European Council

Igor Matovič, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance for Slovakia, and Paschal Donohoe, President of the Eurogroup and Minister for Finance of Ireland, met in Bratislava (Slovakia) on 19 July 2022.

North Macedonia: The EU started the opening phase of the accession negotiations with North Macedonia.

Albania: The EU opened accession negotiations with Albania.

President Michel congratulated the authorities and the citizens of North Macedonia and Albania for the opening of accession talks with the EU in the context of the Intergovernmental Conferences in Brussels.

Weekly schedule of President Charles Michel 18 – 24 July 2022

Main agenda items, approximate timing, public sessions and press opportunities.

Zbyněk Stanjura, Minister for Finance of the Czech Republic and President of Economic and Financial Affairs Council, and Paschal Donohoe, President of the Eurogroup and Minister for Finance of Ireland met in Prague on Monday 18 July.

During Agriculture and Fisheries Council of 18 July 2022 in Brussels, ministers agreed on a set of conclusions for the further development of sustainable aquaculture in the EU.

The Council approved conclusions on an EU digital diplomacy to meet the challenge posed by new digital technologies

The Council approved conclusions on foreign information manipulation and interference.

The Council extended the mandates of the EU Special Representatives for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue, the Sahel, the Horn of Africa, and the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia.

The Council approved conclusions setting out the EU's priorities at the United Nations during the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (September 2022 – September 2023).

The Council renewed the EU terrorist list setting out persons, groups and entities subject to restrictive measures with a view to combating terrorism for a further six months.

The Council approves new rules for a fair and competitive digital sector through the Digital Markets Act.

The Council approved conclusions on the EU development aid targets for 2022 in the form of the twelfth annual report to the European Council.

The Council adopts a regulation temporarily liberalising trade with the Republic of Moldova.

The Council adopted an assistance measure worth €25 million under the European Peace Facility that will benefit the Nigerien Armed Forces.

President Charles Michel participated to the Mid-year coordination meeting of the African Union held in Lusaka, Zambia. In his speech, he highlighted how the EU-AU partnership is delivering in the fields of vaccine production, renewable energies and peace and security. He also insisted on the need for both Unions to cooperate to fight energy and food insecurity.

The President of the Eurogroup, Paschal Donohoe, will travel to the Czech Republic and Slovakia for meetings with his ministerial counterparts on 18 and 19 July, and onwards to London on 20 July.

The EU issued a declaration commemorating the eighth anniversary of the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17.