Brussels, 29 January 2024
Presidency priorities
The Belgian presidency set out the priorities for its term of office.
In the context of the General Affairs Council, the presidency will focus on protecting democracy, strengthening the rule of law and promoting free and fair European elections. It will take forward the ongoing work on enlargement. It will also encourage reflections on the next Strategic Agenda as well as on the future of Europe.
The General Affairs Council will also continue to tackle a range of horizontal issues, such as the multiannual financial framework, crisis management, hybrid threats, as well as transparency and ethics. It will fully play its role in preparing the European Council and ensuring the EU’s unwavering support to Ukraine.
Our presidency comes at a time of increased challenges in Europe and beyond. Ahead of the European elections, we will work to ensure a seamless transition to the next institutional cycle and take forward discussions on our common future. We will also focus on safeguarding and strengthening our democracy and on promoting citizen engagement, in particular with regard to youth participation.
Hadja Lahbib, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium
Annual rule of law dialogue
As part of the annual rule of law dialogue, ministers held a country-specific discussion. The exchange of views focused on key developments in Spain, France, Croatia and Italy.
The country-specific discussions are part of the commitment to make the annual rule of law dialogue stronger and more structured, while fully respecting the principles of objectivity, non-discrimination and the equal treatment of all member states. The objective is to have a constructive and an open exchange of comments and best practices.
The Presidency conclusions of 12 December 2023 consolidated the approach to the Council’s annual rule of law dialogue followed since 2020 and highlighted member states’ commitment to this dialogue.
Rule of law is a fundamental value of the EU and a foundation of our cooperation. The annual rule of law dialogue offers a valuable opportunity to strengthen it through constructive exchanges among member states. The Belgian presidency is committed to promoting and reinforcing the rule of mechanisms we have in place. We will also put the spotlight on the rule of law at an informal meeting of European affairs ministers at the end of April, where the enlargement countries will also be invited.
Hadja Lahbib, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium
- 2023 Rule of law report (European Commission)
- Evaluation of the Council’s rule of law dialogue – Presidency conclusions (press release, 12 December 2023)
- Rule of law (background information)
Defence of democracy
The Council held a policy debate on the ‘Defence of democracy’ package, presented by the Commission on 12 December 2023.
The debate focused on the proposal for a directive on transparency of interest representation on behalf of third countries. Ministers expressed their support for the overall objective of the proposal to increase lobbying transparency and counter foreign interference. At the same time, they stressed the need to strike the right balance between countering foreign interference and protecting the freedom of expression and civic space.
Regarding issues for further consideration, several ministers raised questions about the proposed full harmonisation, which impacted existing national frameworks. There were also calls for broadening the scope of the rules. Ministers stressed the importance of proportionality and of carefully considering the impact of the proposed directive on civil society, ensuring its effectiveness, and avoiding red tape. They also mentioned the need for strong safeguards against abuse, for safeguarding the EU’s international credibility and for credible sanctions.
The discussion will guide the examination of the proposed directive in the Council at technical level.
Ministers also discussed what further measures could be taken at EU level to better protect democracies, strengthen the resilience of electoral processes and promote citizens’ participation in policymaking. They welcomed the presentation of recommendations by the Commission on these issues and highlighted in particular the challenge of disinformation and boosting voter participation at the upcoming European Parliament elections.
The Council also adopted without discussion the items on the lists of legislative and non-legislative A items.
Source – EU Council