Brussels, 23 May 2022
Conference on the Future of Europe
On 9 May 2022, at the closing ceremony of the Conference on the Future of Europe, the final report on the conference was delivered to the three co-presidents. The report presents 49 proposals broken down into 326 measures. It is the outcome of an unprecedented EU-wide exercise, which mobilised EU citizens very intensively over a period of one year through the organisation of European and national panels.
At the ceremony, the co-presidents reaffirmed, on behalf of each of their institutions, the commitment they had made collectively at the signing of the joint declaration in 2021 to follow up on the conference proposals.
It is now up to the Council to organise effectively its own follow-up work. With that in mind, ministers discussed the conclusions of the conference and the methodology to be used for following up on the proposals.
The Council could revert to this on 21 June (General Affairs Council), on the basis of a document to be produced by the General Secretariat of the Council analysing ways to implement the proposals.
The Conference on the Future of Europe was an innovative exercise of citizen participation. European affairs ministers had a fruitful discussion on how to follow up on the proposals of the conference participants.
Mikuláš Bek, Minister for European Affairs of Czechia
Conference on the Future of Europe
Report on the final outcome of the conference
Rule of law in Hungary
The Council held a hearing on the values of the Union in Hungary (Article 7(1) TEU procedure).
The hearing covered the issues raised by the European Parliament in its reasoned proposal of September 2018, which triggered this procedure. The exchanges focused in particular on the independence of the judiciary, the functioning of the constitutional and electoral system, freedom of expression and the fight against corruption.
Hungary had already been heard three times by the Council, on 16 September 2019, 10 December 2019 and 22 June 2021.
Special meeting of the European Council (30 and 31 May 2022)
The General Affairs Council prepared for the special meeting of the European Council on 30 and 31 May, at which EU leaders will discuss the following matters: Ukraine, defence, energy and food security.
European Council meeting (23 and 24 June 2022)
Ministers exchanged views on the annotated draft agenda for the European Council meeting on 23 and 24 June.
The Council also adopted without discussion the items included in the lists of legislative and non-legislative A items.
Council conclusions on the development of the European Union’s cyber posture
Today the Council approved conclusions on the development of the European Union’s cyber posture. The conclusions stem from the Strategic Compass, the EU’s action plan to strengthen its security and defence policy by 2030, which provides for the development of an EU cyber posture by enhancing the EU’s ability to prevent cyberattacks.
Cyber posture: Council approves conclusions (press release, 23 May 2022)
Public access to documents: 2021 report
The Council today approved its annual report on the implementation of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 on public access to documents. The report describes trends in requests for access to Council documents in 2021.
Public access to Council documents: 2021 report (press release, 23 May 2022)
Annual report on access to documents for 2021
Meeting information
Meeting n°3871
Brussels
23 May 2022
10:00
Preparatory documents
- Provisional agenda
- Provisional list of A items, non-legislative activities
- Provisional list of A items, non-legislative activities, addition 1
- Background brief
Outcome documents
Press releases
- Cyber posture: Council approves conclusions – 23 May 2022, 13:05
- Public access to Council documents: 2021 report – 23 May 2022, 13:00