EUobserver's weekly agenda is back, just in time to close 'hard September' and open 'back-to-business October' — where Brussels swaps rentrée receptions for the usual crisis summits.
EU heads of state and government will be meeting in Copenhagen on Wednesday (1 October) for an informal discussion on Ukraine, Russia's frozen assets, common defence and Israel sanctions.
The high-level talks come amid concerns over Russia's recent airspace violations and drone incursions in Europe, including last week's sighting of drones near Copenhagen airport, which grounded all take-offs and landings for hours. The incidents have raised questions over the security of Europe's airspace and its readiness to handle security threats.
Discussions on Ukraine are also influenced by US president Donald Trump's recent shift in tone, saying Ukraine "can win all of Ukraine back in its original form". Polish PM Donald Tusk, though, has cautioned that this is more rhetorical pressure than a clear policy reversal.
"Behind this surprising optimism lies a promise of reduced US involvement and a shift of responsibility for ending the war to Europe. Better truth than illusions," the Polish leader said.
The EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas has also stated that there are "no signs" Russian president Vladimir Putin was interested in a negotiated peace absent Ukrainian capitulation — a stance echoed by other Western nations, such as the UK.
And with winter coming and Russia being expected to ramp up attacks on the country's power grid, energy security is a major concern, alongside Ukraine's budget and war economy remaining under pressure.
Meanwhile, a debate on EU plans to use frozen Russian assets held in the EU as a "reparation loan" to Ukraine will also be on the table, as the mood in the room is changing, with Germany now supporting the idea. Other countries, such as Belgium, remain sceptical.
The so-called 'informal EUCO' will take place ahead of the European Political Community summit — an also informal meeting, which brings together leaders from across the continent, including the Western Balkans, Turkey, the UK, Ukraine, and Moldova.
By that time, Moldova will be facing the aftermath of its parliamentary elections, which are expected to have consequences beyond the former Soviet country.
A press conference by German centre-right MEP Michael Gahler, the head of the European Parliament delegation observing parliamentary elections in Moldova, will take place on Monday (29 September).
Also on Monday, EU ministers will discuss the €410bn European Competitiveness Fund, one of the main chunks of the €2 trillion EU budget running from 2028 to 2034.
The 27 ministers will also be briefed by EU commission vice-president Stéphane Séjourné on the annual progress report on simplification
Afterwards, Italian PM Enrico Letta, who authored a report on the structural issues of the single market, will join the ministers for a discussion.
"The easiest and most effective step [for simplification] is to phase out directives and move exclusively to regulations ... The level of simplification this would bring is enormous because it addresses both the number of rules coming from Brussels and the inconsistency in how these rules are applied across member states," Letta told my colleague Wester van Gaal in February.
The EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy, the EU's plan to help startups grow larger, will be the topic of discussion on Tuesday (30 September), when they will also have a first exchange of views on the next EU's research programme, Horizon, worth €175bn.
Also on Tuesday, the European Commission is expected to present a package of proposals to create new financial products that encourage people and institutions to invest their money in ways that can support businesses, startups, and economic growth.
Europe has money, but not enough of it is being invested in businesses as equity to help them expand, innovate, and compete globally with other countries like China or the US. This package aims to partially fix that gap.
This week, the executive board of the European football body UEFA is also reportedly set to make a decision on whether Israel will be suspended from European competition over the atrocities in Gaza. However, Israel may still be allowed to play in World Cup qualifiers, which are run by FIFA.
German Unity Day celebrations will take place on Friday (3 October), marking the anniversary of Germany’s reunification in 1990.
Elena is EUobserver's editor-in-chief. She is from Spain and has studied journalism and new media in Spanish and Belgian universities. Previously she worked on European affairs at VoteWatch Europe and the Spanish news agency EFE.
Elena is EUobserver's editor-in-chief. She is from Spain and has studied journalism and new media in Spanish and Belgian universities. Previously she worked on European affairs at VoteWatch Europe and the Spanish news agency EFE.