Forward look: 18 November – 1 December 2024
Agriculture and Fisheries Council, 18 November 2024
Based on information from the European Commission and member states, agriculture ministers will discuss the situation of agricultural markets and commodities, a recurring topic on the Council’s agenda. The Ukrainian Minister for Agrarian Policy and Food, Vitalii Koval, is expected to join the ministers prior to their discussion.
Furthermore, fisheries ministers will hold an initial exchange of views on the 2025 fishing opportunities in the Atlantic and the North Sea and in the Mediterranean and the Black Seas, based on a presentation by the Commission of its proposals.
Foreign Affairs Council, 18 November 2024
The Foreign Affairs Council will take place over two days and be chaired by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell.
On 18 November EU Foreign Affairs Ministers will discuss the Russian aggression against Ukraine, after a short intervention of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha via videoconference.
The Council will then exchange views on Georgia, and hold a lunch discussion on EU-US relations. In the afternoon the Foreign Affairs Council will discuss the situation in the Middle East and the Horn of Africa, and will be informed about current affairs.
Foreign Affairs Council (Defence), 19 November 2024
On 19 November EU Defence Ministers will hold a discussion on EU support to Ukraine, on which they will informally exchange with the Minister of Defence of Ukraine Rustem Umerov, the advisor to President Zelenskyy on Strategic Affairs Alexander Kamyshin, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. The Council will also exchange views on defence readiness and preparedness, and be informed about current affairs, notably about the EU Rapid Deployment Capacity and the PESCO Strategic Review.
The meeting will be followed by the European Defence Agency Steering Board.
General Affairs Council, 19 November 2024
Ministers will start preparations for the December European Council. They will also focus on the Council’s annual rule of law dialogue and the Article 7 procedure regarding Hungary.
Foreign Affairs Council (Trade), 21 November 2024
The Foreign Affairs Council, in its Trade configuration, will hold an exchange of views on the future of the EU’s trade policy, followed by a discussion on the state of play of the trade relations with the US.
The working lunch will focus on the World Trade Organization (WTO) reform.
Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council (Education and Youth), 25 November 2024
Ministers for youth and education will meet in Brussels on Monday 25 November, where they will seek to adopt a recommendation on attractive and sustainable careers in higher education. Other topics on the agenda include ‘glocal’ opportunities for young people living in rural and remote areas.
Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council (Culture and Sport), 26 November 2024
Ministers for culture and sport will meet in Brussels on Tuesday 26 November, where they will seek to approve conclusions on fostering the lasting legacy of major sporting events. They will also discuss the role of libraries in media literacy development.
Competitiveness Council (Internal market and industry), 28 November 2024
The Council will meet to approve Council conclusions on the future of European competitiveness, following the publication of the Draghi report “EU competitiveness: Looking ahead”. Ministers will also hold a debate on “better regulation on Europe”. The Council will start at 09:30 and finish at 15:30. All sessions except the legislative points (adoption of legislative A points and the AOB on the current legislative proposals) will not be public.
General Affairs Council (Cohesion), 28 November 2024
Ministers will discuss how to strengthen the key assets of cohesion policy and improve the shared management of cohesion funds. The Council will also be invited to approve conclusions on cohesion policy and demographic challenges in the EU.
Competitiveness Council (Research and Space), 29 November 2024
The second day of the Competitiveness council will be divided in two sessions.
The morning session (09:30 to 14:00) will gather the ministers responsible for research. They are expected to approve three sets of council conclusions: on strengthening the competitiveness and overcoming the fragmentation of the European Research Area; on a Europe-wide R&I initiative on natural resource management, food security and bioeconomy in Central and Eastern Europe; and on the Commission’s Communication on Advanced Materials. They will also hold a debate on the contribution of research and innovation to the competitiveness of the EU.
In the afternoon session (14:30 to 17:00), Space ministers will hold an exchange of views on the future of the Union space policy and approve two sets of Council conclusions: first on the mid-term assessment of the Space Programme, and the second on reinforcing European competences in the space sector.