European Council

Place:        Justus Lipsius building, Brussels
Chair:        Gabriela Matečná, Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development of Slovakia

All times are approximate and subject to change

+/- 09.50
Doorstep by Minister Gabriela Matečná

+/- 10.00
Beginning of the meeting (Roundtable TV/Photo opportunity)
Adoption of the agenda
Adoption of legislative A items (public session)
Adoption of non-legislative A items

+/- 10.15
Deep-sea fishing opportunities

+/- 11.20
Any other business:
- Meeting of EU forest directors
- Animal welfare during transport
- EU animal welfare platform
- Conference on African swine fever
- Conference on lumpy skin disease

+/- 14.30
Any other business:
- Use of geographical indications on foods
- Endocrine disruptors
- Anti microbial resistance

+/- 16.00
Multiannual plan for demersal species in the North Sea (public session)

+/- 17.15
Any other business:
- Implementation of the landing obligation and the issue of fisheries choke
- Completion of EMFF action plans

+/- 18.20
Deep-sea final compromise

+/- 19.50
Press conference with Commissioner Vella (live streaming)

+/- 09.50
Doorstep by Minister Gabriela Matečná

+/- 10.00
Beginning of the meeting (Roundtable TV/Photo opportunity)
Report of the agricultural markets task force

+/- 11.30
Study on the impact of free trade agreements on agriculture
Any other business:
- Mercosur

+/- 13.00
Working lunch on the CAP post 2020

+/- 15.00
Research and Innovation in agriculture
Any other business:
- Meeting of the extended Visegrad group

+/- 17.00
Any other business:
- Organic production (public session)
- Meeting of the EU directors for wildlife management hunting

+/- 17.40
Press conference with Commissioner Hogan (live streaming)

Place:        Justus Lipsius building, Brussels
Chair(s):    Federica Mogherini, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

All times are approximate and subject to change

Before the Council (Sunday evening): Informal meeting on the way forward in the EU-US relations following the US elections
Media advisory on the informal meeting of EU Foreign ministers, (EEAS building)

from 08.30
Arrivals (live streaming)

+/- 09.15 (tbc)
Doorstep by High Representative Federica Mogherini

+/- 09.30
Beginning of Foreign Affairs Council meeting (Roundtable)
Adoption of the agenda
Approval of A Items

Turkey

Eastern Partnership

13.00
Working lunch - Southern Neighbourhood

+/- 14.00
Arrivals of Defence ministers

+/- 15.00
Joint meeting of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Ministers (Roundtable)

EU global strategy: Implementation plan on security and defence

+/- 18.00
Press conference (live streaming)

from 07.30
Arrivals

+/- 08.30
EDA Steering Board meeting (Roundtable)

+/- 10.00
Beginning of the Foreign Affairs Council - Defence  (Roundtable)

EU-NATO Cooperation

CSDP Operations

+/- 13.15
Press conference (live streaming)

We extend our sincere  congratulations on your election as the 45th President of the United States of America.

The strategic partnership between the European Union and the United States is rooted in our shared values of freedom, human rights, democracy and a belief in the market economy. Over the years, the European Union and the United States have worked together to ensure peace and prosperity for our citizens and for people around the world.

Today, it is more important than ever  to strengthen transatlantic relations. Only by cooperating closely can the EU and the US continue to make a difference when dealing with unprecedented challenges such as Da'esh, the threats to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, climate change and migration.

Fortunately, the EU - US strategic partnership is broad and deep: from our joint efforts  to enhance energy security and address climate change, through EU - US collaboration on facing threats to security in Europe's Eastern and Southern neighbourhoods, and to the negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership - we should spare no effort to ensure that the ties that bind us remain strong and durable.

We should consolidate the bridges we have been building across the Atlantic. Europeans trust that America, whose democratic ideals have always been a beacon of hope around the globe, will continue to invest in its partnerships with friends and allies, to help make our citizens and the people of the world more secure and more prosperous.

We would take this opportunity to invite you to visit Europe for an EU - US Summit at your earliest convenience. This conversation would allow for us to chart the course of our relations for the next four years.

On 8 November 2016, the Council and the European Parliament asked the Commission to draw up a compromise text to enable them to agree on the 2017 EU budget. At the first conciliation committee meeting on next year's EU budget the Council and the Parliament also got a better understanding of each other's position.

