| 21/01/2026 09:55 | Speech | | | | | Me gustaría empezar por expresar mis más sinceras condolencias por las víctimas de los accidentes ferroviarios ocurridos en los últimos días en España. Todo mi apoyo para sus familiares y seres queridos. The debate we are having today in this house could not be more timely. Let’s face it: taken together, the geopolitical challenges Europe is facing sometimes seem daunting: - Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine;
- the international rules-based order being undermined;
- core alliances being questioned.
But the European Union will come out of this stronger, more resilient and more sovereign. For this to happen, our response must have three components: A Europe of principles.
A Europe of protection.
And a Europe of prosperity. All these three dimensions are being tested in the current moment of transatlantic relations. That is the reason why I decided to convene a meeting of European Leaders for tomorrow about transatlantic relations. Having listened to Member States in the run up to this meeting, I believe a few fundamental elements are broadly shared. First, we are united around the principles of international law, territorial integrity and national sovereignty. Second, we are united in full support and solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and with Greenland – only they, Denmark and Greenland, can decide on their future. Third, we recognize that there is a shared transatlantic interest in peace and security in the Arctic, notably working through NATO. Fourth, further tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations and are incompatible with the EU-US trade agreement. Fifth, we stand ready to defend ourselves, our Member States, our citizens, our companies, against any form of coercion. And the European Union has the power and the tools to do so. Sixth, we want to continue engaging constructively with the United States of course on all issues of common interest – and there are many, since we are partners and Allies and share a transatlantic community. I believe these are the principles that should guide the discussions between our Leaders tomorrow and our actions going forward. The first way for Europe to become stronger and more sovereign is to remain a firm champion of the international rules-based order, international law and multilateralism. We will always uphold the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter and defend human dignity and individual freedoms. We cannot accept that the law of the strongest prevails over the rights of the weakest. Because international rules are not optional. And alliances cannot just boil down to a sequence of transactions. We cannot accept violations of international law. Anywhere. Whether in Ukraine, Greenland, Latin America, Africa, or in Gaza. We cannot accept violations of human rights - whether in Iran, in Sudan, or in Afghanistan. In times like these principles matter more than ever. Because reliability is strength; and consistency is key. The second way for Europe to become stronger and more sovereign is by better protecting our citizens. In 2025, we focussed on the priority of the Europe of Defence and of accelerating our work towards European Defence Readiness. We have built the main building blocks. We are now working tirelessly to deliver: to invest better, coordinate more, improve efficiency, strengthen our European defence industry and deploy new financial instruments. But long-term security in Europe cannot be upheld through increased investment and cooperation in Defence alone. It must be achieved through a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. Because Ukraine’s security is Europe’s security. Our response has been clear since the first day of Russia’s war of aggression:To provide full support to Ukraine – financially, in terms of security, for reconstruction, and on its path to European Union membership. At the December European Council, recalling the commitment made in October to address Ukraine’s urgent financial needs for 2026–2027, Leaders took two historic decisions. First, we approved a €90 billion common European loan, backed by the EU’s budget, to cover Ukraine’s financial needs over the next two years. Second, Ukraine will begin repaying this loan only once Russia pays reparations. And until that time the Union reserves the right to make use of immobilised Russian assets to ensure repayment. So, on Ukraine, we committed and we delivered. Because in times of crisis, the European Union steps up, assumes its responsibilities, and acts decisively. The third way for Europe to become stronger and more sovereign is to prosper economically. Just as Leaders provided strong momentum to the Europe of Defence in 2025, we must do the same for Europe’s economy this year in 2026.Working hand in hand with the Commission and the European Parliament – to give a new impetus to Europe’s economic growth, innovation and resilience. We must deliver for our citizens. On quality jobs, wages and housing affordability. Because social cohesion and prosperity are two sides of the same coin – on their own, neither would be sustainable. That is why, on the 12th of February, I will convene a strategic brainstorming session of European Leaders. To discuss how best to harness the full potential of Europe’s Single Market in a new geoeconomic context. The European Union is a powerful Single Market. We need to