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Agenda of the European Council, 20-21 March 2025 (updated)
20 March - 21 March
EU leaders are meeting in Brussels to discuss competitiveness and to follow up on the special European Council held on 6 March to address recent developments in Ukraine and the next steps on defence.
Our continued support to Ukraine, the need to invest in our defence and our competitiveness are closely interlinked.
European Council President António Costa, 14 March 2025
The next multiannual financial framework (MFF), migration, the latest developments in the Middle East, multilateralism and other global issues are also on the agenda.
António Guterres, UN Secretary-General, is invited to a working lunch.
A Euro Summit in inclusive format will be held in the margins of the meeting.
Special European Council, 6 March 2025
Competitiveness
Faced with multiple complex challenges, the EU needs to strengthen its competitiveness and enhance Europe’s open strategic autonomy and resilience to stay prosperous and maintain its global leadership.
In light of previous conclusions, including those from April 2024, the Budapest declaration on a new competitiveness deal, and the recent Commission proposals on the competitiveness compass, the clean industrial deal and simplification packages, the leaders’ debate on competitiveness will focus on three priority areas: simplification, energy and the savings and investment union.
In this context they will also discuss:
- industrial innovation, renewal and decarbonisation
- the creation, retention and recognition of skills
- the automotive, steel and metal sectors
Competitiveness compass (background information)
Energy (background information)
Ukraine
To achieve peace through strength, Ukraine must be in the strongest possible position before, during and after negotiations to end the war. In this context, EU leaders will take stock of recent developments.
In view of the negotiations for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace, the EU welcomes the joint statement by Ukraine and the United States, including the proposals for a ceasefire agreement, humanitarian efforts and the resumption of US intelligence sharing and security assistance. The EU is ready to play its full part in supporting the upcoming steps, together with Ukraine, the US and other partners.
Three years into Russia’s war, the EU remains steadfast in its solidarity with and support for Ukraine. To date, the EU has provided €138.2 billion to Ukraine, including €49.3 billion in military support. In terms of financial support, the EU will contribute €30.6 billion in 2025 to Ukraine, including funding from the Ukraine Facility and the G7 extraordinary revenue acceleration loan.
The best security guarantee we can provide is to strengthen Ukraine’s self-defence and to build a credible and robust Europe of Defence.
European Council President António Costa, 11 March 2025
Russia’s war against Ukraine (background information)
Solidarity with Ukraine (background information)
Ukraine Facility (background information)
EU military support for Ukraine
European defence
The EU is speeding up efforts to strengthen its defence readiness to deal with immediate and future challenges.
At the latest European Council meeting, leaders called for faster mobilisation of the necessary procedures and financing. They also identified a set of priority areas for action at EU level and in full coherence with NATO, including:
- air and missile defence
- artillery systems
- missiles and ammunition
- drones and anti-drone systems
- strategic enablers
- military mobility
- artificial intelligence, cyber and electronic warfare
EU leaders are expected to follow-up on this and to discuss the next steps following the presentation of the White Paper on the Future of European Defence.
Security and defence (background information
MFF 2028-2034
EU leaders will hold a first exchange of views on the next multiannual financial framework (MFF), the EU’s long-term budget, and new own resources, a form of revenue that helps to finance the EU’s expenditures.
In this regard, the leaders will address the main financial equation for the next MFF and ways to ensure that the budget has the necessary resources for the EU to achieve its goals. They will also discuss the role of new own resources, particularly in light of the future reimbursements of Next Generation EU.
Long-term budget explained (background information)
Middle East
EU leaders will address the situation and latest developments in the Middle East, notably in Gaza in light of the implementation of the ceasefire and hostage release agreement, and Syria.
The EU is deeply alarmed by the dramatic military escalation in the Middle East and the risk this represents for the entire region.
The EU is also fully committed to helping to de-escalate the situation and reduce tensions, and to continue to provide its need-based assistance to the people of the region, particularly to the most vulnerable, and to scale up its humanitarian engagement.
EU humanitarian support for Palestinians (background information)
Syria (background information)
EU position on the situation in the Middle East
Migration
Migration remains a key priority for the European Council. At the meeting, leaders will follow up on past conclusions and review progress on returns on the basis of the input from the President of the Commission in her letter.
Migration and asylum (background information)
Foreign policy
EU leaders will exchange views on multilateralism and oceans with UN Secretary-General António Guterres during a working lunch.
In the light of events, EU leaders may address specific foreign policy issues.
EU cooperation with the United Nations (background information)
Practical information
- Location: Brussels
Preparatory documents
Outcome documents
Press releases