"It is now clear that there is a good chance of reaching a deal on the 2017 EU budget by the end of the conciliation period on 17 November - if the talks focus on what conciliation is about: agreeing a 2017 EU budget that addresses the migration crisis, reinforces security, boosts growth and creates jobs. Let's be pragmatic and use this window of opportunity", said Ivan Lesay, state secretary for finance of Slovakia and President of the Council.

The presidency also used the conciliation committee meeting to recall the position of the Council in this year's budget talks. From the Council's perspective it is important that the 2017 EU budget

• leaves sufficient margins under the expenditure ceilings of the multi-annual financial framework (MFF) for 2014-2020; this is to enable the EU to meet unforeseen needs
• is in line with actual payment needs; this is to ensure that member states don't have to provide unnecessary high contributions to the EU budget at a time when they have to consolidate their public finances
• respects the deal reached on the financing of the European fund for strategic investments; this is to leave sufficient leeway to allow the EU to meet unexpected needs for research and other future orientated expenditure
• reflects the EU's institutions commitment to reduce their staff by 5% by 2017; this is to underpin the EU's credibility by showing that it lives up to its promises

In its draft budget for 2017 the Commission proposed setting the total level of commitments at €157.66 billion and of payments at €134.90 billion.

The Council's position, adopted on 12 September, amounts to €156.38 billion in commitments and €133.79 billion in payments.

The Parliament asks for total commitments to be increased to €162.42 billion and total payments to €138.03 billion. This is at least €3.26 billion in commitments above the MFF ceilings.

As regards staff numbers, according to the methodology applied equally by the Commission to all institutions, the Council and the Commission will have reduced their establishment plan posts by 5.0% between 2013 and 2017; by contrast, the Parliament with its position adopted on 26 October took itself further away from achieving the agreed target by limiting the reduction of its staff to 2.3%.

The next meeting of the conciliation committee will take place on 16 November. An Ecofin/Budget Council will meet on the same day to provide the presidency guidance for the talks with the Parliament. If no deal is found by the end of the conciliation period on 17 November the Commission has to present a new draft budget for 2017. If no budget is adopted at the beginning of 2017 only one twelfth of the resources in the 2016 budget or of the amounts proposed by the Commission for 2017, whichever is smaller, can be spent each month.

The EU-Ukraine Summit will take place on 24 November 2016 in the Justus Lipsius building in Brussels. 

• If this is your first registration, please make sure you have a recent ID-size photograph in JPEG format (.jpg) and the number of your passport or identity card ready before starting the online process.
• You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt by email. Please read it carefully as it includes the list of original documents you will be asked to provide when collecting your badge. Depending on your profile, the requested document will include: Passport or ID card, press card and/or a letter from your editor-in chief as well as the signed original of your authorisation for security screening (only for media representatives of Belgian nationality or resident in Belgium). The press centre may contact you to request additional information if necessary. No accreditation badge will be issued if you cannot provide all required documents.
• Under certain conditions it is possible to organise a group registration/collection of badges for journalists working for the same media. Select group registration at the beginning of the accreditation process and follow the instructions.
• Trainees with media organisations who do not possess a press card are not entitled to request accreditation

Journalists holding a 6-month badge (30.06.2016 - 31.12.2016) do not need to register

6-month badges can be collected at the accreditation centre of the LEX building during summits. Please ensure that you have all the required documents when collecting your badge.

Accreditation badges must be collected in person from the LEX building (145 rue de la Loi, Brussels)  

• Thursday 24 November from 08.00 to the end of the press conference

For more details on the European Council meeting, see the meeting page.

On 8 November 2016, the Council agreed on the criteria and the process for the establishment of an EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions in taxation matters.

It adopted conclusions on:

• criteria for the screening of third country jurisdictions;
• guidelines on the process for selecting and screening jurisdictions.

Screening is due to be completed by September 2017, so that the Council can endorse the list of non-cooperative jurisdictions by the end of 2017. Screening is intended to be a continuous and regular process.

The Council's code of conduct group for business taxation will conduct and oversee the screening process, supported by the Council's secretariat. The Commission's services will assist the group in carrying out the necessary preparatory work for the screening process.

