COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,update

 

Press material Thursday, 27 March 2025

● Council of the EU   27/03/2025 18:55 | Press release | Belarus: EU lists further 25 individuals and 7 entities in the context of the so-called presidential election and for supporting the repressive regime of Lukashenka   The Council today decided to impose restrictive measures on an additional 25 individuals and 7 entities responsible of undermining democracy and the rule of law in Belarus, as well as contributing to the ongoing internal repression, human rights abuses as well as military cooperation with Russia in support of the war against Ukraine. The EU has listed the Central Election Commission (CEC) its deputy Chair and secretary, as well as its members. The CEC organised the 2025 presidential elections which were neither free nor fair, conducted in a climate of repression and human rights violations, and in breach of Belarus’ OSCE commitments. Aleh Ramanau, the Chair of the largest political party holding the majority of seats in the Belarusian parliament, was also listed.

COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,update

 

Library blog Thursday, 27 March 2025

● General Secretariat of the Council   Think Tank Review - March 2025   The German election results, how to defend Europe within the current fiscal framework, the EU’s digital sovereignty in the Trump era, cyber threats in the EU, the impact that US policies under Trump will have on Europe, defending Europe without the US, and Trump’s ambitious deportation goals are some of the topics dealt with in the March Think Tank Review.

COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,update

 

Library blog Wednesday, 26 March 2025

● General Secretariat of the Council   Reporting from the front row: Jan Werts – 50 years covering the European Council   Dutch journalist and academic Jan Werts has had a front-row seat to the European Council’s evolution since its inception. For 50 years he has followed its progress, reporting from almost every summit. As we mark the 50th anniversary of the first official meeting of the European Council in March 1975, the Council Library invited Jan to share his reflections on how it has changed over the years.

● Council of the EU

26/03/2025 14:47 | Media advisory | Media advisory - Environment Council of 27 March 2025   Indicative programme All times are approximate and subject to change

COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,update

 

Press material Tuesday, 25 March 2025

● Council of the EU   25/03/2025 17:03 | Media advisory | Press briefing - General Affairs Council (Cohesion) of 28 March 2025   The press briefing ahead of the General Affairs Council (Cohesion) will take place on Thursday, 27 March 2025 at 10.00 in the Europa building press room. This briefing will be "off the record". The press briefing will take place in a hybrid format: EU accredited journalists will

COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,update

 

Press material Monday, 24 March 2025

● Council of the EU   24/03/2025 12:36 | Press release | Council adopts financial benchmarks regulation to ease burden on SMEs   The Council adopted today a regulation on financial benchmarks with the aim of reducing red tape for EU companies, particularly SMEs. Benchmarks are widely used by companies and investors in the EU as references in their financial instruments or contracts. This legislation amends a regulation from 2016 regarding the scope of the rules for benchmarks, the use of benchmarks provided by administrators located in third countries, and certain reporting requirements. Main elements of the amended benchmarks regulation Reduced regulatory burden on administrators of benchmarks defined as non-significant in the EU by removing them from the scope of the legislation.

COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,update

 

Press material Friday, 21 March 2025

● European Council   21/03/2025 17:18 | Statements and remarks | Read-out of the online meeting between European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen with the leaders of Iceland, Norway, Türkiye and the United Kingdom   On Friday 21 March 2025, the President of the European Council, António Costa  and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, together with High Representative Kaja Kallas, had a video conference meeting with the Prime Minister of Iceland Kristrún Frostadóttir, the Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Støre, the President of Türkiy Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Keir Starmer.

COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION update

 

20/03/2025 23:38 | Statements and remarks | Remarks by President António Costa at the press conference following the European Council meeting of 20 March 2025   We have just concluded a productive European summit. We had very useful exchanges with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. And the President of the European Commission presented to the leaders, the White paper on defence. But today we focussed mainly on our economic agenda – because that is the basis of Europe’s prosperity, our citizens’ prosperity. All member states, without exception, agree that we need to accelerate our economic agenda. And that is what the European Council did today, by taking important decisions in three key areas: cutting unnecessary red tape; making energy more affordable for citizens and companies; and turning savings into productive investments. I want to thank Ursula von der Leyen and the European Commission’s work in all these areas in the run up to this European Council. That work provided an excellent, an indispensable basis for our decisions today. Today we agreed on clear targets, clear taskings and clear timelines. Through the reduction of bureaucracy by 25% for all companies and 35% for SMEs we will make it easier for all companies in our economic space. Through measures to reduce energy prices, we help companies to be more competitive. Through the integration of our financial markets, businesses and citizens will get the funding for innovative companies. Business as usual is not an option. Because, as of today, around €300 billion of EU families’ savings flow out of European Union markets each year. There are €300 billion that don’t fund businesses in the European Union.

COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,update

 

Meetings Thursday, 20 March 2025

● Council of the EU   20/03/2025 10:44 | Meetings | Agriculture and Fisheries Council, 24 March 2025   Background brief - Agriculture and Fisheries Council, 24 March 2025

● European Council

19/03/2025 18:27 | Meetings | Main results - Tripartite Social Summit, 19 March 2025   EU leaders and social partners met in Brussels for the Tripartite Social Summit. The main theme of the summit was ‘Bringing Europe back on track in a challenging geopolitical environment as an attractive, competitive and investment friendly location that protects and creates quality jobs’.   ● Council of the EU   19/03/2025 17:29 | Media advisory | Press briefing - Agriculture and Fisheries Council of 24 March 2025   The press briefing ahead of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council will take place on Friday, 21 March 2025 at 16.00.

COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,update

 

Press material Tuesday, 18 March 2025

● International ministerial meetings   18/03/2025 12:01 | Statements and remarks | Brussels IX Conference on “Standing with Syria: meeting the needs for a successful transition” - Joint Press Statement by the Co-chairs (High Representative Kallas and Commissioners Suica & Lahbib) and Foreign Minister H.E. Asaad Hasan Al-Shaibani of the Syrian transitional government   The Brussels IX Conference on “Standing with Syria: meeting the needs for a successful transition”, hosted and chaired by the European Union (EU) on 17 March 2025, gathered key regional and international partners together with the Syrian Arab Republic. Building on the ministerial meetings in Aqaba (14 December 2024), Riyadh (12 January 2025) and Paris (13 February 2025), the Co-Chairs and Syria’s Minister for Foreign Affairs reaffirmed their wish to work together to ensure the success of the post-Assad transition. The Co-chairs recalled the EU’s commitment to the enduring principles that have guided, since the first Brussels Conference in 2017, the EU’s efforts to support the Syrian people and their host communities in neighbouring countries, including ensuring respect for fundamental freedoms as well as international humanitarian law.

COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,update

 

Press material Monday, 17 March 2025

● Council of the EU   17/03/2025 15:24 | Press release | Democratic Republic of the Congo: EU lists further nine individuals and one entity   Today, the Council imposed restrictive measures on nine individuals and one entity responsible for acts that constitute serious human rights violations and abuses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), for sustaining the armed conflict, instability and insecurity in the DRC and exploiting the armed conflict through the illicit exploitation or trade of natural resources. These restrictive measures have been adopted in view of the escalation of the conflict in eastern DRC related to the renewed offensive of the March 23 Movement(M23) / Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC) supported by the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF).

COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,update

 

Press material Friday, 14 March 2025

● General Secretariat of the Council   14/03/2025 19:21 | Press release | Forward look: 17 - 30 March 2025   Overview of the main topics and events at the Council of EU and European Council for the coming fortnight. Foreign Affairs Council, 17 March 2025 Ministers will exchange views on Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, after a short intervention of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha via videoconference. They will then hold discussions on the situation in the Middle East, Iran and EU-US relations. They will be also informed about current affairs. Read more

EUROGROUP,COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,update

 

Press material Thursday, 13 March 2025

● European Council   13/03/2025 16:48 | Statements and remarks | EU - South Africa Summit Declaration   1. We, the Leaders of South Africa and the European Union, met today to re-affirm our unwavering support for our Strategic Partnership based on shared values of democracy, human rights, equality and sovereignty. 2. Our meeting took place against the backdrop of rising geopolitical and geo-economic competition and instability, heightened conflict, deepening inequality, increasing global economic uncertainty, and fragmentation, as well as climate emergency. In the face of this challenging political and socio-economic

Council of the EU: (CHANGE OF TIME) Press briefing - General Affairs Council of 18 March 2025

 

Press material Thursday, 13 March 2025

● Council of the EU   13/03/2025 12:31 | Media advisory | (CHANGE OF TIME) Press briefing - General Affairs Council of 18 March 2025   The press briefing ahead of the General Affairs Council will take place on Thursday, 13 March 2025 at 15.00, in the Europa building press room. 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 remotely or in person. Further instructions will be sent to all participants who already registered to this briefing.   Visit the website Contacts Dimosthenis Mammonas +32 477 61 20 77 / +32 2 281 2504

COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,EUROGROUP,update

 

Meetings Wednesday, 12 March 2025

● Council of the EU   12/03/2025 20:22 | Meetings | Main results - Competitiveness Council (Internal market and industry), 12 March 2025   Industry and internal market ministers exchanged views on four issues: competitiveness of European industry, the future of the single market, the simplification omnibuses and the EU industry in the context of carbon border adjustment mechanism.

● Council of the EU

12/03/2025 15:24 | Media advisory | Press briefing - Foreign Affairs Council of 17 March 2025   The press briefing ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council will take place on Friday, 14 March 2025 at 14.30.

COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,update

 

Press material Tuesday, 11 March 2025

● Council of the EU   11/03/2025 23:40 | Statements and remarks | Ukraine: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union following the Ukraine-U.S. meeting in Saudi Arabia   The European Union welcomes the joint statement by Ukraine and the United States following their meeting in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including the proposals for a ceasefire agreement, humanitarian efforts and the resumption of U.S. intelligence sharing and security assistance. The European Union is ready to play its full part in supporting the upcoming steps, together with Ukraine, the United States, and other partners.