The EU Foreign Affairs Council is meeting on Monday in Luxembourg where foreign affairs and defense ministers will discuss security and defence cooperation in the EU.
The ministers will discuss the permanent structured cooperation (PESCO) military mobility, the initiatives proposed in the framework of the future multiannual financial framework, namely the European Defence Fund and the European peace facility and the fight against hybrid threats.
The Council will adopt conclusions on security and defense. Foreign ministers and defense ministers will exchange views on EU-NATO cooperation with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. Ministers may refer to progress achieved on cooperation on military mobility.
The Environment Council is also scheduled to meet in Luxembourg on Monday. Ministers will adopt conclusions on delivering the EU action plan for the circular economy.
The Council will hold a policy debate on the regulation on CO2 standards for cars and vans. Environment ministers will hold a policy debate on the drinking water directive.
The Commission will inform ministers on the need for EU action on pollinators, given the dramatic decline in the occurrence and diversity of honeybees and of many European wild insect pollinators including wild bees, hoverflies, butterflies and moths. Numerous pollinator species are extinct or threatened with extinction.
On Tuesday, the General Affairs Council will gather in Luxembourg. The Commission's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, will inform the Council, meeting in an EU 27 format, about the Brexit talks with the U.K.
The ministers will discuss the state of play of the negotiations, focusing on completion of work on withdrawal issues, issues related to the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland and discussions on the framework for the future relationship with the U.K.
Ministers will prepare the meeting of the EU27 heads of state or government on Friday by discussing the draft EC (Article 50) conclusions to be adopted at the summit. Leaders are expected to take stock of the progress made so far in the negotiations.
The Council will discuss the 2018 enlargement package presented by the Commission in April. Ministers will continue preparations for the EC on June 28 and 29 by examining draft conclusions.
The Council will also hold a hearing under Article 7(1)of the Treaty on Europen Union on the rule of law in Poland. Ministers will exchange views on the proposals for the multiannual financial framework (MFF) for the years 2021 to 2027.
The European Council will meet on Thurday and Friday in Brussels. The Council will focus on migration, security and defense, as well as economic and financial affairs. EU leaders will also address Brexit (in an EU 27 format) and eurozone (Euro Summit format). Leaders are expected to discuss the internal and external dimensions of migration policy, including the reform of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS).
EU leaders are expected to adopt conclusions on several issues recently debated under the Leaders' Agenda, such as taxation, innovation and digital. The European Council will also endorse the country-specific recommendations under the 2018 European Semester and discuss the future handling of the (MFF) including a timeline. Trade is also expected to be on the agenda.
In terms of security and defense, leaders are expected to discuss EU-NATO cooperation ahead of the NATO summit in July and provide orientations for further work, in particular on PESCO.
The European Council should also address military mobility, the European Defence Fund, the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP) and Civilian Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). The European Council (Art. 50), in an EU 27 format, will review the state of play of Brexit negotiations and adopt conclusions on progress made.
Finally, the Euro summit will in an inclusive format (EU27) discuss the reform of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). The Euro Summit in inclusive format of 27 EU member states is expected to take decisions and provide guidance on the way forward on EMU deepening.
They will discuss the completion of the banking union (indicators measuring progress in risk reduction and the roadmap for risk reduction and risk sharing) and the future role of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) (the review of the ESM instruments, the role of the ESM in programs, debt sustainability, the common backstop to the single resolution fund). Ministers will also discuss fiscal issues, including a possible central stabilization function.
