Upcoming Key Topics and Events in the EU Council: December 2024 Overview

Overview of Key Topics and Events in the EU Council and European Council for the Next Two Weeks

Employment, Social Policy, Health, and Consumer Affairs Council (Employment and Social Policy), December 2, 2024

Ministers of Employment and Social Affairs will meet in Brussels. The agenda includes discussions on a set of regulations concerning internships, labor shortages, comprehensive solutions for demographic issues, social inclusion of persons with disabilities, and the 2025 European Semester.

Employment, Social Policy, Health, and Consumer Affairs Council (Health), December 3, 2024

Health ministers will gather in Brussels to discuss smoke-free environments, a set of regulations in the pharmaceutical sector, cardiovascular health, organ donation and transplantation, and the European Health Union.

Transport, Telecommunications, and Energy Council (Transport), December 5, 2024

Transport ministers will aim to agree on a common position regarding a directive on driver license suspensions, regulations on passenger rights in multimodal transport, and the implementation of passenger rights in the EU. They will also review progress on the Combined Transport Directive and hold debates on passenger rights in aviation.

Transport, Telecommunications, and Energy Council (Telecommunications), December 6, 2024

Telecommunications ministers will approve conclusions related to the EU Cybersecurity Agency (ENISA) and the European Commission’s White Paper on managing Europe’s digital infrastructure needs. They will also hold debates on the Digital Decade targets and indicators for 2030, considering recent technological changes.

Agriculture and Fisheries Council, December 9 and 10, 2024

Fisheries ministers will seek political agreement on two proposals regarding fishing opportunities in the Atlantic and North Sea for 2025, and in the Mediterranean and Black Sea for 2025.
In agriculture, the Council will discuss future opportunities in bioeconomy and follow discussions on the Common Agricultural Policy post-2027 focused on farmers. Hungary will present progress reports on several legislative dossiers related to plant reproductive material, forestry monitoring framework, and animal transport protection.

Justice and Home Affairs Council, December 12 and 13, 2024

Interior ministers will decide on the date for lifting checks on people at Bulgaria’s and Romania’s internal land borders. They will address external aspects of migration issues and discuss the Entry/Exit System (EES). Justice ministers will seek a common position on directives to combat migrant smuggling, sexual violence against children, and the harmonization of certain aspects of bankruptcy law.

Economic and Financial Affairs Council, December 10, 2024

Ministers will receive updates on customs reform progress. They will debate revisions to the Energy Tax Directive. The Commission will present draft recommendations related to the implementation of economic governance reviews. Ministers will also examine the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) and assess the economic and financial impact of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. The Council will endorse the ECOFIN mid-year report to the European Council on tax matters.

Other Meetings

Additional meetings will occur, including discussions in the Eurogroup.