positive steps forward by strengthening the Common Framework, or with its Declaration on Debt Sustainability.    We need to do more! Today 3.4 billion people live in countries that spend more on debt interest than on health or education. We must lower the high debt servicing costs that many developing countries face. And we need to enhance debt transparency by all actors.  We must start by maximising the impact of Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), as we are doing at the European Investment Bank. The EU has long played and will continue to play a leading role on Financing for Development, in line with the “Seville Commitment”. The EU and its members contribute 42% of global development aid. It is responsible for more than half of all restructured debt in the Paris Club.  Dear President Ramaposa, you have achieved important results in your G20 Presidency! I commend initiatives like the “Africa engagement framework”, and welcome the proposal to create an International Panel on Inequality where debt issues feature prominently.  Inequality is not a bug, it is a feature of the international financing system and it must be reversed.  We cannot do this on our own, we need other economic powers to live up to their responsibilities. Colleagues, this is not just the end of the first cycle of G20 presidencies, it is the beginning of a new cycle, of a new multipolar world, where the G20 becomes even more relevant. You can count on the EU to be here and to deliver.   Visit the website

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22/11/2025 14:35 | Press release | Leaders’ statement on Ukraine   This statement was adopted by President Costa, President von der Leyen, Prime Minister Carney, President Stubb, President Macron, Prime Minister Martin, Prime Minister Meloni, Prime Minister Takaichi, Prime Minister Schoof, Prime Minister Sánchez, Prime Minister Starmer, Chancellor Merz and Prime Minister Støre. We welcome the continued US efforts to bring peace to Ukraine. The initial draft of the 28-point plan includes important elements that will be essential for a just and lasting peace. We believe therefore that the draft is a basis which will require additional work. We are ready to engage in order to ensure that a future peace is sustainable. We are clear on the principle that borders must not be changed by force. We are also concerned by the proposed limitations on Ukraine’s armed forces, which would leave Ukraine vulnerable to future attack. We reiterate that the implementation of elements relating to the European Union and relating to NATO would need the consent of EU and NATO members respectively. We take this opportunity to underline the strength of our continued support to Ukraine. We will continue to coordinate closely with Ukraine and the US over the coming days.   Visit the website ● European Council   19/11/2025 16:44 | Press release | President Costa to travel to Africa, for the G20 and the EU-African Union summit   From 20 to 25 November 2025, the President of the European Council, António Costa, will travel to South Africa and Angola. He will attend the G20 summit in Johannesburg, on 22-23 November. He will then co-chair the 7th summit between the European Union and the African Union, in Luanda, on 24-25 November. G20  The G20 summit will take place in Africa on 22 and 23 November 2025. The summit will bring together leaders of G20 countries, as well as other invited countries, to discuss global challenges and priorities, primarily sustainable economic growth, development and financing. The EU will be represented by President Costa and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. “The global development agenda is at the forefront of this G20 summit. Sustainable development is one of our main priorities and we have long played a leading role in financing it. We now need deeper cooperation to achieve our common development objectives. Global challenges demand global solutions.” — António Costa, President of the European Council Discussions will be held in three sessions (‘Inclusive and sustainable economic growth leaving no one behind’, ‘A resilient world – the G20’s contribution’ and ‘A fair and just future for all’), focusing in particular on topics like financing for development, trade, international financial architecture, climate change, a just energy transition, critical materials, decent work and AI. Hosted by South Africa, whose motto during its G20 presidency is ‘Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability’, the summit marks the end of the first full cycle of G20 presidencies. In this context, leaders will also discuss cooperation and the way forward for the G20. Leaders’ meeting with President Ramaphosa Ahead of the G20 summit, President Costa and President von der Leyen will meet South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa at the South Africa–EU leaders meeting in Johannesburg on 20 November 2025. The three leaders will focus their discussions on bilateral topics, reviewing progress on the key political and economic outcomes agreed on at the 8th South Africa–EU Summit in March 2025. New trade and investment opportunities and cooperation on energy and critical raw materials will be high on the leaders’ agenda. Press opportunities Thursday 20 November, 16:35 (local time) Press conference by President Ramaphosa, President Costa and President von der Leyen following the South Africa–EU Leaders meeting in Johannesburg. Broadcast on EbS Friday 21 November, 11:30 (local time) Joint press conference by President Costa and President von der Leyen ahead of the G20 summit in Johannesburg. Broadcast on EbS About the G20 The G20 is an intergovernmental forum that connects the world's major economies. The G20 members are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Republic of Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, the United States, the African Union and the European Union. G20 summit, South Africa, 22-23 November 2025 European Union-African Union summit The seventh summit between the Heads of States and Governments of the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU) will take place in Luanda, Angola, marking 25 years of EU-AU partnership. The President of the European Council, António Costa and the President of Angola, João Lourenço will co-chair the discussions. The EU will also be represented by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, while the African Union will also be represented by H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chair of the African Union. “The challenges we face today - climate change, digital transformation, migration, security - know no borders. The response to this multipolar world must be multipolar cooperation. Europe and Africa are bound by a unique partnership — robust, dynamic and designed to meet our shared challenges head-on while unlocking new prosperity on both continents.” — António Costa, President of the European Council The main theme of the summit is ‘Promoting peace and prosperity through effective multilateralism’. Over the two days, leaders will discuss how to strengthen cooperation in key areas of cooperation: peace, security and governance multilateralism prosperity people - migration and mobility They are expected to adopt a joint statement at the end of the summit. Press opportunities Monday 24 November, +/-12:00 TBC (local time) Arrivals and doorstep remarks Broadcast on EbS Monday 24 November, +/-13:00 TBC (local time) Opening remarks Broadcast on EbS Tuesday 25 November, +/- 13:40 TBC (local time) Joint press conference by António Costa, Ursula von der Leyen, João Lourenço and Mahmoud Ali Youssouf Broadcast on EbS EU-Africa relations  As Europe’s closest neighbour, Africa is a key geopolitical priority for the European Union. The EU is Africa’s first trading partner, first investor, first partner in peace and security and first humanitarian donor. EU-AU summits take place in principle every three years and bring together heads of state or government to tackle common challenges and set shared goals. The summits are held alternately in Africa and Europe. The previous summit took place in February 2022 in Brussels. EU-Africa relations European Union-African Union summit, 24-25 November 2025   Visit the website

