The ambassadors of member states to the EU (Coreper) agreed the Council’s position on the 2024 EU draft budget. In total, the Council’s position for next year’s budget amounts to €187.008 billion in commitments and €141.167 billion in payments. Overall, the Council takes a prudent approach. The Council stresses the importance for the budget for 2024 […]
Council adopts new regulation on batteries and waste batteries
The Council adopted a new regulation that strengthens sustainability rules for batteries and waste batteries. The regulation will regulate the entire life cycle of batteries – from production to reuse and recycling – and ensure that they are safe, sustainable and competitive. The regulation of the European Parliament and the Council will apply to all batteries including […]
A stronger European defence industry: Council and European Parliament agree on new rules to boost common procurement
The Council has reached a provisional agreement with the European Parliament on the European defence industry reinforcement through common procurement act (EDIRPA). The regulation will incentivise EU member states to jointly procure weapons, thereby ensuring interoperability, economies of scale and – ultimately – a strong European defence industry. The Council and the EP agreed on an ambitious […]
EU adopts 11th package of sanctions against Russia for its continued illegal war against Ukraine
The eleventh package addresses the growing circumvention of EU sanctions. Measures include the strengthening of bilateral and multilateral cooperation with third countries to impede sanctions’ circumvention, a ban on the transit of goods and technology via Russia, and tighter export restrictions. Circumvention tool In order to address the growing circumvention of EU sanctions, the EU […]
Priorities of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union
Spain assumes the Presidency in the second half of 2023, from July 1 to December 31, in a period of great challenges for the Member States and the European Union as a whole. The Spanish Presidency has established four priorities for its semester. Reindustrialise the EU and ensure its open strategic autonomy The international openness […]
Council agrees stronger press freedom and free speech protection
EU member states have reached a common position (general approach) on a draft law which will protect journalists and human rights defenders against manifestly unfounded claims or abusive court proceedings. Such so-called strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) are an increasing phenomenon to silence people who speak out on issues of public interest. The draft […]
EU imposes sanctions against nine russian individuals for violations of human rights
The Council imposed restrictive measures against nine individuals, under the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, for sentencing the Russian opposition politician, democracy activist and outspoken Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza to 25 years in prison on politically motivated charges and false allegations. The EU strongly condemns the ruling and calls on Russia to immediately and unconditionally release Vladimir Kara-Murza and all […]
The Council adopted three Regulations aimed at implementing the solutions agreed jointly with the United Kingdom
The EU is continuing to put in place the Windsor Framework, which was politically agreed between the Commission and the UK government on 27 February 2023 to address, in a definitive manner, the challenges concerning Northern Ireland following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. The Council adopted three regulations aimed at implementing the joint solutions […]
European and World Day against the Death Penalty: Joint statement by the European Union and Council of Europe
European and World Day against the Death Penalty, 10 October 2022: Joint statement by the High Representative, on behalf of the European Union, and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe. On the occasion of the European and World Day against the Death Penalty, the European Union (EU) and the Council of Europe firmly […]