Work is also continuing on potential defensive measures at EU level, with a view to their endorsement by the Council by the end of next year. These could be considered for implementation in the tax as well as non-tax field.

"Today's agreement between all member states is an essential part of our joint EU strategy to combat global challenges such as tax base erosion and profit shifting. It proves that we are delivering on our drive to be a frontrunner in this field", said Peter Kažimír, Slovak minister for finance and president of the Council.

"This a first crucial step in the process that will take place throughout 2017", he added. "A dialogue will start with those countries that fail to comply with the criteria we have established, and only those jurisdictions refusing to cooperate and fulfil the criteria in due time will be placed on the so-called blacklist. Our primary goal is to incentivise, not to punish."

Ministers originally expressed support for the establishment of an EU list at an April 2016 informal meeting in Amsterdam, and the Council adopted conclusions on 25 May 2016.

1) The EU and its Member States are following the most recent developments in Turkey with grave concern.

2) Renewed considerations to introduce a bill to parliament to reinstate the death penalty; continued restrictions on the freedom of expression, including social media, with further closures of media outlets and arrest warrants against journalists, including the editor-in-chief of Cumhuriyet newspaper and several members of its staff; and most recently the arrest of the co-chairs of the country's second largest opposition party, HDP, as well as the detention of several of its Members of Parliament are extremely worrying developments which weaken the rule of law, the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and compromise parliamentary democracy in Turkey, while exacerbating tensions in the Southeast and further polarising Turkish society in general.

3) The EU and its Member States strongly condemn the terrorist attack in Diyarbakir and express their solidarity with the victims and their families. The EU and its Member States firmly believe that all violence and terrorist attacks must stop and arms must be laid down. The EU and its Member States stand by Turkey in its fight against terrorism.

Actions against PKK, listed by the EU and its Member States as a terrorist organisation, are legitimate, but must be in full respect of the basic principles of democracy, proportionality and respect for human rights.

4) A return to a credible political process and to a genuine political dialogue is essential for the country's democracy and stability in the region.

5) The EU and its Member States recall that the decision by the Turkish Parliament in May 2016 to permit the lifting of parliamentary immunity of a large number of Members of Parliament is a matter of serious concern. Immunity must apply to all on a non-discriminatory basis and decisions on lifting immunity must be based on the merits of each specific case, according to transparent criteria and not subject to any political considerations.

6) The EU and its Member States recall their condemnation of the 15 July coup attempt and, while recognising the need for Turkey to take proportionate action, call on Turkey to safeguard its parliamentary democracy, including the respect for human rights, the rule of law, fundamental freedoms and the right of everyone to a fair trial, also in conformity with its commitments as a candidate country. In this regard, the EU and its Member States will continue to follow and assess the situation very closely and they stand ready to continue political dialogue with Turkey at all levels, within the established framework.

The EU added 6 members of the Russian Federation State Dumaelected from the illegally annexed Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol to the list of persons subject to restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence.

The Russian Federation organised elections for the State Duma on 18 September 2016, including in the illegally annexed Crimea and Sevastopol. The EU has not recognised the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by the Russian Federation and therefore does not recognise the holding of elections in the Crimean peninsula.

In line with its non-recognition policy, the EU considers that the persons who became  members of the State Duma as a result of the elections in Crimea should be placed under sanctions. The Council therefore added the following six persons to the list of persons subject to sanctions: Ruslan Ismailovich Balbek, Konstantin Mikhailovich Bakharev, Dmitry Anatolievich Belik,  Andrei Dmitrievich Kozenko, Svetlana Borisovna Savchenko and Pavel Valentinovich Shperov.

These sanctions consist of an asset freeze and a travel ban which will now apply to a total of 152 persons and 37 entities. The measures were introduced in March 2014 and were last extended in September 2016 until 15 March 2017.

The legal acts, including the names of the persons and the statements of reasons for listing them, are available in the EU Official Journal of 9 November 2016.

Several EU measures are in place in response to the crisis in Ukraine including:

• economic sanctions targeting specific sectors of the  Russian economy, currently in place until 31 January 2017;
• restrictive measures in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol, limited to the territory of Crimea and Sevastopol, currently in place until 23 June 2017.

Good evening and welcome to the press conference of the November Eurogroup. 

