“PI believe that it is our collective duty to make a decision by the end of June – I have already stated this publicly several times and have not changed my opinion. The 27 leaders must work hard to ensure that there is agreement on this decision [de cargos de topo] and on the strategic agenda”, said Charles Michel.
Speaking to European journalists in Brussels after an informal leaders’ dinner that ended without agreement in a first attempt on top EU positions between 2024 and 2029, Charles Michel stressed that the negotiations are going “in the right direction”.
“In fact, it was absolutely clear from the beginning and it was not at all a surprise [não ter havido um acordo] because today’s goal was not to make a decision […], that is planned for next week. This meeting was planned so that there would be an opportunity for an in-depth exchange of views, to be transparent with each other, to share concerns, priorities, hopes, expectations, so that everyone can hear everyone, a very important element. important in the decision-making process and that’s why tonight’s goal wasn’t to make a decision.”said Charles Michel.
Asked about the names involved in tonight’s discussion, the president of the European Council declined to specify, indicating that “this will be clarified next week”.
“Today’s conversation was a useful step to prepare the European Council, but the decision will be taken […] next week”he further reinforced.
“I remember when I became president of the European Council, Donald Tusk gave me excellent advice: make sure you work day and night to protect the unity of the European Union and the European Council”, he recalled, referring to the then president of the Council .
The leader stressed that the European Council was an “important partner” and that it was necessary to ensure that in the future this partner would be in a position to guarantee the union of the community bloc.
The informal dinner of European Union leaders ended today without an agreement, in a first discussion that will be resumed next week about top positions in the next term involving former prime minister António Costa, a community source told Lusa.
The same European source indicated that leaders at the European Council want to see a program before agreeing on names.
Before, during and after dinner, several bilateral meetings were held to facilitate negotiations, according to several European sources.
This was the official start of a debate on the EU’s top positions that should culminate in a decision at next week’s ordinary European summit, discussing the name of António Costa for the leadership of the European Council, that of Ursula von der Leyen and that of Roberta Metsola for second terms in the Commission and Parliament, respectively, and that of the Prime Minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallas, as head of community diplomacy.
This informal dinner of EU leaders on the top positions in the next institutional cycle, between 2024 and 2029, took place a week after the European elections, which gave victory to the European People’s Party (EPP), followed by the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) and of the liberals of Renew Europe.
Today, the three parties – PPE, S&D and liberals – “presented the first three candidates”, thus including the name of António Costa for the European Council, a European diplomat involved in the negotiations told Lusa.
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Source: https://www.noticiasaominuto.com/mundo/2581814/conselho-europeu-conversa-foi-passo-util-decisao-sera-para-a-semana