deepen it, to complete it. How? By making it easier to bring businesses, services and investments across borders. By reducing red tape at all levels, while maintaining our policy ambitions. By combining affordable, secure and sustainable energy sources, in a truly integrated European energy market. By strengthening our digital sovereignty - defending our standards and regulatory independence against tech oligarchs – while protecting our children from deregulated and unconstrained social media. By promoting a Savings and Investment Union that channels savings into productive investments within the European Union. And through trade. Trade deals are global rulebooks; tariffs are taxes on citizens and companies. The European Union has built the most extensive network of trade agreements, covering 78 countries, and the Commission is making impressive progress in negotiations with countries like India, Australia, Thailand, Philippines and the United Arab Emirates, to name just a few. Just last weekend we signed the historic Mercosur Treaty, which will create the largest free trade zone in the world. A market of more than 700 million consumers in 31 countries. Its political and economic significance cannot be overstated, especially in the current context. This agreement has not only economic value, it has a decisively geopolitical significance right this moment. This agreement sends a powerful message to the world – Instead of tariffs, the European Union offers partnerships. Instead of spheres of influence, we are creating spheres of shared prosperity. The signing of the EU-Mercosur agreement followed more than two decades of negotiations. During this time all points of view, including those voiced in this house, were carefully listened to – and acted upon. For example, last month, significant additional measures and safeguards were put in place. I now look forward to working with you on the next steps, for which the role of the Parliament is essential. My message today is clear – only by combining Principles, Protection and Prosperity can we make Europe more sovereign, more resilient and stronger. Together with the European Parliament and the European Commission, we will keep delivering – for our citizens, for our collective strength, and for Europe’s place in the world. Thank you.
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| |  | Press serviceEuropean Parliament |
| | | | | | • | Greenland must not be used as a tool to divide the European Union | | • | EU global political influence does not reflect its economic power | | • | Enlargement a geostrategic investment in regional security and stability | | • | Parliament calls for increased and coordinated defence spending | | • | Call for unified EU response to US threats to Greenland’s sovereignty |
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| | The EU needs to strengthen its global partnerships and enhance its threat deterrence, MEPs say in their annual reports on the EU’s common foreign, security and defence policies. | In a resolution adopted on Wednesday, Parliament denounced the use of unilateral trade threats and economic intimidation against Denmark and other EU member states as a form of coercion.. Describing these moves as incompatible with international law and the core principles of cooperation between NATO allies, MEPs say that Greenland must not be used as a tool to divide the European Union. They call on the EU to respond firmly, collectively and decisively, and to resist any such coercive efforts. Parliament regrets the US government’s more transactional approach to foreign policy, marked by a reduced commitment to multilateralism and European security. The EU has to draw lessons from its vulnerabilities, MEPs say, and avoid being left in a position vulnerable to coercion in the future “An arc of instability” around Europe
From Ukraine to the Caucasus, and the Middle East to the Sahel, the Arctic and beyond, an arc of instability has formed around Europe, MEPs warn in their assessment of the EU’s common foreign and security policy (CFSP). The EU cannot afford to turn inwards and must remain open and engaged, they say, stressing that its global visibility and political influence often fall short of its economic, financial and diplomatic footprint. While supporting a diplomatic solution to the war in Ukraine, MEPs warn that any settlement imposed by Russia or that rewards Russian aggression would undermine European security. Russia’s aggression is destabilising the EU’s eastern neighbourhood severely, triggering spillover effects in the Western Balkans that threaten to slow down reforms and fuel anti-European narratives, say MEPs. EU enlargement is, they argue, a geostrategic investment in regional security and stability.
Strengthening EU’s global partnerships as strategic task Rapporteur David McAllister (EPP, Germany) said: “The EU’s broader strategic task lies in strengthening our global partnerships, enhancing our ability to deter threats, and ensuring that enlargement, neighbourhood policy and cooperation with like-minded democracies serve our long-term security. At the same time, the EU must increase its visibility, sharpen its external representation and ensure that its instruments – from sanctions to strategic communication and the Global Gateway – are used effectively and consistently.” The report was adopted by 392 votes in favour, 179 against and 83 abstentions.
