Meeting Agenda

Over the course of this two-day summit in Brussels, EU leaders will discuss Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and continued EU support to Ukraine, as well as the economy,  security and defence, migration and external relations.
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• Invitation letter by President Charles Michel to the members of the European Council

• Background brief

Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine -->> Infographic - EU solidarity with Ukraine

The European Council will address the latest developments in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and continued EU support to Ukraine, including financial and military support.
Since the start of the war, the EU and its member states have made available over €77 billion to Ukraine and its people and have adopted an unprecedented set of restrictive measures against Russia.

The EU stands firmly with Ukraine and its people, and will continue to strongly support Ukraine’s economy, society, armed forces and future reconstruction.

• EU response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine (background information)
• EU solidarity with Ukraine (background information)

Economy

EU leaders will follow up on past conclusions on EU industrial policy, the single market and Europe’s long-term competitiveness and productivity.

At their meeting in March 2023, EU leaders discussed how to build a robust and future-proof economy that will secure long-term prosperity. In this context, they called for ambitious action to complete the single market, in particular for digital and services, and address the vulnerabilities exposed by recent crises.

The leaders will further address the economic situation in the EU, including in terms of how to strengthen economic security and resilience. They are expected to conclude the 2023 European Semester, a yearly exercise to coordinate economic, fiscal, employment and social policies in the EU.

• EU industrial policy (background information)
• The European Semester explained (background information)
• European Council, 23 March 2023

Security and defence -->> See full infographic - The Strategic Compass one year on: an assessment

The EU is committed to taking more responsibility for its security and increasing its capacity to act autonomously while acknowledging the transatlantic relationship and EU-NATO cooperation as key to our overall security.

In this regard, EU leaders will take stock of the progress made in terms of implementing past conclusions, including the Versailles Declaration, in which leaders outlined measures to bolster the EU’s defence capabilities and the Strategic Compass, which defines a coherent set of actions to help secure EU interests and protect European citizens.

Leaders are expected to give further guidance on the EU’s security and defence capacity, notably in terms of procurement, investment and production.

Ahead of the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius on 11-12 July, leaders will also discuss EU-NATO cooperation.

• EU cooperation on security and defence (background information)
• European defence industry procurement (background information)

Migration

The Council presidency and the European Commission will inform the European Council of its progress in implementing recent conclusions on migration. During the special European Council meeting in February 2023, EU leaders discussed migration in line with EU principles, values and fundamental rights, with a focus on:

• increased external action
• effective control of external borders
• internal aspects

• EU migration and asylum policy (background information)
• Special European Council, 9 February 2023

External relations

EU leaders will hold a strategic discussion on China.
They will also prepare the upcoming EU-CELAC summit in Brussels in July, which will bring together EU leaders and leaders from the regional bloc of Latin America and Caribbean states.

• EU-CELAC summit, 17-18 July 2023

The European Council may address other specific foreign policy issues in the light of current events.