European Parliamentary Research Service Blog
summit meeting
The European Council, health policy and pandemics
The European Council (of EU Heads of State or Government) has been active in its response to the coronaviru s crisis. So far it has held three video-conference calls of national leaders on the subject, with a view to seeking to develop a coordinated response both among the Member States and collectively at EU level. Continue reading
Outcome of the European Council (Article 50) meeting on 17 October 2019
Leaders of the 27 EU Member States (EU-27) endorsed the agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU) with a revised Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, as well as a revised political declaration on the framework of the future EU-UK relationship. Continue reading
Outlook for the European Council (Article 50) meeting on 17 October 2019
The October European Council meeting will represent an important point on the timeline of negotiations on the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the EU, as leaders will be taking stock of the situation heading up to the end of the extension period on 31 October 2019. Continue reading
Climate change [What Think Tanks are thinking]
The United Nations’ Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, will convene a special summit on climate change on 23 September, during the annual session of the UN General Assembly in New York. Continue reading
Towards a new EU policy approach to China: 21st EU-China Summit – April 2019
With the European Parliament elections set for May 2019, the 21st EU-China Summit has been advanced, to be held in Brussels on 9 April 2019, only nine months after the previous one. Continue reading
Ratifying the EU-UK withdrawal deal: State of play and possible scenarios
On 14 November 2018, the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) negotiators announced their approval of the legal agreement on the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. Continue reading
The EU and Middle East and North Africa [What Think Tanks are thinking]
The European Union held its first ever summit with the Arab League in February, highlighting the growing importance of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) in tackling problems such as security, terrorism, migration and energy supply. Continue reading
Climate change [What Think Tanks are thinking]
World leaders are preparing for the ‘COP 24’ summit on tackling climate change in Katowice, Poland, in December, which is meant to debate how to implement the 2015 Paris Agreement. Continue reading
NATO Summit and European defence [What Think Tanks are thinking]
NATO heads of state or government will meet in Brussels on 11 and 12 July for a keenly awaited summit. Some analysts and diplomats fear a tense atmosphere, following US President Donald Trump’s tough treatment of European allies at a recent meeting of the G7 group of developed countries, and his imposition of steep tariffs on imports of steel and aluminium from the EU. Continue reading
US-North Korea summit [What Think Tanks are thinking]
US President Donald Trump met North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for a historic summit in Singapore on 12 June 2018. They reached a short agreement that emphasised the North’s commitment to ‘work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula’, but provided no details on when Pyongyang would give up nuclear weapons or how that might be verified. Continue reading
International trade and the G7 [What Think Tanks are thinking]
The escalating trade conflict between the United States and other countries and regions, such as China and the European Union, coupled with a capricious outcome of the recent summit of the world’s seven most industrialised economies (G7) have raised a question mark over the U.S.’s continued commitment to the stability of the post-Cold War, rules based international economic and political order. Continue reading
The 2018 G7 Summit: Issues to watch
On 8 and 9 June 2018, the leaders of the G7 will meet for the 44th G7 Summit in Charlevoix, Quebec, for the annual summit of the informal grouping of seven of the world’s major advanced economies. The summit takes place amidst growing tensions between the US and other G7 countries over security and multilateralism. Continue reading
North Korea’s nuclear summitry [What Think Tanks are thinking]
The US President, Donald Trump, and North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, are preparing for a high-stakes summit on the latter country’s nuclear programme, following Trump’s decision on 1 June to revive the meeting after having cancelled it the previous week. Continue reading
North Korea: No summit for the moment
Following fears in 2017 of an escalation of the North Korean crisis, an unexpected detente has come in early 2018. North Korean athletes took part in the Winter Olympics in South Korea, and Pyongyang undertook a charm offensive followed by a successful historic inter-Korean summit in late April, which may prompt long-awaited peace talks. Continue reading
Outlook for the meetings of EU leaders on 22-23 March 2018
On 22 and 23 March 2018, the EU Heads of State or Government will convene in four different formations with varying compositions and levels of formality: a regular meeting of the European Council, a Leaders’ meeting on taxation, a Euro Summit and a European Council (Article 50) meeting. Continue reading
Social Summit – Gothenburg 2017 [Topical Digest]
Deepening economic and monetary union (EMU) and achieving ‘Social Triple A’ status, which should be a tool to contribute to fair and balanced growth, decent jobs and labour protection, is one of the priorities of the current Commission. Continue reading
Euro Summits: Role and expectations ahead of the meeting of 15 December 2017
Since 2008, Euro Summits have brought together the Heads of State or Government of those countries whose currency is the euro, providing policy guidance to assure the smooth functioning of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and the euro area. Continue reading
Outlook for the meetings of EU leaders on 14-15 December 2017
On 14 and 15 December 2017, EU leaders will convene in four different settings with varying compositions and levels of formality: a regular summit of the European Council, a Leaders’ meeting on migration, a European Council (Article 50) meeting, and an enlarged Euro Summit. Continue reading
Eastern Partnership: 2017 Brussels summit – Taking stock and new objectives
On 24 November 2017, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine meet with the European Union (EU) in Brussels for the fifth Eastern Partnership (EaP) summit. Continue reading
COP 23: Climate change talks [What Think Tanks are thinking]
Representatives of nearly 200 countries started 11 days of talks on 6 November in Bonn, Germany, on how to further implement the 2015 Paris Agreement on tackling climate change. The United Nations’ climate meeting, COP 23, is part of global efforts to cut emissions of greenhouse gases that cause global warming. Continue reading
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