We had a number of different topics, I will just take you through the main issues. We have spent quite some time on the banking sector in Europe, in particular the banking union. We welcomed Danièle Nouy, who is the chair of the ECB Supervisory Board, as you know, and we welcomed Elke König, who is the chair of the Single Resolution Board. They both gave us an update on their work, recent developments in the banking union and the key challenges and priorities for both institutions in the coming months. It was good to hear also from them that the sector, across the board, is in better shape than years ago. Of course there are legacy issues in a number of sectors and institutions which have to be addressed, which are being addressed, but which should not undermine the confidence in the system as a whole as it improves the quality of its standards. We have built a solid banking union framework, we have our rules and we'll use them as agreed and when and where necessary. And of course clear communication on the work going forward is essential. Overall, we commended both institutions for the excellent work that they have been doing so far and the efficient functioning of the banking union. We look forward to talking to them in the Eurogroup again at the beginning of the spring next year. 

Secondly, we got a debrief from the post-programme surveillance in Cyprus and Spain. Regarding Cyprus, we welcomed the positive reports on strong economic recovery, 2.5%-3% economic growth. Good work done by the Cypriot authorities, including in the financial sector. We also took note of the still very high stock of NPLs and the possible risk to the fiscal outlook. We trust that the Cypriot authorities will continue their vigorous efforts to tackle these issues and to keep up the structural reform effort. Under this item, the Eurogroup was also informed by the Cypriot minister about the state of play regarding the possible reunification of Cyprus, with particular attention to economic and financial issues, some of which are of course also relevant for us members of the euro area. We learned about the positive economic effects this process may have, but also realised that adequate and effective preparation, in view of the ground that remains to be covered, is very important. There is a lot of work ahead of us, if and when that process becomes successful in the coming months. We will come back to that topic in a timely manner. 

On Spain, we were briefly informed by the institutions on the outcome of the review mission to Spain, which was limited in scope. Of course we were pleased to learn that Spain has now again a new and effective government. We congratulated Luis de Guindos on his new term. The debrief from the institutions showed on-going strong economic recovery in Spain and stabilisation of the financial sector. We had some discussion on whether the on-going economic recovery was due to the fact that Spain did not have a government. Now it once again has a government. Nonetheless it was good news and we congratulated Luis de Guindos on that. Of course some challenges still remain, not the least with regard to the consolidation of public finances, but we will come back to that later. 

We also returned to the subject of national insolvency frameworks. We have had that discussion a couple of times in the Eurogroup. We got more information from the Commission on where countries stand, on what good experiences there are, what the key factors are. Progress on the front of national insolvency frameworks is crucial for the economic recovery and financial integration within the euro area. We also heard from Danièle Nouy, from the banking supervision, on this topic. They of course have a lot of insight on the practice of legal frameworks related to NPLs. We will return to the topic in the first half of next year, as soon as we have findings from ongoing Commission initiatives to improve data availability in this area, and the Commission will, already in the short term I believe, come forward with a legislative proposal so we can make more progress on this important topic for the Eurozone. 

Then Greece. We briefly took stock of the current situation. The second review is ongoing as you know, cooperation between institutions and the Greek authorities is reported to be fruitful. Progress is being made. Obviously it's in everyone's interest to finalise the second review as soon as possible. At the next meeting of the Eurogroup we will spend more time on Greece. This will be on the 5 December, when we will know more about the work the ESM is doing on the possible debt relief measures for the short term. We will hear more from the ongoing 2nd review to get more sense of some of the important reforms that are part of that. Labour market reform, social system reform, the fiscal trajectory for the coming years, particularly the next years budget and the 2018 budget. All of those works strands will come together at the beginning of December and we will spend some time on that. Of course, with a view on the IMF going to the board before the end of the year which, Poul Thomsen reconfirmed today at the meeting, is still their strong intention. 

We were also debriefed on the state of play on technical assistance to Greece, but I will leave that up to Pierre if he wishes to say more. It was a positive report and we are very grateful to the Commission and the staff of the Commission for all the work done in collaboration with member states. 

Finally, Commissioner Moscovici debriefed us on the ongoing process with the draft budgetary plans. The Commission's opinion will come out on the 16th I believe and then we will have that also on our agenda on the 5 December. We will make an early start in the morning. First we will spend time on the DBPs, then have a short break and in the afternoon continue with our regular meeting on a number of topics, one of which will be Greece as I have mentioned. 

