European Council

Weekly schedule of President António Costa, 01–05 January 2025

During the press conference held at the end of the European Council meeting of 19 December 2024, President António Costa presented the main results of the discussions. EU leaders adopted conclusions on Ukraine, the Middle East, and resilience, preparedness, crisis prevention and response capacities, amongst other topics.

On 19 December, the European Council adopted conclusions on Ukraine, the Middle East, EU in the world, resilience, preparedness, crisis prevention and response, migration and other items.

On 19 December, the European Council adopted conclusions on EU in the world, resilience, preparedness, crisis prevention and response, migration and other items.

On 19 December, the European Council adopted conclusions on Ukraine.

Before the start of the European Council meeting of 19 December 2024, European Council President António Costa and President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the press.

President of the European Council António Costa presented the main results of the discussions of the leaders during the EU-Western Balkans summit held in Brussels on 18 December 2024 and encouraged leaders to use the new momentum to the fullest to create all the conditions necessary for the progressive integration of the Western Balkans in the EU.

The EU-Western Balkans summit took place in Brussels on 18 December 2024. The Brussels declaration was agreed.

The Council adopts two regulations in response to recent climate-related natural disasters.

The Council formally adopted the regulation on the postponement of application of the EU deforestation law by one year.

Council adopts its negotiating position on the revision of the package travel directive.

The Council and Parliament today reached a provisional agreement to simplify certain reporting requirements in the field of financial services and investment support. The new regulation will reduce administrative burden for authorities in the financial sector, by simplifying existing rules on data sharing between the European Supervisory authorities (ESAs) and other financial sector authorities and by limiting new reporting requirements.

The Council has agreed its negotiating position on the Reform and Growth Facility for Moldova, a new instrument to support EU-related reforms and economic growth in the country.

The Council approved conclusions on EU enlargement.

Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the alignment of certain countries with Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/2698 of 14 October 2024 amending Decision (CFSP) 2023/1532 concerning restrictive measures in view of Iran’s military support to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and to armed groups and entities in the Middle East and the Red Sea region.

Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the alignment of certain third countries with Council Decision (CFSP) 2024/2894 of 18 November 2024 amending Decision (CFSP) 2023/1532 concerning restrictive measures in view of Iran’s military support to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and to armed groups and entities in the Middle East and the Red Sea region.

The Council adopted its position ('general approach') on a regulation on preventing the loss of plastic pellets.

The third meeting of the Accession Conference with Albania at ministerial level opened negotiations with Albania on Cluster 6: External relations.

The Council approved conclusions calling for cooperation of the Council, the Commission and member states in shaping EU’s investment protection policy.

The EU and the Gates Foundation will co-host the 2025 Gavi 6.0 Pledging Summit in Brussels, which will gather global leaders from governments, partner organizations, vaccine manufacturers, civil society, and the private sector to secure essential funding and investments for vaccination programmes.