EU member states must be ready to act autonomously in defence
In Parliament’s annual report on the EU’s common security and defence policy (CSDP), MEPs warn that Russia’s repeated aggressions have undermined Europe’s security order and exposed “the failure of related institutional and political processes”. They argue that only cooperation based on jointly agreed rules can safeguard against war and provide common security and call for a renewed European security architecture that strengthens EU cooperation with NATO. At the same time, Parliament says EU member states must also be ready to act autonomously on the basis of the European Union’s mutual assistance clause, Article 42(7) TEU.
US threats to Greenland’s sovereignty a major threat to EU strategic interests
Parliament also raises serious concerns about foreign interference in Greenland, including hybrid actions and explicit US threats to Greenland’s sovereignty, describing these as a major threat to EU strategic interests, the Atlantic alliance and the rules-based order. The text urges a unified EU response and supports the joint statement made by several EU member states on 6 January 2026 affirming that Greenland’s future can only be decided by Denmark and Greenland. It also expresses alarm at the December 2025 US National Security Strategy which, according to MEPs, “formalises a groundless US policy of considering the EU, including its fundamental values, democratic governance principles and several of its fundamental security objectives, opposed to US interests”. Recognising NATO’s vital role and the US as Europe’s key ally, Parliament also highlights the growing unpredictability and isolationism in US foreign policy, including the risk of troop withdrawals from Europe. It therefore calls for EU contingency planning, increased and coordinated defence spending in member states, stronger European defence capabilities, and greater strategic autonomy, while maintaining a balanced transatlantic partnership. The report was adopted by 395 votes in favour, 197 against and 70 abstentions. Quote "This legislature's CSDP report underlines that today’s circumstances leave no room for doubt: Europe needs a strong, autonomous and operational defence capacity. This means we must rise above short-term national interests, and not only complete a single market for defence, but also give real meaning to the EU’s mutual assistance clause. For nearly 20 years, the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy has largely existed only on paper - it is time to turn it into a reality. And today’s reality demands urgency, unity, and the willingness to act. Article 42.7 must become operational, not ceremonial. This is not about competing with NATO, but about ensuring that Europe can stand on its own feet and be a credible security actor – for its citizens and its partners alike. Beyond increased spending, strengthening our industrial base must go hand in hand with a renewed security doctrine, confidence, and strategic ambition that match today’s realities.” said rapporteur Thijs Reuten (S&D, Netherlands)after the vote. |
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| | | | | | Press release 21-01-2026 Plenary session INTA SEDE BUDG | | | |
| | | | On Wednesday, Parliament gave its green light to a decision by the Council to apply the enhanced cooperation procedure to provide Ukraine with a €90 billion support loan. | The EU support loan was agreed at the European Council summit in Brussels on 18 December 2025 and presented by the European Commission on 14 January 2026. As Czechia, Hungary and Slovakia have opted out from backing the loan, the agreement was taken under the enhanced cooperation procedure, a mechanism that allows willing EU member states to collaborate in specific areas. According to the treaties, the enhanced cooperation procedure requires the consent of the European Parliament.
The procedure was approved by 499 votes in favour, 135 against with 24 abstentions. On Tuesday, MEPs decided to fast-track their work on the loan and the accompanying proposals, which must now be agreed between Parliament and Council under the ordinary legislative procedure.
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Press release 21-01-2026 EUDS | | | |
| | | | The draft report outlining the findings and recommendations of the European Democracy Shield (EUDS) Special Committee was published today. | Commenting on the publication, Tomas Tobé (EPP, SE) issued the following statement: "The European Democracy Shield is an important step, but the Commission’s level of ambition does not yet match the scale of the threat we face. The EU’s democratic foundations are facing an increasingly sophisticated and coordinated threat landscape marked by foreign information manipulation, disinformation, and hybrid interference, which individual Member States cannot effectively counter alone. Defending democracy is a long-term strategic task that must be backed by political will and adequate resources. Therefore, my draft report calls for a concrete reform agenda, focused on operational capacity, accountability, and preparedness. The proposed European centre for democratic resilience represents an important initial step towards strengthening the EU’s institutional capacity to counter foreign information manipulation and interference. However, as proposed, the centre lacks sufficient operational detail, clear budgetary allocations, a defined governance structure, and a concrete mandate. To reduce fragmentation in the EU’s response, the centre should assume operational responsibility for relevant EU instruments currently managed elsewhere. Furthermore, greater clarity is needed regarding how the centre will support Member States in building operational capabilities. Protecting the integrity of elections should be at the core of what the Democracy Shield stands for. I propose: - strengthening the European Cooperation Network on Elections (ECNE);
- stepping up enforcement of existing digital legislation, particularly against election-related manipulation and systemic platform failures;
- classifying electoral infrastructure as critical infrastructure through a revision of the Resilience of Critical Entities Directive;
- taking additional measures to support the EU’s candidate countries in their respective electoral processes;
- integrating hybrid-threat preparedness into common security and defence policy (CSDP)_missions; and
- better calibrated sanctions.
