Next, the newsletter of Europa Today which every Monday morning tells you what will happen in the European week to come
Top of the agenda
Defend Ukraine – The strong acceleration in the second half of November by the Trump administration on resolution of the war in Ukraine – first with a 28-point plan written in agreement with Russia, then with the meeting in Geneva with the Ukrainian counterpart and representatives of the coalition of the willing – has once again put the European Union in the position of having to chase after Washington so as not to find itself cut out of the negotiations. But above all, the defense of Ukraine is a security issue for the entire continent.
The meeting of ministers – All this is nothing new, this concept has been repeated in Brussels for over three and a half years. However, with the increasingly real risk that the United States will make decisions with Moscow about the future of Ukraine and Europe without the consent of allies, it puts EU member countries with their backs against the wall. For this reason, on Monday 1 December the 27 Defense Ministers will intensify discussions on how to increase military support to Kiev to resist the Russian advance on the war front and to reiterate full support for future post-war security guarantees.
Exceptional guests – Demonstrating the urgency and importance of Monday’s Council is the presence of the Ukrainian Defense Minister, Denys Shmyhal, and the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, who will participate in an informal discussion before the start of the actual summit between the 27 EU ministers. The Czech Republic’s position on military aid to Kiev should be kept under observation, given the announced change in policy under the prime minister-designate Andrej Babiš, who will take office on Monday 1 December and will strengthen the front of skeptics or opponents made up of Orbán’s Hungary and Fico’s Slovakia.
Are we ready? – The question of the military strengthening of Ukraine is also linked, more generally, to the question of the security of EU member states. Following several initiatives presented by the von der Leyen cabinet over the last month and a half, defense ministers will hold a sensitive discussion on the continent’s defense preparedness, focusing on the steps needed to implement the roadmap to 2030.
Where do we start from – Last October 16, the European Commission presented the ‘Preserving Peace – Readiness 2030’ roadmap, with the stages and objectives for developing a European defense strategy. There will be four initiatives between 2026 and 2030: the so-called ‘drone wall’, the Eastern Flank Watch, the European air shield and the European space shield. The Defense Package then arrived on November 19, which includes military mobility – dual-use infrastructure and the so-called ‘military Schengen’ – and the industrial transformation plan.
Soldiers free to move in Europe: what is the new military Schengen
Other hot topics
An intense week for the Commission – According to what emerges from the agenda of the items on the European Commission’s agenda, six legislative and non-legislative proposals are scheduled for this week, starting from Wednesday 3 December. Let’s look at them one by one.
Environmental simplification – After the simplification packages of corporate transparency and sustainability rules, those for small and medium-sized enterprises, for defence, for chemical products and for digital markets and artificial intelligence, the environment has also come. The so-called ‘Environmental Omnibus’ should propose a series of measures to simplify the legislation already adopted in the field of circular economy, industrial emissions and waste management.
A package against drug trafficking – In view of the expiry of the current anti-drugs strategy in force from 2021, the new package for the period 2026-2030 should include a series of measures aimed at further repressing the flow and production of illegal drugs on EU territory. The package will consist of an overall strategy and a more specific action plan which also considers the chemical precursors used for drug production
Economic security – The Commission will present a package on economic security, which will include not only the proposals for resources, but above all the long-awaited new European Doctrine on Economic Security. The strategy – which does not have a legislative character – will update the one adopted in 2023, taking into account an increasingly conflictual geopolitical context.
Integrating the Single Market – With proposals to strengthen the integration, scale and efficiency of supervision in the Single Market, the EU executive aims to complete its strategy for the Savings and Investment Union, with the ultimate aim of channeling savings into productive investments, offering citizens greater access to capital markets and providing better financing options for businesses.
Quality jobs – The biggest expectation on the Roadmap for Quality Jobs concerns the measures envisaged to support workers in transition, restructuring processes at EU and Member State level. The framework will focus on a just transition, with a focus on anticipating structural changes and quickly intervening in the event of a threat of restructuring.
