Brussels, 29 May 2022
EU leaders will meet on Monday 30 and Tuesday 31 May in Brussels, Belgium, for a Special European Council meeting. President of the European Council, Charles Michel, will chair the meeting which will start with an exchange of views with President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola.
During the two-day meeting, EU leaders will discuss:
- Ukraine
- energy
- food security
- defence
At the end of the meeting, a joint press conference by Presidents Michel and von der Leyen is foreseen.
Special meeting of the European Council, 30-31 May 2022:
Indicative agenda (local time)
Monday, 30 May 2022
15h00: Arrivals and doorsteps
16h00: Exchange of views with European Parliament President, Roberta Metsola. Working session of the European Council
19h00: Working dinner
TTBC: Exit doorsteps
Press conferences and public events by live streaming on Council live: http://video.consilium.europa.eu and on Europe by satellite: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/aboutebs
Europe by Satellite will be distributing the host broadcaster pool signals so that they are accessible by all, free of rights and free of charge at: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/aboutebs
Press office – General Secretariat of the Council
Rue de la Loi 175 – B-1048 BRUSSELS – Tel.: +32 (0)2 281 5150
press.president@consilium.europa.eu – www.consilium.europa.eu/press 1/3
Tuesday, 31 May 2022
9h00: Arrivals and doorsteps
10h00: Working session of the European Council
TTBC: Joint press conference by President Michel and President von der Leyen
More Information:
Ukraine
EU leaders will address the situation in Ukraine and discuss how to continue providing support to Ukraine with a view to addressing humanitarian, liquidity and reconstruction needs. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will join EU leaders via video link.
In response to Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against Ukraine, the EU has adopted several packages of sanctions against Russia, including unprecedented economic measures and individual sanctions (listing a significant number of persons and entities).
EU response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine (background information) Timeline – EU response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
EU restrictive measures in response to the crisis in Ukraine (background information)
Energy
At their informal meeting in Versailles (10-11 March 2022), EU leaders agreed to phase out dependency on Russian gas, oil and coal imports as soon as possible.
EU leaders will now discuss best ways to take this work forward, also considering the Commission’s REPowerEU plan and the need to accelerate the EU’s energy transition. EU leaders will also come back to the issue of energy prices.
Energy prices and security of supply (background information) Timeline-Energy prices
The Versailles Declaration, 10 and 11 March 2022
REPowerEU: A plan to rapidly reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels and fast forward the green transition (European Commission press release)
Food security
The Russian military aggression against Ukraine is having a dramatic effect on global food security (more than 20 million tons of grains are stuck in Ukraine). EU leaders will discuss concrete ways to help Ukraine export its agricultural production and coordinate multilateral initiatives.
In this context and given African countries’ vulnerability to food insecurity, African Union Chairperson Macky Sall will also join EU leaders via video link.
Feeding Europe – 60 years of common agricultural policy Common agricultural policy (CAP)
Defence
Following their meeting in March 2022 when EU leaders tasked the Commission to put forward an analysis of the defence investment gaps (in coordination with the European Defence Agency), the European Council will revert to this topic: EU leaders will focus on coordinating member states’ efforts to replenish stocks (especially in light of the support provided by member states to Ukraine) and build a European industrial base.
The European Council formally approved on 21 March 2022, the EU’s Strategic Compass aiming at enhancing its resilience and increasing its security and defence capacity.
A Strategic Compass for a stronger EU security and defence in the next decade Infographic – A Strategic Compass for the EU
Source – European Council: https://www.consilium.europa.eu//media/56405/special-euco-may-background-brief-final.pdf