This week, finance ministers discuss the supplementary pensions package, and the Council will be invited to approve the guidelines for the EU’s annual budget 2027; European Parliament delegations visit London to review the ongoing re-integration of the UK into EU programmes, particularly Erasmus+ and Creative Europe; Washington to discuss how to address hybrid threats, cybersecurity, espionage, foreign information manipulation and interference; Spain, to assess the state of European values, with a focus on judicial independence and anti-corruption efforts; and Poland and Czechia to assess how their defence industries are adapting to the ongoing war in Ukraine; and the European Economic and Social Committee holds its plenary session. The week’s events in the European Union including EU Council, Commission and Parliament meetings from 16 – 21 February 2026.
Monday 16 February
European Parliament | Political Meetings | Institutional affairs
European Parliament delegations
Defence/Poland and Czechia: a delegation from the Security and Defence Committee is visiting Poland and Czechia to assess how their defence industries are adapting to the ongoing war in Ukraine. MEPs will also investigate how the sector is responding to new EU initiatives on strengthening Europe’s defence, technological, and industrial base and their cooperation with their Ukrainian counterparts (Monday to Wednesday).
International Trade/Philippines: members of the International Trade Committee will go to Manila to discuss economic, trade and investment relations between the EU and Philippines. MEPs will meet representatives of the government, lawmakers and other relevant partners and focus on the recent progress made in negotiations on a free trade agreement (Monday to Wednesday).
European Democracy Shield/USA: members of the Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield will travel to Washington D. C. and New York, to discuss how to address hybrid threats, cybersecurity, espionage, foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI), among other topics, with representatives of the Department of Justice, the US Congress, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), non-governmental organisations, and media organisations (Monday to Wednesday).
Enlargement/Montenegro and Albania: a Committee on Foreign Affairs delegation will travel to Montenegro and Albania, the two most advanced EU candidate countries, to assess progress made and remaining reforms on their respective paths to EU membership. The visit will also feed into the committee’s work on forthcoming reports on the two countries (Monday to Wednesday).
Rule of Law/Spain: MEPs from the Civil Liberties Committee will travel to Madrid to meet members of the country’s parliament, the judiciary and civil society organisations to assess the state of European values, with a focus on judicial independence and anti-corruption efforts. The delegation was organised on the recommendation of Parliament’s Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Monitoring Group (Monday and Tuesday).
Erasmus+ and Creative Europe/UK: a delegation of the Culture and Education Committee will travel to London to review the ongoing re-integration of the UK into EU programmes, particularly Erasmus+ and Creative Europe. MEPs will also discuss youth mobility and touring artists with, among others, representatives of the UK government, Parliament, cultural institutions and creators (Monday to Wednesday).
Illegal streaming of live events/Spain: MEPs from the Legal Affairs Committee will travel to Madrid to gather information on how the country is tackling the illegal streaming of live events, including sports. MEPs will meet representatives from the government, Senate and National Court as well as the national police and sports and broadcasters’ organisations. Spain is the first EU country to set a judicial precedent for blocking illegal live streams (Monday to Wednesday).
Monday 16 February
Council of the EU | Political meetings | Economic affairs
Eurogroup
Brussels
Finance ministers meet the day before the Ecofin meeting to exchange views on the state of play and possible policy actions to strengthen the international role of the euro.
Tuesday 17 February
Council of the EU | Political meetings | Economic affairs
Economic and Financial Affairs Council
Brussels
Among other items at the February ECOFIN meeting, ministers will have the opportunity to discuss the supplementary pensions package – part of the EU’s savings and investment union agenda. The Council will be invited to approve the guidelines for the EU’s annual budget 2027. Finally, ministers are expected to activate the national escape clause for defence financing for Austria.
Tuesday 17 February
Other bodies and agencies | Training and workshops | Research | Knowledge management | Intellectual property
The power of transdisciplinarity for innovation-led impact
Online only
To strengthen societal resilience, through a productive and competitive economy, Europe needs to harness the power of research and innovation in new ways. Valorising scientific knowledge and research to address complex challenges, bringing together researchers from different disciplines and integrating knowledge across disciplinary boundaries, can drive innovation from fundamental science to market application and societal impact.
Join us to discover how transdisciplinary approaches promote innovation-led impact!
Wednesday 18 February
Other bodies and agencies | Training and workshops | Energy | Innovation
Prize for governance innovations in energy communities workshop
Online only
Are you preparing an application for the Horizon Europe Prize on Governance Innovations in Energy Communities (HORIZON-CL5-2026-2-PRIZE)? Do you want to know better the award criteria and learn how to craft a successful, high-scoring application? Join our interactive online workshop to ask questions on the prize directly to the European Commission.
Wednesday 18 February
Other bodies and agencies | Training and workshops | Participatory democracy | Climate change policy | Urban planning | Social policy | Economy | Land use | Local government
Register now for the launch of a new OECD paper on area-based initiatives in neighbourhoods
Live streaming available
A new OECD paper and online database provide a first-of-its-kind mapping of over 40 area-based initiatives targeting neighbourhoods across OECD countries. By linking economic, social and physical dimensions of development, ABIs provide a framework for targeted and tailored support, to test new delivery models, and to strengthen local capacity for change. With a combined focus on people and place, they can punch above their weight in terms of building on community strengths and addressing obstacles to opportunity.
This webinar will launch this new work and convene experts and policymakers for a forward-looking conversation on how ABIs can help spark transformation in all corners of a community.
Wednesday 18 – Thursday 19 February
Other bodies and agencies | Conferences and summits | Uklraine | Housing | Sodium batteries
Plenary session of the European Economic and Social Committee
Brussels
603rd Plenary session with the following debates and guests: the lasting scars of Russia’s war against Ukraine: its devastating toll on childhood and youth; from ambition to action: an EU Affordable Housing Plan delivering for the people; the potential of sodium batteries for the EU.
