This week, farm ministers look at the Commission’s livestock strategy and protein plan; the Foreign Affairs Council exchanges views on Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East; the Palestine Donor Group showcases the Palestinian Authority reforms and the need for further financial support; MEPs in committee discuss the conditions and procedures for unfreezing EU funds allocated to Hungary, social media and young people, and proposed changes to EU rules on the production and labelling of organic products; and we have the EU Day for the Victims of the Global Climate Crisis, and World Youth Skills Day. The week’s events in the European Union including EU Council, Commission and Parliament meetings from 13 to 18 July 2026.
Monday 13 July
European Parliament | Political Meetings | Institutional affairs
European Parliament committee meetings
Brussels
Irish Presidency priorities: Ireland’s ministers will present their priorities in meetings with the relevant parliamentary committees. Ireland holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU until the end of 2026 (Monday to Thursday).
Monday 13 July
Council of the EU | Political meetings | Agriculture | Trade
Agriculture and Fisheries Council
Brussels
The Irish presidency will present their work programme and main priorities in the agriculture and fisheries sectors. Ministers will then exchange views on the Commission’s livestock strategy and protein plan, on trade-related agricultural issues and on women in agriculture.
Monday 13 July
Council of the EU | Political meetings | Ukraine | Middle East
Foreign Affairs Council
Brussels
The Council will exchange views on Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East in light of the latest developments. Ministers will also discuss the Black Sea strategy and, under current affairs, EU-UN relations.
Monday 13 July
Other bodies and agencies | Conferences and summits | Cooperation policy
Palestine Donor Group – second meeting
Brussels
The second Palestine Donor Group (PDG) will showcase the Palestinian Authority reforms and the need for further financial support to the Palestinian Authority in light of the dire economic and fiscal situation in the West Bank.
Tuesday 14 July
Council of the EU | Political meetings | Irish presidency priorities
General Affairs Council
Brussels
Ministers responsible for European affairs will meet to hear a presentation by the Irish presidency on its priorities for the second semester of 2026 with a focus on those specifically falling within the remit of the General Affairs Council. The Council will also hold an exchange of views on the state of play and future orientation of its work on simplification and will be invited to approve conclusions on the evaluation of the rule of law dialogue.
Tuesday 14 July
European Parliament | Political Meetings | Institutional affairs
European Parliament committee meetings
Brussels
AI systems/Anthropic: the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee will quiz representatives from Anthropic (connected remotely) on the safety and cyber security risks posed by advanced AI systems, and the application of the EU AI Act and digital rules.
Hungary/frozen EU funds: MEPs in the Budgets and Budgetary Control committees will discuss the conditions and procedures for unfreezing EU funds allocated to Hungary, with Commission Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto and Commissioners Piotr Serafin and Michael McGrath.
Social media and young people: the Culture and Education Committee will adopt a series of proposals to mitigate the impact of social media and online environment on young people. The numerous topics covered include live streams, videogames, AI system discrimination, safety by-default, age-appropriate design, age verification, celebrity scams and influencers.
Organic products: the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee will adopt its position on proposed changes to EU rules on the production and labelling of organic products. These include measures seeking to ensure that consumers can make informed choices when purchasing organic products from non-EU countries and maintain trust in the EU organic logo.
Wednesday 15 – Thursday 16 July
Council of the EU | Political meetings | Irish Presidency priorities | Worker protection
Plenary session of the European Economic and Social Committee
Brussels
607th Plenary Session of the EESC, with debates on Presentation of the priorities of the Irish Presidency , Better protection for workers: quality jobs and fair labour mobility and EU enlargement.
Wednesday 15 July
European Parliament | Political Meetings | Institutional affairs
European Parliament committee meetings
Brussels
NATO Ankara Summit: NATO Deputy Secretary-General Radmila Shekerinska will debrief MEPs in the Security and Defence Committee and the delegation for relations with NATO on the outcome of the Nato Summit in Ankara.
Wednesday 15 July
Other bodies and agencies | Training and workshops | Digital skills | Youth employment | Vocational education | Vocational training | Recognition of vocational training qualifications
World Youth Skills Day
Online only
UNESCO-UNEVOC is inviting policymakers, educators, employers, youth organizations & learners to engage in a global conversation on how skills can help build more inclusive, peaceful, resilient & sustainable societies.
Wednesday 15 July
Other bodies and agencies | Conferences and summits | Climate change
EU Day for the Victims of the Global Climate Crisis – Building Resilience to Protect People and Communities
Brussels
The EU Day for the Victims of the Global Climate Crisis serves as an annual occasion to honour those affected – both within Europe and globally – while promoting concrete measures to better manage climate risks and prevent and respond to climate-related disasters.
This year, the fourth observance of the Day will be marked with a high-level panel discussion focused on strengthening resilience, protecting communities and advancing proactive strategies to address extreme weather events.