We must also prioritise societal resilience through sustained support for independent media, civil society, and media literacy, while establishing stronger crisis preparedness to ensure democratic continuity under disruptive conditions, backed by adequate resources in the EU’s 2028–2034 long-term budget. My report was put together following months of deliberations and hearings with experts and stakeholders in our Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield. I am now looking forward to swift and constructive engagement across political groups to forge the necessary compromises and convert these proposals into a united parliamentary position that will match the urgency and scale of the threats we are facing. Only through timely cooperation and shared political responsibility can we deliver a credible and effective contribution to strengthening our Union’s democratic resilience." The draft proposal will be presented to the Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield on 29 January and will undergo amendments and further discussions by the political groups, before its final adoption in plenary. The draft report is available online. Background The report offers a comprehensive overview of the Special Committee’s main findings throughout its mandate and its assessment of existing and planned EU legislation and initiatives, including the Commission’s communication on the European Democracy Shield. It proposes tangible solutions to strengthen the EU’s resilience to hybrid threats and attacks, and to improve the Union’s legal and institutional framework for safeguarding democratic values.
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| | | | Rapporteur Andrey Novakov (EPP, BG) and shadow rapporteurs will brief journalists on the update of EU air passengers rights rules, shortly after the vote in plenary on Wednesday. |
On Wednesday at noon, MEPs will vote on Parliament’s response to the Council's June 2025 position on air passenger rights. They are expected to seek to ensure that passengers are sufficiently protected against travel disruption such as denied boarding and delayed or cancelled flights.
MEPs are planning to reject the EU Council’s push to weaken air passenger rights. They want to maintain air travellers’ right to be reimbursed or re-routed and to claim compensation if a flight is delayed by more than three hours, if it is cancelled, or if they are denied boarding (Council’s position is that compensation should apply only after a four-to-six-hour delay, depending on the flight distance).
They also want to push for the right to carry on board, at no additional cost, one personal item, such as a handbag, backpack or laptop, plus one small piece of hand luggage with maximum dimensions of 100 cm (combined length, width and height) and weighing no more than seven kilograms.
No fees for correcting passenger name spelling errors, for checking-in, or for children having seats next to their parents are several of the improvements for air travellers Parliament is to decide on Wednesday.
When: Wednesday 21 January 2026, 14.30 CET. Where: European Parliament in Strasbourg, Daphne Caruana Galizia press conference room (WEISS N -1/201). Who: Parliament’s rapporteur Andrey Novakov (EPP, BG), TRAN vice-chair Virginijus Sinkevičius (Greens, LT) and shadow rapporteurs Mateo Ricci (S&D, IT), Vilis Krištopans (PfE, LV), Kosma Złotowski (ECR, PL), Jan-Christoph Oetjen (Renew, DE), Vincent Marzà Ibáñez (Greens, ES), Arash Saeidi (The Left, FR). How: Accredited media representatives are invited to attend the press conference in person. In addition, journalists can join the press conference and ask questions remotely via the Interactio platform. When connecting, enter your name and the media organisation you are representing in the first name/last name fields. For better sound quality, use headphones and a microphone. Interpretation is only possible for interventions with video. Interpretation will be available into and from English, French, German, Spanish, Italian and Bulgarian. The press conference will also be webstreamed live on the Parliament’s Multimedia Centre website. You can follow it here.