The Council presidency, the European Central Bank and the European Commission met with European social partners on 7 November 2016 to discuss the investment plan for Europe with a focus on the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) and the third pillar of the plan, aimed at removing barriers that prevent investment.

In his opening statement, Peter Kažimír, minister for finance of Slovakia and president of the Council said: "The European economy continues its moderate but steady recovery. In order to strengthen growth, to create new jobs and safeguard sustainability in the long term, we need to boost both private and public investment. The Investment plan for Europe offers such an investment possibility. To fully utilize the potential of EFSI we have to improve additionality of projects, increase focus on equity financing and ensure greater geographical balance of projects. Our policy response should not stop here. Eliminating investment barriers is as important as anything else if we want to attract necessary private capital."

Commission vice-president Valdis Dombrovskis said: "Under the current circumstances, we need to deploy all policy tools - monetary, fiscal and structural - to improve Europe's economic prospects. A continuous dialogue and cooperation with the social partners are needed to get the balance right and maximise the impact of policies on the real economy, in order to boost growth and create new, particularly high-quality jobs."

Speaking on behalf of Europe's SMEs, the European Association of Craft, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (UEAPME) secretary general Peter Faross said: "Our latest figures on SMEs show modest growth and some increase in employment. However, SMEs are still reluctant to invest, which is due to low profitability, uncertainty and difficulties to finance innovation and investments. Therefore, the extension of the European investment plan comes at the right moment and we are not surprised about the high up-take of the SME finance window. A prolongation of EFSI is crucial to strengthen the current recovery by providing long-term and risk-taking financial instruments allowing SMEs to innovate and to invest".

Speaking on behalf of the Confederation of European Business, BusinessEurope, director general Markus J. Beyrer commented: "European business expects the EU's economic recovery to continue despite an increasingly challenging international environment. While growing EU consumer demand is helping to drive growth, more needs to be done to address barriers to global trade and falling global trade growth. Although investment is growing, much remains to be done to improve the EU's investment attractiveness in order to close the still significant investment gap compared to pre-crisis levels. So far, the UK's vote to leave the EU appears not to have damaged business confidence, but remains a long-term risk given the profound interconnectedness of the EU and UK economies. We need to maintain economic relations between the EU and the UK as close as possible, but this must not happen at the expense of the integrity of the single market. Cherry picking between the four single market freedoms is not an option."

Speaking on behalf of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), Veronica Nilsson, deputy general secretary underlined: "Over the last 40 years, workers have been expected to do more for less. In 26 out of 28 Member States, the share of wages as a proportion of GDP has been decreasing since the 1980s. Workers have had to become more competitive, more flexible and less protected. The result has been a financial, economic and social crisis because of over-financialised economies. Profits have recovered from the crisis but workers have not. Since 2009, Hungary, The Netherlands, Ireland, the UK, Italy, Romania, Denmark, Portugal, Finland and Austria are among the EU countries continuing to experience a gap between wage and productivity at the expense of wage earners. Now is the time for a wage increase for all workers in Europe."

Speaking on behalf of the CEEP, the European Centre of Employers and Enterprises providing Public Services, Valeria Ronzitti, general secretary said: "The European economy needs a strong impetus.  After years of crisis we finally see positive signs of stabilisation for our growth and on the employment front. However, this is not enough for us to face the challenges of changing societies, linked to globalisation, digitalisation, the modernisation of labour markets and demographic ageing. For CEEP, supporting a strong investment policy remains key: from the EU level with the strengthening of the EFSI and from the national level with new support measures for public and private investment to boost productivity and employment. To accomplish our common objectives, we must also address the paradox between fiscal consolidation processes and the relaunch of the economy. This implies undertaking an honest and non-ideological review of the stability and growth pact to leave space for new investments in our public infrastructures."

EFSI managing director Wilhelm Molterer said: “Continuing our work to support investments in the real economy remains essential if we aim at improving the economic outlook in the EU. The investment plan for Europe, and EFSI in particular, are delivering on their goal to boost investments for growth and jobs. EFSI is already expected to mobilize close to €140bn in new investments in all key sectors of the economy. The EIB independent evaluation confirmed that EFSI is well on track to meet its ambitious target and highlighted that in fact all three pillars of the Investment Plan for Europe are critical. To be a success, EFSI needs progress to be achieved especially on the plan's third pillar, which aims to address the remaining barriers to investment both at EU and member states level.”

