The Agriculture and Fisheries Council will hold a meeting in Brussels on Monday. The Commission will present a report on the sustainable use of pesticides, and the ministers will exchange views on this subject, as well the state of play of trade-related agricultural issues and sustainable soil management.
Euro-area finance ministers will attend a Eurogroup meeting on Monday in Brussels. Ministers will discuss the European Central Bank’s supervision and Single Resolution Board’s activities. Ministers are expected to exchange national practices related to public investment in human capital, and more concretely, efficient spending on education systems. Ministers of the 27 EU member states will discuss the possible steps towards the completion of the banking union, future fiscal governance in the euro area and ideas related to possible new euro area fiscal policy instruments at an inclusive format meeting.
The Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) will gather in Brussels on Tuesday. The Council will be called on to agree on proposals to revamp VAT rules so as to better support electronic commerce and online businesses. Ministers will discuss proposals aimed at strengthening financial supervision and encouraging capital market integration.
Defense Ministers of NATO member countries will gather for a two-day meeting in the NATO headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday and Thursday. Ministers are expected to discuss how to improve the defense capability of NATO in the event of a crisis.
Negotiations for the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union will continue with the sixth round of talks on Thursday and Friday in Brussels. In addition to citizen rights and Irish border issues, a financial settlement will be at the center of the agenda. Both sides are trying to agree on an amount that varies between �20 billion and �100 billion.
EU’s trade ministers will meet for a Foreign Affairs Council meeting on Friday in Brussels. They will discuss the latest developments and prospects in view of the 11th ministerial conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO), which will take place between Dec. 10 and 13, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The Council will take stock of the ongoing negotiations for trade agreements with Mexico and Mercosur (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay).