Forward look: 20 November – 3 December 2023
Overview of the main topics and events at the Council of EU and European Council for the coming fortnight.
Agriculture and Fisheries Council, 20 November 2023
Agriculture and fisheries ministers will hold their first discussion on the fishing opportunities for 2024 in the Atlantic and the North Sea, and in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Ministers will seek to approve a set of conclusions on a long-term vision for the EU’s rural areas and, among other topics, they will discuss the state of play of the proposal for a regulation on new genomic techniques.
Foreign Affairs Council (Development), 21 November 2023
The Foreign Affairs Council, in its development configuration, will be invited to exchange views on the Team Europe engagement in complex environments in Africa. Ministers will also hold a video conference to exchange with World Bank Group President Ajay Banga.
Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council, 23-24 November 2023
Ministers for education, youth, culture and sport will meet in Brussels to discuss digital education and skills, youth and mental health, and to reflect on ways to attract female talent to science and technology. They will focus on youth mainstreaming, including the role of young people in decision-making processes in the European Union, and on strengthening European values through education and training. They will also address topics such as improving working conditions for artists, supporting the cultural and creative dimension of videogames, as well as equality and safety in sport.
Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (Employment and social policy), 27-28 November 2023
Employment and social policy ministers will meet in Brussels to reach a general approach on the directive on the European disability card and the European parking card for persons with disabilities. Under the umbrella of 2024 European Semester, they will hold a policy debate on green collective bargaining. They will also discuss anti-racism and social investment in the EU. Ministers will also seek to approve conclusions, among others, on digitalisation in social security coordination.
Foreign Affairs Council (Trade), 27 November 2023
The Foreign Affairs Council (Trade) will discuss the preparations for the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference, the preparation for the signature of the interim trade agreement with Chile and the EU-US trade relations. Ongoing bilateral trade negotiations will be on the table during a working lunch.
Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (Health), 30 November 2023
EU ministers for health will meet in Brussels to discuss open strategic autonomy from a health perspective and they will seek to approve conclusions on mental health. The Spanish presidency will also update ministers on ongoing legislative files and their state of play, such as the regulation on EMA fees, the European Health Data Space regulation, the regulation on substances of human origin and the pharmaceutical package.
General Affairs Council (Cohesion), 30 November 2023
Ministers will exchange views on cohesion policy post-2027. They will also be invited to approve conclusions on the future of cohesion policy.