The views cited in this text are those of the individual or organisation concerned and do not collectively constitute the point of view of the Council or the European Council.

EFTA economic and finance ministers and ECOFIN ministers held their annual meeting to discuss economic, financial and political items of common interest.  In the context of the moderate economic recovery in Europe, they focused their discussion on the appropriate policy strategy to strengthen economic growth and employment, with an emphasis on boosting subdued investments across the continent.

"We held a very useful exchange of views with our partners from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland about the current economic situation and investment environment in Europe. Well-functioning cooperation is vital for both sides in our quest to spur economic growth and boost investment activity, both private and public, in Europe."

Whilst recognising the EFTA countries' investments are close to pre-crisis level, all parties acknowledged the importance of policies aimed at boosting investment levels in Europe. In this area, structural reforms to enhance productivity and remove investment barriers, sound financial regulation aimed at channelling savings into investment projects and completion of the single market were emphasised by ministers. The EU's investment plan for Europe was seen as an important driver of such policy efforts.

The ministers also recognised the significant level of interdependence between the EU and EFTA economies. An economic downturn in one group of countries can have an immediate knock-on effect on other parts of Europe. The EU and EFTA therefore don't see each other as "third" countries, but as neighbours with the same important economic challenges and priorities. Brexit only provides more impetus to that agenda.

Place:        Justus Lipsius building, Brussels
Chair:        Peter Kažimír, Minister for finance of Slovakia

All times are approximate and subject to change.

from 07.30
Arrivals (live streaming)

+/- 08.15
Doorstep by Minister Kažimír

+/- 08.30
Ministerial dialogue with the EFTA countries (Roundtable)

+/- 09.30
Ministerial breakfast (Roundtable)

+/- 10.30
Beginning of the Council meeting
Adoption of the agenda

Approval of legislative A items (public session)

Building a fair, competitive and stable corporate tax system for the EU (public session)

Anti-Money Laundering Directive (public session)

Any other business - Current financial service legislative proposals (public session)

Approval of non-legislative A items

Statistics

ECA's annual report on the implementation of the EU budget for the financial year 2015

Implementation of the Banking Union

Packaged retail and insurance-based investment products (PRIIPs)

Criteria and process leading to the establishment of the EU list of non cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes

Any other business

At the end of the meeting
Press conference (live streaming)

Monday 7 November
15.00          Eurogroup

Tuesday 8 November 2016
08.30   Ministerial dialogue with the EFTA (European Free Trade Association) countries
09.30   Ministerial breakfast

European Council meeting will take place on 15-16 December 2016 in Justus Lipsius building in Brussels. 

• If this is your first registration, please make sure you have a recent ID-size photograph in JPEG format (.jpg) and the number of your passport or identity card ready before starting the online process.
• You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt by email. Please read it carefully as it includes the list of original documents you will be asked to provide when collecting your badge. Depending on your profile, the requested document will include: Passport or ID card, press card and/or a letter from your editor-in chief as well as the signed original of your authorisation for security screening (only for media representatives of Belgian nationality or resident in Belgium). The press centre may contact you to request additional information if necessary. No accreditation badge will be issued if you cannot provide all required documents.
• Under certain conditions it is possible to organise a group registration/collection of badges for journalists working for the same media. Select group registration at the beginning of the accreditation process and follow the instructions.
• Trainees with media organisations who do not possess a press card are not entitled to request accreditation

Journalists holding a 6-month badge (30.06.2016 - 31.12.2016) do not need to register

6-month badges can be collected at the accreditation centre of the LEX building during summits. Please ensure that you have all the required documents when collecting your badge.

Accreditation badges must be collected in person from the LEX building (145 rue de la Loi, Brussels)  

• Wednesday 14 December - 9.30 - 13.00 and 14.00 - 18.00
• Thursday 15 December - 8.30 - 20.00 
• Friday 16 December , from 08.00 to the end of the final press conference (latest 22.00) 

Practical information on the press centre and the media programme will follow.

For more details on the European Council meeting, see the meeting page.

