The European Council is also looking for solutions to resolve the energy crisis. The proposal on the gas price ceiling is stuck despite months of negotiations.
BRUSSELS Like the previous summits, the December European Council is expected to provide clear guidelines on supporting Ukraine.
The background is the agreement on Monday’s 18 billion euro financial support for Ukraine.
Ukraine needs both short-term help and long-term support, the President of the European Council Charles Michel notes to EU leaders in the invitation he sent. (you switch to another service)
– In addition to Ukraine’s immediate needs, there must also be a thorough discussion on how to guarantee the sustainability of the military and financial support given to Ukraine.
Solutions are being sought for the energy crisis
Prime minister Sanna Marini (sd.) anticipates that energy issues will play an important role in the European Council meeting.
EU countries have been looking for a common vision for mitigating the effects of the energy crisis for months.
– The energy ministers have been working in the fall, but so far they have not reached a solution on how together we can tackle especially the high price of energy, says Marin.
Marin commented on the meeting in Brussels on Wednesday after the summit between the EU and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
The threat of a trade war hangs over Europe
EU and US tensions in the field of trade policy also overshadow the summit.
The giant IRA economic aid package that will come into effect in the US at the beginning of the year is seen to favor US companies at the expense of European ones.
President of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen expressed his concern about it in his speech to the European Parliament on Wednesday.
– The risk is that the anti-inflation IRA package will lead to an unfair competitive situation, said von der Leyen in his speech to the EU Parliament yesterday.
The public has also speculated about the risk of a trade war if the United States does not agree to improve the position of European companies in its market.
According to Prime Minister Marin, it is important that the EU monitors its own interests.
– Of course we don’t want a trade war between the partner countries, but of course we also have to take care of European competitiveness.
Does the EU need a new fund?
According to Von der Leyen, there is a risk that important know-how for the green transition will disappear from Europe if the US challenge is not met.
According to the Commission, rules related to competition and state aid must be reviewed in the EU, among other things.
Von der Leyen also flashes a new fund to strengthen European industrial policy. Marin sees no need for new EU-level funds to improve competitiveness.
– Finland supports models where we can use existing tools.
The European Council also discusses the European economic situation more generally. According to Marin, the outlook for the economy is currently bleak.
The number of candidate countries is growing
The European Council is also expected to decide on the granting of EU candidate status to Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Earlier in the fall, the commission outlined that the country has taken a number of steps towards membership.
Kosovo submitted a formal membership application to the EU yesterday.
The prerequisite for the membership project to progress is that all EU countries recognize Kosovo’s independence.
Five member states have not recognized Kosovo’s independence so far.