On 16 December 2025, Brussels will host the European Union (EU) General Affairs Council meeting, where Latvia will be represented by Artjoms Uršuļskis, the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The meeting will feature an exchange of views on the next EU multiannual budget in preparation for the leaders’ discussion at the European Council on 18-19 December. The European Commission will report on the progress made and outline further directions for work on simplifying EU regulations. The adoption of a joint declaration by the EU Council, the European Parliament and the European Commission on the EU’s legislative priorities for 2026 is planned.
Member State representatives will also discuss the European Council’s draft conclusions, which cover issues such as Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, security and defence, the next EU multiannual budget, EU enlargement, migration, as well as geo-economics and competitiveness.
There will also be a discussion on EU enlargement, assessing the progress made by candidate countries over the past year, as well as discussions on the European Semester process for 2026, which coordinates the economic, fiscal, labour, and social policies of EU Member States.
The EU General Affairs Council examines issues that affect more than one EU policy, such as negotiations on EU enlargement, preparations for the European Council, the EU’s multiannual budget, as well as rule of law, institutional and administrative issues.