COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,update

 

Press material Friday, 15 May 2026

● European Council   15/05/2026 11:04 | Press release | President Costa to travel to Guatemala and Mexico   The President of the European Council, António Costa, will travel to Mexico to represent the EU at the EU-Mexico summit in Mexico City on 22 May 2026. Ahead of the meeting, on 20 May, President Costa will pay an official visit to Guatemala.   The visits reflect the EU’s objective, as well as President Costa’s political priority, to build stronger relationships across the globe in the changing international environment in order to strengthen multilateralism and create shared prosperity, countering power politics with partnerships. EU-Mexico summit The President of the European Council, António Costa, together with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will represent the EU at the summit. The summit will reflect the renewed momentum in EU-Mexico relations with the signing of the EU-Mexico Modernised Global Agreement (MGA) and the Interim Agreement on Trade (ITA). The signing of both agreements was greenlighted by the EU member states on 11 May 2026. These agreements mark a major step in modernising the EU’s partnership with Mexico, replacing the current framework established in 2000 and reflecting the evolution of bilateral relations into a comprehensive strategic partnership. Together, they aim to strengthen political dialogue, deepen cooperation and boost sustainable trade and investment between the EU and Mexico. “The upcoming EU-Mexico summit marks a milestone in our relationship, ushering in a new era of deeper strategic cooperation. With the signing of the Modernised Global Agreement and the Interim Agreement on Trade we are opening a new chapter in our partnership, covering trade and investments, climate action, sustainable development and fight against organised crime.” —  António Costa, President of the European Council At a time of growing global instability and geopolitical volatility, the summit will also be an opportunity to advance cooperation on joint priorities and common challenges, as well as to discuss the latest geopolitical developments. Ahead of the summit, on 21 May, the President of the European Council will give a speech at the Mexican Senate (Senado de la República). President Costa is the first representative of the European Union institutions invited to address the High Chamber of the Mexican Congress. Press opportunities The 8th EU-Mexico summit will start at 10:30 local time [18:30 CEST] on Friday, 22 May 2026. It will be followed by a signature ceremony and a press conference at around 13:50 [21:50 CEST]. The event will be live-streamed. On 21 May, the speech at the Senate will take place around 10:30 local time [18:30 CEST]. Official visit to Guatemala Ahead of his visit to Mexico, on 20 May 2026, President António Costa will meet Bernardo Arévalo, President of Guatemala, in Guatemala City. This is the first ever visit by a President of the European Council to the country. The visit will reaffirm EU’s long-standing commitment to democracy and human rights in Guatemala as well as its continued engagement as a reliable trade partner and a trusted cooperation partner. Both presidents will explore the deepening of the bilateral cooperation on security and drugs, including through the EU-CELAC Coordination and Cooperation Mechanism on Drugs and relevant EU regional programmes. “Three years ago, the people of Guatemala chose firmly for democracy. The European Union strongly supported the peaceful transition of power to make sure that the will of the people was respected and we remained fully committed to supporting democracy and human rights in Guatemala - for stability, inclusion, and prosperity for its people.” — António Costa, President of the European Council Following an inspection of the guard of honour at the presidential palace (Palacio Nacional de la Cultura), the two presidents will hold a bilateral meeting to discuss common priorities and joint challenges.   They will then witness the signing of a series of documents that set out deliverables in areas of joint cooperation in fields such as the rule of law, cybersecurity, electoral integrity and the circular economy. Press opportunities The official visit will start at around 10:00 local time [18:00 CEST]. It will be followed by a press conference at around 12:00 local time [20:00 CEST]. The event will be live-streamed.   Read more