This week, EU leaders come collectively in Brussels for his or her regular two-day summit on Thursday and Friday (21 and 22 March) to debate defence, enlargement, migration and overseas affairs.
On Thursday, the EU heads of state and authorities can have lunch with UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres who is predicted to satisfy with fee president Ursula von der Leyen the day earlier than.
With a whole bunch of hundreds of Gazans on the point of hunger, EU leaders are anticipated to name for an “instant humanitarian pause resulting in a sustainable cease-fire,” in accordance with draft conclusions seen by EUobserver.
The draft textual content additionally addresses the “catastrophic” humanitarian state of affairs, highlighting “the upcoming threat of famine” and the chance of regional escalation.
Leaders are additionally anticipated to induce Israel to chorus from its plans to invade Rafah in southern Gaza, the place about 1.5 million individuals are sheltering.
They may also condemn once more the Hamas assaults on 7 October, calling for the discharge of hostages.
Nonetheless, references within the textual content to UNRWA are tough for some member states which have withdrawn their funding in response to allegations that 12 employees members at UNRWA have been concerned within the 7 October terror assaults.
Forward of the European Council, ministers accountable for EU affairs will meet on Tuesday (19 March) in Brussels to debate draft conclusions of the European Council, the European Semester and the longer term inner reforms for enlargement.
Tuesday’s discussions among the many ministers will contact on “the semantics in terms of the qualification of a ceasefire,” an EU diplomat stated.
“A dialogue about the precise qualifiers of a ceasefire continues to be happening … minds have converged rather a lot, however it’s nonetheless controversial, the diplomat stated.
After greater than two years of struggle in Ukraine, EU leaders shall be calling to step up army help, both by means of the European Peace Facility or by means of bilateral offers between EU nations and Kyiv, which urgently wants air defence programs, ammunition and missiles.
EU nations agreed final week on the reform of the European Peace Facility, together with an injection of €5bn additional army assist.
Additionally final Friday, French president Emmanuel Macron, Germany’s Olaf Scholz and Poland’s Donald Tusk met in Berlin to debate EU help for Ukraine — after weeks of frictions, following Macron’s taboo-shattering phrases about sending Western troops to Ukraine.
“True solidarity with Ukraine? Much less phrases, extra ammunition”, Tusk stated on X, previously Twitter, final Friday forward of the assembly in Berlin.
As defence talks will give attention to the necessity to cut back the EU’s dependence on the US, giving consideration to the technique and funding programme unveiled by the fee, EU leaders are anticipated to decide to “considerably” growing defence expenditure and enhancing entry to finance.
Nonetheless, a divisive concern is whether or not to make use of windfall earnings from frozen Russian property — initially foreseen for Ukraine’s reconstruction — to collectively buy army gear for Ukraine.
Whereas Germany is now in favour of utilizing windfall earnings and frozen property to help Ukraine with arms and ammunition, a number of members stay reluctant to help the concept.
EU leaders are additionally anticipated to revise the difficulty of offshoring migration, following the deal agreed with Egypt on Sunday, farmers’ protests, Alexei Navalny’s dying, and the fee’s proposal of opening EU accession negotiation with Bosnia. Talks on financial system and competitiveness are to be left for the casual summit in April.
Russia, Belarus, Ukraine
Following final week’s approval of the so-called negotiating framework for Ukraine’s membership bid to the EU, there shall be a gathering on Wednesday (20 March) to debate additional cooperation.
The framework, which units the rules for enlargement negotiations, would require unanimous settlement amongst all 27 EU leaders. The Belgian presidency goals to achieve an settlement earlier than the June European elections however the textual content can nonetheless be subjected to diversifications by EU member states.
Elsewhere, EU overseas affairs ministers are assembly on Monday (18 March) to debate the Israeli-Gaza struggle, the newest developments in Belarus and Russia, in addition to the state of affairs in Armenia, the EU mission in Niger and gang violence in Haiti.
Ministers are anticipated to undertake the so-called Navalny sanctions, and focus on a “new Russia-specific human rights sanction regime” and the end result of the presidential election.
Whereas Hungary continues to be blocking EU sanctions on 12 violent Israeli settlers within the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution, a diplomat stated final week that “it is a residing concern” gaining momentum that is likely to be solved in time for the EU summit.
They may also maintain a videoconference with US secretary of state Antony Blinken and Ukraine’s overseas affairs minister Dmytro Kuleba.
On Tuesday, co-legislators will attempt to agree on the fee’s proposal to increase its duty-free commerce coverage with beleaguered Ukraine, which incorporates potential restrictions on sure imports and safeguard mechanisms, designed to deal with considerations from neighbouring nations.
Enlargement reforms
On Wednesday, the European Fee is predicted to stipulate the reforms the EU must undertake to enlarge to a bloc of greater than 30 states.
EU leaders beforehand agreed to undertake a roadmap for future enlargement reforms by this summer season.
Final yr, a bunch of German-French consultants proposed a listing of institutional reforms to make the EU prepared for enlargement by 2030 — together with ending unanimity voting within the council, securing the harmonisation of EU electoral legal guidelines and lowering the dimensions of the faculty of commissioners.
Additionally on Wednesday, MEPs on the overseas affairs committee will focus on EU-UK overseas coverage cooperation after Brexit.
On the identical day, lawmakers within the inner market committee will focus on the implementation of the Digital Service Act, with a give attention to enforcement.
A dialogue with the price range committee of the Ukrainian Parliament may also happen on Tuesday.
Additionally on Tuesday, MEPs within the overseas affairs committee will debate the best way ahead for EU enlargement with the overseas affairs ministers of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Slovenia, Denmark, Greece, Bulgaria, Croatia and Austria.
Plus, lawmakers within the surroundings committee can have an trade of views with EU local weather commissioner Wopke Hoekstra on the identical day.
In the meantime, EU overseas affairs chief Josep Borrell is predicted to ship a speech on the European Humanitarian Discussion board on Monday.