Monday 7 November 2016
14.00 Meeting with President of the Eurogroup Jeroen Dijsselbloem

Tuesday 8 November 2016
15.00 Meeting with the Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bakir Izetbegović (photo opportunity)
16.30 Presentation of letters of credentials of ambassadors

Thursday 10 November 2016
10.30 Presentation of letters of credentials of ambassadors
13.45 Meeting with the President of Finland Sauli Niinistö (photo opportunity)

On 4 November 2016, the Permanent Representatives Committee endorsed, on behalf of the Council, a decision to provide €200 million in macro-financial assistance to Jordan.

The EU assistance will support the country's economic stabilisation and a substantive reform agenda, helping to cover its balance of payments needs. It will supplement resources provided by the IMF, which has been discussing with Jordan a new support programme.

Agreement was reached with the European Parliament at an informal meeting on 27 October 2016. The Parliament is now expected to approve the decision at first reading. The Council will then adopt the text, as agreed.

The assistance will be available for two and a half years. It will be provided in the form of loans, to be disbursed in two instalments. The loans will have a maximum average maturity of 15 years.

In the light of the challenges Jordan faces in hosting more than 1.3 million Syrian refugees, the Commission will, if appropriate, make a proposal in 2017 to extend and increase the financial assistance.

The assistance will be subject to a memorandum of understanding (MOU), to be agreed by Jordan with the Commission. The MOU will lay down economic policy and financial conditions, focusing on structural reforms and sound public finances. It will include a timeframe for the fulfilment of those conditions.

A precondition for granting the assistance will be that Jordan respects effective democratic mechanisms, including a multi-party parliamentary system. It must also respect the rule of law and guarantee respect for human rights.

The Commission and the European External Action Service will monitor the fulfilment of this precondition for the duration of the macro-financial assistance.

Prime Minister Trudeau, dear Justin. Let me first of all say what a great pleasure it is for me to welcome you in Brussels. This is arguably the most highly anticipated summit in recent memory, and you are a most precious guest. We had to overcome various obstacles, including a technical one with your plane, to make this summit happen.

But finally we can celebrate our strong friendship and Strategic Partnership. To me, Canada is the most European country outside of Europe, our strong ally, important partner and good friend.

That is why I am proud we have just signed two landmark agreements, the EU-Canada Strategic Partnership Agreement and the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, known as CETA. We would not have made it without the dedication and commitment of all parties, including yours, Justin and that of your trade minister, the fully devoted Chrystia Freeland. But also my colleagues in the EU, Belgian Prime Minister Michel, President Jean-Claude Juncker, Commissioner Malmström and President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz. It was not easy to get here, but as a Canadian proverb says, 'patience is a tree whose root is bitter, but its fruit is very sweet'.

These agreements reach far beyond the trade context. Today's decisions demonstrate that the disintegration of the Western community does not need to become a lasting trend. That we still possess enough strength and determination at least some of us - to counter the fatalism of the decay of our political world. In this particular moment in the EU's history, this positive sign means a great deal. And for this I would also like to thank our guests very much indeed.

The battle for CETA also showed how important impressions and emotions are in the modern world. It showed that facts and figures won't stand up for themselves alone. That post-factual reality and post-truth politics pose a great challenge on both sides of the Atlantic. Free trade and globalisation have protected hundreds of millions of people from poverty and hunger. The problem is that few people believe this. Free trade and globalisation protect humanity from total conflict, the problem is that few people understand this. The controversy around CETA has demonstrated that our first priority is to give people honest and convincing information about the real effects of free trade. That the alternative to free trade is isolationism and protectionism, a return to national egoisms, and as a result - the threat of violent conflict. We should be able to convince our citizens that free trade is in their interest, and not just big companies and corporations.

Today we also signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement. It provides a robust framework for expanding our cooperation in a wide range of areas including foreign policy, crisis management, security and defence, energy and climate, enhanced mobility and people-to-people exchanges. I welcome the decision by Canada to lift visa requirements for all Bulgarian and Romanian citizens in late 2017.

Last but not least, migration is a key topic where our cooperation with Canada is extremely important. Canada's responsible approach to sharing the burden sets an excellent example for others. Prime Minister, the EU warmly welcomes your government's efforts to resettle more than 33 000 Syrian refugees since you took office, as well as your financial support and participation in NATO's engagement in the Aegean.

