Forward look: 18 – 31 March 2024
Foreign Affairs Council, 18 March 2024
At the beginning of the meeting, EU Foreign Affairs Ministers will hold an informal exchange of views via VTC with the United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The Council will then discuss Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, following an informal exchange of views with Ukraine’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba, who will join via VTC.
During a lunch discussion, the Council will exchange views on Belarus, followed by a roundtable on the situation in the Middle East and an exchange of views about current affairs.
The Council is expected to adopt conclusions on green diplomacy.
General Affairs Council, 19 March 2024
Ministers will continue preparations for the March European Council. They will also focus on the European Semester and exchange views on the future of Europe.
European Council, 21-22 March 2024
EU leaders will meet in Brussels to address Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East. The European Council will also focus on security and defence, including Europe’s need to increase its overall defence readiness.
Environment Council, 25 March 2024
EU environment ministers will hold policy debates on the proposed targeted revision of the waste framework directive and on the regulation on preventing pellet losses to reduce microplastic pollution.
Ministers will also exchange views on the recent communication issued by the European Commission on 6 February 2024 on the 2040 climate target. Under ‘other business’, the Commission will present its mid-term evaluation of the 8th environment action programme (EAP) and its recent communication on climate risks management.
Agriculture and Fisheries Council, 26 March 2024
The Agriculture and Fisheries Council will meet on Tuesday 26 March 2024. Based on information from the European Commission, agriculture ministers will exchange views on rapid and structural responses to the crisis situation in the agricultural sector. The discussion comes as a follow-up to the work carried out by the Commission following the Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting that took place on 26 February 2024.
Additionally, the Council will discuss the market situation, in particular following Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The Ukrainian Minister for Agrarian Policy and Food, Mykola Solskyi, is also expected to address the Council.
Other meetings
Tripartite Social Summit, 20 March 2024
EU-Ukraine Association Council, 20 March 2024
Euro Summit, 22 March 2024
Informal meeting of fisheries ministers, 24-25 March 2024