Remarks by President Charles Michel following the European Council meeting of 27 June 2024

Good evening, everyone. Mission accomplished! The European Council has delivered. As you know, we had important topics that we needed to fix today, and we did so. It’s a great pleasure and a great honour for me to announce the decisions that have been taken by the European Council.

J’ai le plaisir de vous informer des décisions qui ont été prises concernant les nominations pour le prochain cycle institutionnel. António Costa a été élu président du Conseil européen. Ursula von der Leyen a été proposée par les chefs d’État ou de gouvernement pour assumer la présidence de la Commission pour le prochain cycle institutionnel et Kaja Kallas a été proposée pour devenir haute représentante.

Cela veut donc dire que le Conseil européen a assumé pleinement sa responsabilité. On avait des sujets importants, essentiels, peut-être même lourds, au programme.

Et c’est en quelques heures que nous en avons été capables, plus vite que prévu, de clôturer l’ensemble des points, y compris les nominations, ce soir. C’est un signal fort que nous envoyons aux citoyens européens. C’est un signal fort en termes de démocratie européenne, puisque les dirigeants ont pris en considération à la fois le résultat des élections européennes, ont pris en considération les travaux préparatoires à l’agenda stratégique.

Maintenant le processus institutionnel va se poursuivre en ce qui concerne la présidente de la Commission et la haute représentante avec le Parlement européen, qui aura à assumer sa responsabilité dans les prochaines semaines.

J’ai eu l’occasion la semaine passée de représenter le Conseil européen dans les réunions préparatoires de coordination au Parlement européen. Je souhaite le meilleur à celles et à celui qui vont assumer ces responsabilités pour les cinq années qui viennent. Je vous souhaite beaucoup de succès dans l’accomplissement des tâches qui seront les vôtres.

Il y avait beaucoup de points extrêmement importants au programme de ce Conseil européen.

The first one I would like to mention is the strategic agenda. It is the responsibility of the European Council to fix the orientations for the five years to come. We started to prepare this important document – this important strategic orientation – many months ago. We started in Granada under the Spanish Presidency, and today we affirmed and decided to finalise this process.

Three important pillars. First: democratic values, democratic principles. This is the inspiration. This is the guiding compass for all of us. It is important never to give up, but to support these fundamental principles and values.

Second: we have to develop our competitiveness and we have to support all possible measures for more prosperity across the EU. Five years ago, we decided that the digital transition, on the one hand, and the climate transition on the other should be our economic engines for the future. We understand that we need to adapt the paradigm of our economic prosperity, our economic development. We want to do that in a way that supports our competitiveness and supports our industrial base and technological base, and supports our SMEs. A few weeks ago we had the opportunity to have an in-depth debate with Enrico Letta, through his report, in the European Council on these topics, and on the strategic agenda and we are making additional progress. We have a very strong ambition in that field.

Third: we are also determined to be much more efficient and much more effective in the field of European defence and security. We want to develop flagship projects. We want to work together to identify how we can dedicate more financial support in the field of defence, more joint procurement, more common projects in line with NATO. NATO is a cornerstone for our collective defence and security. You will see in these documents this ambition in the field of security and defence, including in the field of the protection of borders.

Migration is a serious challenge and, for this institutional cycle under the Belgian Presidency, we made significant steps when we decided to agree on the migration pact. We have developed more and more concrete initiatives in cooperation with third countries in the field of migration. This is needed to work in a cooperative way to address this fundamental challenge.

In the geopolitical context, we have made important decisions in the field of enlargement. Today was one more occasion to discuss this topic. We have to do our homework. A process for internal reforms will be needed. We have agreed on a framework in this field, and we asked those who would like to join the EU to do their part. They have to put in place the reforms that are needed. They also have to resolve past disputes so that we can make more progress in the field of enlargement. With the strategic agenda, we have sent a strong signal.

My second point is Ukraine. We hosted Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and he addressed the European Council. There are four points that I want to insist on. The first: we have agreed on security arrangements, the EU and Ukraine. But some of our member states also decided today to sign bilateral agreements with Ukraine. This is very effective, very operational, very concrete – it means more military support for Ukraine, more concrete support for Ukraine. This has to be sustainable. This has to last.

The second point, financial support. A few weeks ago in the G7, we took the important decision to mobilise an additional package of $50 billion for Ukraine. We had the opportunity to discuss this topic in the European Council. I am very confident that, in the weeks to come, we will make huge strides forward to make this happen and to make sure that we decide on the measures that will be needed to provide this envelope to Ukraine. This would be a signal to Russia that we are not intimidated. It would be a signal to Russia that there will be no war fatigue in Europe and that we are ready to support Ukraine for as long as it takes.

The third point regarding Ukraine: the IGC (Intergovernmental Conference). You may remember that, about one year ago, we decided to grant candidate status to Ukraine. Very quickly Ukraine implemented reforms that are needed to make progress on the EU path. And a few days ago we agreed to hold the first IGC and to open negotiations with Ukraine.

And finally, the peace summit and the peace formula. Together with Volodymyr Zelenskyy we discussed what the next steps would be after the successful meeting that took place in Switzerland. We know that we have to engage with the international community to defend the principles anchored in the UN Charter, especially territorial integrity and sovereignty.

One last point is the Middle East. We don’t accept double standards. We want to defend and promote international law and international humanitarian law always and everywhere. And that’s why it is important that once again, in a united Way, we express a position on the Middle East. We condemn this terrible attack launched by Hamas. We support the right for Israel to defend itself, and we support international humanitarian law. We fully support the UN resolution. We asked for an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages without any precondition. We want humanitarian access for the people in need in Gaza. We support the two-state solution, and we want to engage with our partners in the region, and beyond, to revitalise this political process. A credible pathway to Palestinian statehood is the way forward. In the conclusions you will also see what we say about the ICJ (International Court of Justice), and the importance of implementing the decisions of the ICJ. We are also very attentive to the situation in Lebanon. It is important to support all efforts to avoid any further escalation in that region.

Je ne peux pas clôturer ces quelques mots sans féliciter et remercier la présidence tournante belge de l’Union européenne qui avait la lourde charge de mener cette présidence au moment du terme de ce cycle institutionnel, c’est-à-dire dans un moment où il était important de clôturer les travaux législatifs avec le Parlement européen.

De très nombreuses réalisations ont pu être enregistrées, et cela grâce au Premier ministre et l’ensemble des équipes diplomatiques et des équipes d’experts belges qui se sont mobilisées pour faire en sorte que la Présidence puisse assumer son rôle de médiateur, son rôle de bâtisseur de consensus, de compromis au sein du Conseil européen.