To conclude, let me say that together we are strengthening our global cooperation, including in the G7 context. The challenges ahead are huge, and so we need to be united and tough. Thank you.

On 30 October 2016, Donald Tusk, President of the European Council,  Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, and  Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada met in Brussels for the 16th EU-Canada summit. They signed the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) and issued a joint declaration on the EU-Canada partnership.

On behalf of the European Council, I wish to convey my warm congratulations on your investiture for another term as Prime Minister of Spain. I trust that over the next years and under your leadership, Spain will benefit from the political stability and social cohesion that are necessary to respond to the challenges at hand. In order to do so effectively, we need to consolidate Europe's economic recovery, to implement a comprehensive and lasting solution to the migration crisis, and to provide appropriate responses to geopolitical challenges. 

The decisions that we take in the months to come, collectively and individually, will have an impact not only on the shape of our Union in the future, but also on our neighbours and partners abroad. 

I look forward to continuing to work closely with you at the European Council.

On 28 October 2016, the Council adopted by written procedure a package of decisions on the comprehensive economic and trade agreement with Canada (CETA), including:

• a decision on signature of the agreement
• a decision on the provisional application of the agreement
• a decision to request the consent of the European Parliament for theconclusion of the agreement

The representatives of the member states also adopted a joint interpretative instrument. This instrument, which is a joint  text with Canada, will provide a binding interpretation of CETA´s terms on specific issues. 

"I am delighted to confirm that the EU is ready to sign the comprehensive economic and trade agreement with Canada. It represents a milestone in the EU's trade policy and our commitment to it" said Robert Fico, Prime Minister of Slovakia, currently holding the EU Council presidency. "The CETA represents a modern and progressive deal, opening the door to new opportunities, while protecting important interests. Moreover, it has the potential to set the way forward for future trade deals." 

CETA will remove more than 99% of tariffs that are currently imposed on trade between the EU and Canada. It sets high standards for consumer, environmental and labour protection.

The agreement includes provisions on market access for goods, services, investment and government procurement, as well as on intellectual property rights, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, sustainable development, regulatory cooperation, mutual recognition, trade facilitation, cooperation on raw materials, dispute settlement and technical barriers to trade.

The negotiations with Canada were conducted on the basis of a mandate agreed by the Council in 2009. Following a Council decision in September 2011, talks on investment protection were also started within the CETA framework.

On 5 July 2016, the Commission proposed that the deal be signed and concluded as a "mixed" agreement. This means that on the EU side, it must be signed by both the EU and the member states, and ratified by all relevant national and regional parliaments.

The agreement will be applied on a provisional basis once the European Parliament has consented to its conclusion, pending ratification by all of the member states. Provisional application will concern essentially the provisions of EU exclusive competence.

The Council  has also adopted a decision on the signing and provisional application of a strategic partnership agreement between the EU and Canada. This agreement seeks to deepen political dialogue and cooperation between the EU and Canada and will strengthen relations in fields such as human rights, international peace and security, economic and sustainable development, justice, freedom and security.

On 27 October 2016, the Council added 10 persons to the list of those targeted by EU restrictive measures against the Syrian regime for being responsible for the violent repression against the civilian population in Syria, benefiting from or supporting the regime, and/or being associated with such persons. 

This decision follows the Council conclusions of 17 October 2016 and the European Council conclusions of 20-21 October 2016. 

The persons added to the list include high-ranking military officials and senior figures linked to the regime. This decision brings to 217 persons the total number of persons targeted by a travel ban and an asset freeze for the violent repression against the civilian population in Syria. 

In addition, 69 entities are targeted by an asset freeze. More broadly, sanctions currently in place against Syria include an oil embargo, restrictions on certain investments, a freeze of the assets of the Syrian central bank within the EU, export restrictions on equipment and technology that might be used for internal repression as well as on equipment and technology for the monitoring or interception of internet or telephone communications. These measures were last extended on 27 May 2016 and are in place until 1 June 2017.

The EU remains committed to finding a lasting solution to the conflict in Syria, as there is no military solution to the Syrian civil war. The EU is determined to save lives and continues its intense humanitarian diplomatic effort to deliver aid to Aleppo and wherever needed, and to evacuate the wounded.

The legal acts adopted by the Council, including the names of the persons concerned, are published in the Official Journal of 28 October 2016. The decision was adopted by written procedure.