*Η Ομάδα των Είκοσι γνωστή ως η G20 ή και G-20, είναι ένα διεθνές φόρουμ για τις κυβερνήσεις και τους διοικητές των κεντρικών τραπεζών από τις 20 μεγάλες οικονομίες. Τα μέλη του περιλαμβάνουν 19 επιμέρους χώρες-Αργεντινή, Αυστραλία, Βραζιλία, Γαλλία, Γερμανία, Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες Αμερικής, Ηνωμένο Βασίλειο, Ιαπωνία, Ιταλία, Ινδία, Ινδονησία, Καναδάς, Κίνα, Μεξικό, Νότια Αφρική, Νότια Κορέα, τη Ρωσία, τη Σαουδική Αραβία, την Τουρκία, και την Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση (ΕΕ). Η ΕΕ εκπροσωπείται από την Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή και από την Ευρωπαϊκή Κεντρική Τράπεζα. Η G-20 ιδρύθηκε το 1999 με σκοπό τη μελέτη, την αναθεώρηση και την προώθηση συζήτησης υψηλού επιπέδου για θέματα πολιτικής που αφορούν την προώθηση της διεθνούς χρηματοπιστωτικής σταθερότητας. Επιδιώκει να αντιμετωπίσει ζητήματα που υπερβαίνει τις αρμοδιότητες του κάθε ενός οργανισμού. Συλλογικά, οι οικονομίες της G20 αντιπροσωπεύουν περίπου το 85% του ακαθάριστου προϊόντος παγκοσμίως (GWP), το 80% του παγκόσμιου εμπορίου (ή, εάν εξαιρεθεί το εσωτερικό εμπόριο της ΕΕ, 75%), και τα δύο τρίτα του παγκόσμιου πληθυσμού.[1] Οι αρχηγοί κρατών και κυβερνήσεων της G-20, έχουν συναντηθεί σε τακτά χρονικά διαστήματα σε συνόδους κορυφής από την πρώτη συνεδρίασή τους το 2008, και η ομάδα φιλοξενεί, επίσης, χωριστές συναντήσεις των υπουργών οικονομικών και των διοικητών των κεντρικών τραπεζών....

https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/G20