Background Since Parliament made proposals on air passenger rights reform in 2014, the progress to update these rules has stalled for 11 years in Council. In June 2025, however, EU ministers reached a political agreement, opening the way for negotiations with Parliament. The interinstitutional talks started in October 2025, but the negotiations did not result in an agreement, forcing Parliament to proceed with the adoption of its second reading position. |
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| | | | Wednesday 21 January |
Outcome of December EU summit and need for a stronger Europe
In a joint debate from 9.00, MEPs will debate the outcome of the European Council meeting of 18 December and the need for a stronger and more sovereign Europe amid rising geopolitical tensions and continuous threats to the rules-based order. They will be joined by European Council President Antonio Costa and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The vote on a report on EU-US relations previously scheduled for today has been postponed until further notice. A press conference with the rapporteur, Michał Szczerba (EPP, PL), will take place at 14.00. A press conference on EU-US trade relations, with International Trade Committee chair Bernd Lange (S&D, DE), is scheduled for 16.00. Andreas KLEINER
(+32) 498 98 33 22
Estefania NARRILLOS
(+32) 498 98 39 85
@EuroParlPress
The legal basis for the Mercosur Agreements The EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement and Interim Trade Agreement were signed in Paraguay on 17 January. MEPs will vote at noon on two requests for opinions from the European Court of Justice on the agreements’ compatibility with the Treaties. Lieven COSIJN
(+32) 473 864 141
@EP Trade
Upholding air passengers’ rights. Following yesterday’s debate, MEPs will vote at noon on their second reading position on a legislative proposal on air passenger rights. In the face of national governments’ push to weaken these rights, Parliament is set to insist on preserving and enhancing the existing rights of air travellers. A press conference with the rapporteur and shadow rapporteurs will take place at 14.30. Gediminas VILKAS
(+32) 470 89 29 21
@EP_Transport
Celebrating 40 years of Spanish and Portuguese EU membership In a formal sitting at noon Felipe VI, King of Spain, and Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of the Republic of Portugal will address MEPs to mark the 40th anniversary of their countries’ accession to the EU. Spain and Portugal signed their accession treaties to join the European Communities on 12 June 1985 and their membership became effective on 1 January 1986. Estefania NARRILLOS
(+32) 498 98 39 85
Raquel LOPES
(+32) 477 99 14 95
@EuroParlPress
In brief India. Foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas will join MEPs at around 15.30 to discuss preparations for the EU-India summit due to take place on 27 January. Migration. This session’s topical debate, requested by the EPP, is on “Restoring control of migration: returns, visa policy and third-country cooperation”. It starts at 13.30. Henna Virkunnen will represent the European Commission. Human rights violations. >From around 19.00, MEPs and Commission Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu will be discussing the cases of: the presidential elections in Honduras, non-recognition of the outcome by the incumbent administration and attacks on opposition members of the National Assembly; Joseph Figueira Martin in the Central African Republic; and the conviction and imminent sentencing of Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong. MEPs will vote on the related resolutions tomorrow.
