Good morning, Today's main topic is Ukraine. We have President Zelenskyy here, and you already heard him. The situation is really grave. We need to support Ukraine also to get through the winter because the winter is going to be harsh. We do not see any signs from Russia that they want to stop this war, or they are into any kind of truce or peace, and that is why we really need to help Ukrai...
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COMPETITIVENESS 1. Recalling its previous conclusions of March and June 2026, the European Council addressed ongoing efforts to strengthen EU competitiveness in all its dimensions, including Europe’s prosperity and social model, and improve living standards in the challenging geoeconomic context. 2. The European Council reviewed the implementation of the ‘One Europe, One Market’ agenda in line...
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The second Summit between the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council, originally planned for 24 October 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has been postponed. A new date will be announced in due course. The partnership between the EU and the GCC is of great strategic importance to both regions. The EU remains committed to deepening this partnership and sustaining the momentum built since th...
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Indicative programme All times are approximate and subject to change +/- 14:30 Arrivals and doorsteps (live streaming) +/- 15:00 Beginning of the Tripartite Social Summit (roundtable) +/- 17:05 Family photo At the end of the meeting (+/- 17:15) - Press conference in the Justus Lipsius press room in live streaming. Videos and photos from the event      ...
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Today, the EU and Ukraine took another important step in the accession process by opening negotiations on the so-called ‘internal market’ and ‘competitiveness and inclusive growth’ clusters. The cluster on ‘internal market’ covers EU policies related to the free movement of goods, services, workers and capital, as well as common rules on competition, financial services, company law and consumer...
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The tenth meeting of the Accession Conference with Albania was held today in Luxembourg serving to provisionally close Chapter 20 on enterprise and industrial policy. View meeting page
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Good afternoon, everybody. We just concluded a very productive Foreign Affairs Council. First, we had a breakfast on Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference. Exposing disinformation is necessary. Disrupting the machinery behind is essential. The EU is taking concrete action. We have expanded our counter disinformation training to 65 countries. We have taken down dozens of websites and ...
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Disruptions to maritime routes—including in strategically vital waterways—have demonstrated the global consequences of disregard for these principles, including significant impacts on interntional trade, energy flows, supply chains, and food security. Introducing restrictions, conditions, discriminatory measures or other obstacles to lawful passage through straits used for international navigatio...
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The President of the European Council, António Costa, together with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will welcome Prime Minister Andy Burnham in Brussels on 20 November 2026 for the second EU-UK Summit. “The European Union and the United Kingdom are like-minded partners, united by common values and shared interests. Our security and prosperity are closely inte...
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It’s always a pleasure to be with you, here in this year’s European Week of Regions and Cities. Europe was built on a rich network of cities and regions that shaped our nations and, over time, our independent states, making the European Union a unique project, enriched by its diversity. In our Union, every level of governance has a vital role to play. As President of the European Council, I ...
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