Forward look: 2 – 15 February 2026
Overview of the main topics and events at the Council of EU and European Council for the coming fortnight.
Foreign Affairs Council (Defence), 11 February 2026
The Foreign Affairs Council with defence ministers will exchange views on EU support to Ukraine, with a focus on cooperation in defence innovation
Informal meeting of Competitiveness (COMPET) Ministers – Internal Market and Industry, 2 – 3 February 2026
An informal meeting of the EU’s competitiveness Ministers to discuss matters related, inter alia, to the competitiveness of Europe’s industry and lifting barriers to the single market.
Informal video conference of the ministers responsible for housing, 3 February 2026
EU ministers responsible for housing will take part in an informal video conference to share their initial thoughts on the European Affordable Housing Plan.
Informal meeting of Environment and Climate Ministers (ENVI), 5 – 6 February 2026
The meeting will bring together EU Ministers responsible for environment and climate-related policies, providing a high-level political forum for open and forward-looking discussions on Europe’s water and climate resilience.
Informal EU leaders’ retreat, 12 February 2026
Informal meeting of employment and social affairs ministers, 12-13 February 2026
Official Council meetings are organised by the Council of the EU and chaired by the Council presidency. However, each Council presidency also organises informal meetings of ministers to discuss initiatives related to a particular topic or Council configuration.