O The informal dinner of European Union leaders in Brussels has already ended, and there is no agreement in principle on new names for senior positions in the institution.

Community source said that the informal dinner ended without agreement, in a first discussion that will resume next week on top positions in the next term – and which involves former prime minister António Costa.

“There is no decision tonight. Many leaders [no Conselho Europeu] want to see a program before agreeing on names”explained a European diplomat involved in the negotiations.

An official source from the European Council later confirmed to European journalists in Brussels, at around 11:40 pm (local time, minus one in Lisbon) that the dinner had ended, which had started at 9:20 pm (Brussels time).

What did Charles Michel say?

“It was a good opportunity to exchange ideas, to take into account the results of the elections and to prepare for the formal meeting that will take place next week. It was a good conversation, well underway, but there is no agreement”, said the President of the European Council after dinner. informal.

“It is my responsibility to ensure that all leaders have the same information and this meeting was important for this purpose”, he stated, stressing that it was important to maintain transparency in the processes.

“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 the European Council was a “important partner” and that it was necessary to ensure that in the future this companion would be in a position to guarantee the unity of the community bloc.

“The objective of tonight’s meeting was not to make a decision,” he said.

This was the official start of a debate on the top positions in the European Union (EU) 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 Roberta Metsola for second terms in the Commission and Parliament, respectively, and Estonian Prime Minister 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.

The European source told Lusa that, tonight, “the three parties [PPE, S&D e liberais] presented the first three candidates”, thus including the name of António Costa for the European Council.

[Notícia atualizada às 23h29]

Read Also: EU leaders’ dinner begins. Coast? No agreement is expected today

Source: https://www.noticiasaominuto.com/mundo/2581800/jantar-sobre-altos-cargos-da-ue-termina-sem-acordo-costa-tera-de-esperar

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