Monday
21st Nov 2016
Ivan Korcok says Slovakia's EU presidency has achieved "tangible results" despite difficulties caused by Brexit and the US election. But no agreement on asylum reform is in sight.
The Mediterranean island will take the six-month EU presidency on 1 January, with migration and security as main priorities.
The Slovak EU presidency last week circulated a short paper among EU states on "effective solidarity". The concept will be discussed among ministers on Friday ahead of an EU summit in December.
After a "demanding marathon" of talks, member states and MEPs agreed a budget for next year they hope will provide a "buffer" against any shocks to the system.
Trade ministers send a discussion on the level of import duties back to diplomats, also admitting that TTIP talks with the US are "in the freezer".
EU finance ministers agreed on Tuesday on criteria to single out non EU tax havens but will publish a black list only next year.
The signing ceremony of Ceta highlighted tensions between EU officials and its critics, who can still derail the deal at a later stage.
Mobile operators will be able to charge each other for the use of data by their customers in Europe and to apply a surcharge when too many people use their network.
The French speaking region of Belgium refused to authorise the federal government to sign the Canada-EU trade deal, wanting guarantees of further negotiation to sooth concerns.
Plans to extend internal border controls in Austria, Denmark, and Germany after a mid-November deadline were met with scepticism by the EU commission.
EU states have agreed to grant visa-free travel, likely by the end of the year, to Georgian nationals, leaving Kosovo, Turkey and Ukraine in the queue.
EU states have agreed to fast-track ratification of the Paris climate change agreement, leaving thorny details for later.
The EU Council, its most powerful institution, is a “black hole” unto the general public, hampering efforts to regain trust, a leading NGO has said.
There will be no joint EU force and no EU military HQ for a long time to come, defence ministers’ talks in Bratislava on Tuesday indicated.
The Slovak PM, whose country holds the EU's presidency, said migrant quotas are now off the table and member states can refuse to take in refugees.
EU trade ministers said it was not realistic to finalise talks on the TTIP trade treaty before the end of the year. But they agreed to a similar deal with Canada and will take steps to have it ratified.
Environment ministers will try to agree this week to speed up the process to sign up to the Paris agreement. Otherwise it would not be present at the table of the signatories at a conference in November.
The EU 27 will gather in Bratislava mid-Spetember to give new momentum to the bloc after Brexit, but few concrete results expected as member states struggle to show unity.
Foreign ministers said the EU is ready to help with elections in Eastern Ukraine, while France and Germany are trying to bring back Russia to the negotiating table.
At a meeting in Bratislava, foreign ministers said they hoped to ease tensions and find a way to agree on visa liberalisation.
EU leaders must be frank and deal with even the most difficult issues when they meet in Bratislava in two weeks, EU Council chief Donald Tusk says.
The EU's eastern bloc wants Brussels to hand back powers to capitals, but also wants a European army, Merkel was told in Poland amid preparations for a post-Brexit summit.
EU institutions and member states should stop bashing each other in public and EU capitals should take back some powers, Slovakia has said after initial talks on how to react to Brexit.
The Brexit vote show that Europeans take the benefits of the EU for granted, Andrej Kiska said. He also said that Slovakia has a duty to help refugees.
Slovak PM Robert Fico faces a confidence vote in the full glare of the EU presidency spotlight amid suspicions that he covered up high level corruption.
Opening the Slovak presidency of the EU, prime minister Robert Fico stressed the need for the EU to reform, and urged better communication with its citizens on the EU's values and results.
One of the most vocally critical countries over the EU's response to the refugee crisis will now oversee the rotating EU presidency with a promise to reduce divisions on migration.
After Brexit, the EU should re-balance powers between EU institutions and member states, Slovak leaders said.
Slovakia's foreign minister calls for the EU to forge "a new kind of partnership" with Russia, a day before his country takes on the EU six-month presidency.
Malta and Estonia coud divide up the UK's six-month EU chairmanship, due next year, if Cameron's successor opts to not do it in the wake of Brexit.
