Monday

27th Mar 2023

Agenda

Mogherini to chair talks on Ukraine and Ebola this WEEK

European ministers of foreign affairs and defence will this week see how the European Union's new foreign policy chief's style differs from Catherine Ashton's.

While her predecessor Ashton is still representing the EU in nuclear talks with Iran, Federica Mogherini will make her debut as chairperson at the foreign affairs council on Monday (17 November).

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

A Ukraine debate will dominate the meeting, amid Nato concerns that Russia is preparing for a new offensive in east Ukraine.

Ministers will discuss whether to expand the EU’s blacklist or its economic sanctions over Russia and pro-Russia fighters’ recent violations of peace accords.

EU sources told EUobserver that the UK, Poland, Romania, Nordic countries, and Baltic states want to take action. But France, Germany, and Italy prefer to wait with any big decisions for the EU summit next month.

Mogherini will also debrief ministers on her recent trip to the Middle East, which came amid escalating violence in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.

The EU has time and again urged Israel to stop expanding settlements and to let more aid into Gaza, but its appeals keep falling on deaf ears.

Bosnia - which is mired in political infighting between ethnic factions - is the EU’s biggest headache in the Western Balkans. But Mogherini last week told MEPs she will also “touch upon” the corruption scandal in Eulex, the EU rule of law mission in Kosovo, during Monday’s Bosnia session.

On Ebola, the ministers will hear from two top EU officials - Christos Stylianides and Vytenis Andriukaitis - who recently visited the outbreak zone in West Africa, on what more Europe can do to help.

EU commissioner Stylianides, who is the bloc's ebola co-ordinator, will brief the European Parliament on Monday, a day after his return from Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leona.

The parliament on Monday will also receive the president of the European Central Bank (ECB) and the minister of foreign affairs of Ukraine.

ECB president Mario Draghi will speak to MEPs on the economic and monetary affairs committee, while Ukraine's Pavlo Klimkin is to meet with the committee on foreign affairs.

On Tuesday, Mogherini will continue her week by chairing a meeting with the EU's ministers of defence. They will discuss plans to jointly develop air-to-air refuelling capabilities, drones, satellite communications, and cyber defence.

They will also take stock of EU plans for joint procurement of military assets.

The joint capabilities and procurement schemes were agreed by EU leaders last December, but there has been little follow-up in practical terms.

EU ministers will also come together in another forum in Brussels, the general affairs council, on Tuesday and Wednesday. The meeting will cover a range of topics, from climate policy to improving the functioning of the EU.

One element seen as crucial to successful climate negotiations worldwide is the United Nations' Green Climate Fund.

The fund, which will help developing countries pay the costs of climate change and to reduce their carbon emissions, is in need of cash. On Thursday (20 November), Berlin will host a pledging conference to raise funds.

Elsewhere in Europe, the week begins with the results of the Romanian presidential elections.

Current prime minister Victor Ponta's chances to win on Sunday, are high. After exit polls on the evening of the vote, an official result can be expected on Monday.

The following Sunday voters in Tunisia will choose a new president.

Seven MEPs will travel to the north African country - the only one which came out of the Arab upheavals with a democracy - on Friday to monitor the electoral process.

Who is Federica Mogherini?

Italy's Federica Mogherini's will have to hit the ground running as EU's new foreign policy chief as the Russia conflict escalates.

EU summit zooms in on global roles This WEEK

Competitiveness is expected be on the top of the agenda of EU leaders after the EU Commission last week rolled out a series of proposals to boost the bloc's capacity in green tech.

Green acts and data flow in focus This WEEK

Economic ministers set to talk about the reform of the economic governance and even agree on conclusions. The EU Commission is also expected to come with several proposals on supporting the greening of the economy.

Post-Brexit and Nato drama This WEEK

We might see the end of the post-Brexit trade discussions if Rishi Sunak pushes ahead with the deal on Northern Ireland, and we are expected to see Hungary's parliament debating Finland and Sweden joining Nato this week.

Opinion

Biden's 'democracy summit' poses questions for EU identity

From the perspective of international relations, the EU is a rare bird indeed. Theoretically speaking it cannot even exist. The charter of the United Nations, which underlies the current system of global governance, distinguishes between states and organisations of states.

Editorial

Okay, alright, AI might be useful after all

Large Language Models could give the powers trained data-journalists wield, to regular boring journalists like me — who don't know how to use Python. And that makes me tremendously excited, to be honest.

Latest News

  1. Biden's 'democracy summit' poses questions for EU identity
  2. Finnish elections and Hungary's Nato vote in focus This WEEK
  3. EU's new critical raw materials act could be a recipe for conflict
  4. Okay, alright, AI might be useful after all
  5. Von der Leyen pledges to help return Ukrainian children
  6. EU leaders agree 1m artillery shells for Ukraine
  7. Polish abortion rights activist vows to appeal case
  8. How German business interests have shaped EU climate agenda

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic and Baltic ways to prevent gender-based violence
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Economic gender equality now! Nordic ways to close the pension gap
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Pushing back the push-back - Nordic solutions to online gender-based violence
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: The Nordics are ready to push for gender equality
  5. Promote UkraineInvitation to the National Demonstration in solidarity with Ukraine on 25.02.2023
  6. Azerbaijan Embassy9th Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council Ministerial Meeting and 1st Green Energy Advisory Council Ministerial Meeting

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us