Votes At noon, MEPs will also vote, among others, on: - whether to give their consent to the enhanced cooperation of 24 member states to provide Ukraine with a €90 billion loan underwritten by EU borrowing; - Parliament’s 2025 annual reports on implementation of the common foreign and security policy and common security and defence policy; - the 2025 report on human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter; - an own-initiative report on addressing impunity through EU sanctions, including the EU global human rights sanctions regime (the “EU Magnitsky Act”); and - a recommendation to consent to the EU-Bosnia and Herzegovina Agreement on operational activities carried out by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Live coverage of the plenary session can be found on Parliament’s webstreaming site and on EbS+. For detailed information on the session, please also see our newsletter. Find more information regarding plenary. |
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| | | | | | Press release 21-01-2026 INTA | | | |
| | | | Bernd Lange, chair of Parliament’s International Trade Committee and standing rapporteur for the US, issued the following statement on the status of the EU-US trade deal. | Following a meeting of the committee’s shadow rapporteurs (i.e. political group representatives), Bernd Lange (S&D, DE) said: "The European Parliament has been working hard to define its position on the two Turnberry legislative proposals in order to be able to enter into negotiations with the Council and implement the EU’s commitments under the EU-US deal. The Turnberry Deal would have suspended tariffs on all US industrial goods and established a tariff-rate quota system for a large number of US agri-food products entering the EU. However, by threatening the territorial integrity and sovereignty of an EU member state and by using tariffs as a coercive instrument, the US is undermining the stability and predictability of EU-US trade relations. Today, the shadow rapporteurs of the International Trade Committee echoed the European Parliament’s unshakable commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Denmark and Greenland. Given the continued and escalating threats, including tariff threats, against Greenland and Denmark, and their European allies, we have been left with no alternative but to suspend work on the two Turnberry legislative proposals until the US decides to re-engage on a path of cooperation rather than confrontation, and before any further steps are taken." Press conference today at 16.00 A press conference on the subject with Mr Lange will take place on Wednesday 21 January at 16.00 in the Daphne Caruana Galizia press conference room (European Parliament, Strasbourg) and via Interactio. It can also be followed live on Parliament’s streaming website. Background In July 2025, the EU and the US reached a political agreement on tariff and trade issues (Turnberry Deal), outlined in detail in an August 2025 joint statement announcing an EU-US Framework Agreement. The Commission then published two legislative proposals aimed at implementing certain tariff aspects of the EU-US Framework Agreement. The International Trade Committee is responsible for steering the legislation through Parliament and for leading negotiations with the EU governments on the final shape of the customs duties on goods imports from the US. |
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| ● European Council | | | 21/01/2026 15:17 | Media advisory | | | | | The press briefing ahead of the fourth EU-India summit, New Delhi (India), 27 January 2026, will take place on Friday 23 January 2026 at 11.00. 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 in person at the Europa building press room or remotely. To attend the event remotely, please use the link below to register and have the possibility to ask questions. - Deadline for registration: Friday, 23 January 2026 at 10.00
Further instructions will be sent to all registered participants shortly after the deadline.
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| ● Council of the EU | | | 20/01/2026 12:46 | Meetings | | | | | The Cyprus presidency presented its work programme in the field of economic and financial affairs. As part of the European Semester 2026, the Council approved conclusions on the 2026 Alert Mechanism Report. Ministers also adopted a decision opening a new excessive deficit procedure (EDP) concerning Finland and a recommendation outlining the steps that Finland should follow to put an end to its excessive deficit.
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| ● Council of the EU | | | 20/01/2026 12:08 | Press release | | | | | The Council today opened an excessive deficit procedure (EDP) concerning Finland. It also adopted a recommendation to Finland outlining the net expenditure path and timeline that should be followed to put an end to its excessive deficit by 2028. The EDP mechanism is designed to ensure that EU member states return to or maintain discipline in their governments’ budgets. Procedures are launched when a member state runs a government deficit exceeding the Treaty reference value of 3% of GDP, in accordance with Article 126(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The Council’s decision to open an EDP today is warranted given Finland’s 4.4% budget deficit in 2024 and planned budget deficit of 4.3% in 2025. Finland’s use of the national escape clause for defence spending under the stability and growth pact, which allows member states to have an excess deficit of 1.5% without triggering an EDP, does not fully explain Finland’s deficit. In its recommendation, the Council stipulates that Finland should therefore take effective action and present by 30 April 2026 the necessary measures to reduce its deficit. Finland should also ensure that its nominal cumulative net expenditure growth rate does not exceed 2.5% in 2026, 4.1% in 2027 and 5.9% in 2028. BackgroundMember states must comply with budgetary discipline on the basis of criteria and reference values set in the EU Treaties: their deficit should not exceed 3% of their gross domestic product (GDP) and their debt should not exceed 60% of their GDP. All member states have to respect these Treaty reference values. If an excessive deficit occurs in a member state, the aim of the EDP is to prompt its correction by putting member states under enhanced scrutiny and providing recommendations for them to take effective action to correct the deficit. Ultimately, the goal is to strengthen member states’ fiscal sustainability. Once it launches an EDP based on a recommendation by the Commission, the Council also makes a recommendation to the member state concerned to take effective action to bring the situation of excessive deficit to an end within a set deadline. In its recommendation, the Council requests that the member state implements a corrective net expenditure path which ensures that the general government deficit is brought and maintained below the 3% of GDP reference value within the deadline set in the recommendation.