An agenda for cities – The Commission’s Executive Vice President for regional and cohesion policy, Raffaele Fitto, will present a new policy agenda for European cities – called the EU Agenda for Cities – to reorganize Brussels’ support for sustainable urban development, addressing issues such as housing, climate action, digitalisation, mobility and social inclusion.
Armenian focus – The sixth EU-Armenia Partnership Council, the high-level forum on relations between the two partners which analyzes the implementation of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (Cepa) and the revised roadmap, will open on Tuesday 2 December. The EU High Representative, Kaja Kallas, the Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, and the Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ararat Mirzoyan, will discuss reforms, democracy, rule of law and human rights in the partner country, before moving on to bilateral issues related to migration, economic and trade cooperation, mobility, renewable energy and visa liberalization for Armenian citizens. A specific focus will be on the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan and cooperation on security and defense.
From the European Parliament
In view of the Cypriot presidency – Between Monday 1 and Tuesday 2 December, the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, and the leaders of the political groups will be in Nicosia to prepare the next Cypriot presidency of the Council of the EU – starting from 1 January 2026 – together with the political leaders of the member country. A press conference is scheduled for Monday with Metsola and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides.
Commercial priorities – The members of the Committee on International Trade (Inta) will discuss on Tuesday 2 December the upcoming adoption of two regulations: one on the implementation of the tariff agreement with the United States and the other on the safeguard measures of the agreement with Mercosur.
Duties and more – The Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) will take stock of political relations with the United States on Tuesday 2 December, in particular the need for a more coherent approach to the transatlantic partnership. After the vote on the resolution in plenary on Thursday 27 November, we expect an exhortation to Washington to strengthen its leadership role in supporting Ukraine, but also an encouragement to work towards the elimination of tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade.
Unfair practices – The vote on the provisional agreement resulting from the interinstitutional negotiations with the Council on unfair commercial practices in business-to-business relations in the agricultural and food supply chain, presented in Parliament by Stefano Bonaccini (S&D), will be held on Tuesday 2 December in the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (Agri).
The new European Chief Prosecutor – The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (Libe) will hear on Wednesday 3 December the proposed candidates to lead the European Public Prosecutor’s Office for the next seven-year mandate. After the hearing, the commission will decide their order of preference, in view of the discussion with the Council.
A digital application for travel – Also on Wednesday 3 December, members of the Libe commission will also vote on legislation establishing a digital application for travel within the EU and digital credentials to reduce waiting times at the Union’s external borders.
Monetary dialogue… – The Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (Econ) will hold its fourth monetary dialogue of the year with the President of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, on Wednesday 3 December to discuss the ECB’s quarterly monetary policy assessment. On the same day, the public hearing will also be held with Lagarde, in her capacity as president of the European Systemic Risk Board, regarding the recent recommendation on stablecoins and the report on the functioning of the credit default swap market (which transfer credit risk between counterparties).
… and structured dialogue – Also in the Econ commission, the so-called ‘structured dialogue’ on competition policy will take place on Thursday 4 December with the executive vice-president of the Commission responsible for the clean, fair and competitive transition, and commissioner for competition, Teresa Ribera. The dialogue will focus on current developments and future plans in this policy area.
Media freedom at risk – The Committee on Culture and Education (Cult) will host a hearing on Tuesday 2 December on the implementation of the European law on media freedom, which came into force on 8 August. MEPs will listen to representatives of media regulators, journalists and academic experts. Among them also Vittorio di Trapani, president of the National Federation of the Italian Press.
Disability Rights Week – The third edition of Disability Rights Week will take place in the European Parliament from Monday 1 to Thursday 4 December, to highlight the rights and inclusion of people with disabilities in all sectors of EU policy. The commissions will organize hearings and other activities, identifying barriers, sharing good practices and strengthening accessibility.
