EU agenda - Image by Andreas Lischka from Pixabay

This week, European affairs ministers discuss the EU Budget framework 2028-2034, and the Competitiveness Council debates the chips act 2.0 and revision of merger control guidelines; the Commission holds the EU Access to Space Conference, an event on the EU advanced materials ecosystem, the EU Organic Awards Ceremony 2026 and launches the Water Resilience Stakeholder Platform; MEPs on delegations visit Iceland over foreign affairs, South Korea over artificial intelligence, USA over taxes, Greenland over transport and gender equality, Finland over culture and civil protection and Greece over railway safety; and we have the European Week of Sport.

Costa - Tusk - Photo © European Union 2025

Poland took over the presidency of the EU on 1 January promising to strenthen European security in its external, internal, information, economic, energy, food, and health dimensions.

Ursula von der Leyen - Photo © European Union 2024 - EP

The European Parliament gave formal approval Wednesday to the new team and programme of EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, with her College of Commissioners expected to take office on 1 December.