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| ● Council of the EU | | | 20/01/2026 10:51 | Press release | | | | | The Council today formally adopted a decision to provide a further €500 million in macro-financial assistance (MFA) to Jordan. The EU assistance will help bolster Jordan’s economic stability and support its ongoing reform agenda in the face of mounting internal and external challenges. It aims to support the restoration of a sustainable external financing situation for the country, thereby supporting its economic and social development. The assistance, provided in response to Jordan’s request for additional support in January 2025, will be available for two and a half years and provided in the form of long-term loans, disbursed in three instalments. The EU has provided Jordan with €1.08 billion under three previous MFA programmes since 2013. A fourth MFA programme, also worth €500 million, is currently underway and with a first instalment of €250 million disbursed on 17 September 2025. The funds continue to support key reforms in public finance management, social and labour policy, and governance. Further support under strict conditionsThe assistance agreed today is subject to a memorandum of understanding (MoU), to be agreed by Jordan with the Commission. Disbursement of instalments will be strictly linked to Jordan’s progress with the reforms outlined in that MoU. Jordan must also respect democratic mechanisms, the rule of law, and human rights throughout the programme's duration. The Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) will monitor the fulfilment of this precondition for the duration of this fifth MFA programme. BackgroundJordan continues to face high unemployment, chronic external deficits, and rising public debt which reached 90.4% of GDP in 2024. Regional instability in the Middle East has further strained Jordan’s public finances and trade balances. The EU and Jordan have been linked by an Association Agreement since 2002. In 2022, the two sides signed partnership priorities, which aim to strengthen cooperation further and to guide the partnership until 2027. An EU-Jordan strategic and comprehensive partnership was agreed in January 2025. This partnership is backed by a €3 billion financial and investment package for 2025-2027, including through MFA. The package focuses on supporting Jordan's stability amid extraordinary geopolitical challenges, on furthering political, economic and administrative modernisation, and on fostering economic resilience. The EU's support to Jordan therefore also assists the country in mitigating the impact of the war in Syria and the resulting large number of refugees as well as the impact of other regional conflicts, including the war in Gaza. MFA is a form of financial aid extended by the EU to partner countries experiencing a balance of payments crisis. It is available to enlargement and EU neighbourhood countries experiencing severe balance-of-payments problems. The implementation of the proposed operation is further complemented by EU bilateral cooperation under the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument - Global Europe (NDICI-GE).
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| ● European Council | | | 18/01/2026 21:02 | Statements and remarks | | | | | My consultations with member states on the latest tensions over Greenland reconfirm our strong commitment to the following: - Unity on the principles of international law, territorial integrity and national sovereignty;
- Unity in support of and solidarity with Denmark and Greenland;
- Recognition of the shared transatlantic interest in peace and security in the Arctic, notably working through NATO;
- Shared assessment that tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations and are incompatible with the EU-US trade agreement;
- Readiness to defend ourselves against any form of coercion;
- Readiness to continue engaging constructively with the US on all issues of common interest.
Given the significance of recent developments and in order to further coordinate, I have decided to convene an extraordinary meeting of the European Council in the coming days.
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| ● Council of the EU | | | 22/01/2026 10:08 | Meetings | | | | | The Council will begin with a public session, during which the Cyprus presidency will present its work programme for the first half of 2026. Ministers will then exchange views on amending the organic farming regulation and on the EU Bioeconomy Strategy. The latter will provide input for the draft Council conclusions on the new EU Bioeconomy Strategy, to be approved by the Environment Council.
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| ● Council of the EU | | | 22/01/2026 10:04 | Media advisory | | | | | The press briefing ahead of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council will take place on Friday, 23 January 2026 at 16.00. The "off the record" 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 at the Europa building press room. To attend the event remotely, please use the link below to register and have the possibility to ask questions. Those who already registered for previous press events of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council do not need to do it again. - Deadline for registration: Friday, 23 January at 15.00
Further instructions will be sent to all registered participants shortly after the deadline.
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