The conclusions adopted by the European Council at the meeting 14 and 15 December 2023 - Conclusions

From: General Secretariat of the Council

To: Delegations

Subject: European Council meeting (14 and 15 December 2023)

– Conclusions

Delegations will find attached 

the conclusions adopted by the European Council at the above  meeting.

Conclusions – 14 and 15 December 2023

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I. UKRAINE

1. The European Council reiterates its resolute condemnation of Russia’s war of 

aggression against Ukraine, which constitutes a manifest violation of the UN Charter, and 

reaffirms theEuropean Union’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty 

and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders and its inherent right of 

self-defence against the Russian aggression.

2. The European Council recalls its previous conclusions and confirms the European 

Union’sunwavering commitment to continue to provide strong political, financial, 

economic,humanitarian, military and diplomatic support to Ukraine and its people for as 

long as it takes.

3. The European Union and its Member States will continue to address Ukraine’s pressing

military and defence needs. In particular, the European Council insists on the importance of

timely, predictable and sustainable military support for Ukraine, notably through the

European Peace Facility and the EU Military Assistance Mission, as well as through direct

bilateral assistance by Member States. The European Council stresses the urgent need to

accelerate the delivery of missiles and ammunition, notably under the one million rounds of

artillery ammunition initiative, and to provide Ukraine with more air defence systems.

The European Council invites the Council to intensify work on the reform of the European

Peace Facility and the further increase of its financing, building on the proposal of the High

Representative.

The European Union and its Member States remain committed to contributing, for the longterm and together with partners, to security commitments to Ukraine, which will help Ukraine to defend itself, resist destabilisation efforts and deter acts of aggression in the future.

Following the report by the High Representative, the European Council discussed the EU’s

future security commitments to Ukraine. It invites the High Representative and Member

States to take work forward in the Council. The European Council will remain seized of the

matter.

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Military support and security commitments will be provided in full respect of the security and defence policy of certain Member States and taking into account the security and defence interests of all Member States.

4. In the face of continued Russian attacks against Ukraine’s civil and critical infrastructure, the European Union and its Member States will intensify the provision of further humanitarian and civil protection assistance to Ukraine, as well as assistance to ensure the resilience of its energy sector through the winter. Moreover, the European Union remains committed to supporting Ukraine’s repair, recovery and reconstruction, in coordination with international partners, including the demining process and psychosocial rehabilitation.

5. The European Union and its Member States will continue their intensive global outreachefforts and cooperation with Ukraine and partners from all regions of the world to ensure the widest possible international support for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace and the key principles and objectives of Ukraine’s Peace Formula, with a view to a future Global Peace Summit.

6. The European Council reiterates its call for decisive progress, in coordination with partners, on how extraordinary revenues held by private entities stemming directly from Russia’s immobilised assets could be directed to support Ukraine and its recovery and reconstruction, consistent with applicable contractual obligations, and in accordance with EU and international law. In this context, it takes note of the recent proposals on extraordinary revenues stemming from immobilised Russian assets.

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7. Russia and its leadership must be held fully accountable for waging a war of aggression

against Ukraine and for other most serious crimes under international law, as well as for the

massive damage caused by its war. The European Council encourages further efforts,

including in the Core Group, to establish a tribunal for the prosecution of the crime of

aggression against Ukraine that would enjoy the broadest cross-regional support and

legitimacy, and a future compensation mechanism; it reiterates its support for the Council 

of Europe’s Register of Damage Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation Against

Ukraine, as a first tangible step in this direction. It also calls on all states to sign and ratify

rapidly the Ljubljana-The Hague Convention on International Cooperation in the

Investigation and Prosecution of the Crime of Genocide, Crimes against Humanity, War

Crimes and other International Crimes. The European Council also reiterates its support for

the work of the International Criminal Court and condemns Russia’s continued attempts to

undermine its international mandate and functioning.

8. The European Council reiterates its urgent call on Russia and Belarus to immediately 

ensure the safe return to Ukraine of all unlawfully deported and transferred Ukrainian 

children and other civilians.

9. The European Union is determined to further weaken Russia’s ability to wage its war of

aggression, including by further strengthening its sanctions, and through their full and

effective implementation and the prevention of their circumvention, especially for high-risk

goods, in close cooperation with partners and allies. The European Council welcomes the

adoption of the 12th package of sanctions. It also welcomes the agreement reached on the

Directive on the definition of criminal offences and penalties for the violation of Union

restrictive measures. The European Council condemns the continued military support for

Russia’s war of aggression provided by Iran, Belarus and the DPRK. It also urges all

countries not to provide material or other support for Russia’s war of aggression. The

European Union will continue its intensive work with partners to counter false Russian

narratives and disinformation about the war.

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10. The European Council stresses the importance of security and stability in the Black Sea. 

It is vital that Ukraine’s grain exports are sustainable and reach world markets. The 

European Council supports all efforts to facilitate exports of Ukraine’s grain and other 

agricultural products to the countries most in need, notably in Africa and the Middle East. 

The EuropeanCouncil also underlines the importance of using the EU’s Solidarity Lanes to 

their full potential, and invites the Commission to speed up work with Member States in 

order to propose new measures with a view to further developing the capacity of the 

Solidarity Lanes on all routes.

11. The European Union will continue to support the Republic of Moldova and Georgia in

addressing the challenges they face as a consequence of Russia’s war of aggression against

Ukraine.

II. MIDDLE EAST

12. The European Council held an in-depth strategic debate on the Middle East.

III. ENLARGEMENT AND REFORMS

13. Recalling the Granada Declaration, the European Council underlines that enlargement is a geo-strategic investment in peace, security, stability and prosperity. It is a driver for

improving the economic and social conditions of European citizens, reducing disparities

between countries, and must foster the values on which the Union is founded. Looking 

ahead to the prospect of a further enlarged Union, both future Member States and the EU 

need to be ready at the time of accession. Work on both tracks should advance in parallel. 

Aspiring members need to step up their reform efforts, notably in the area of rule of law, in 

line with the merit-based nature of the accession process and with the assistance of the EU. 

In parallel, the Union needs to lay the necessary internal groundwork and reforms, setting 

the Union’s long-term ambitions and the ways to achieve them, and addressing key 

questions related to its priorities and policies as well as its capacity to act. This will make the 

EU stronger and will enhance European sovereignty.

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14. The European Council endorses the Council conclusions on enlargement of

12 December 2023. Building on the Commission’s enlargement package of

8 November 2023, the European Council takes the following decisions:

Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova

15. The European Council decides to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and with the

Republic of Moldova.

The European Council invites the Council to adopt the respective negotiating frameworks

once the relevant steps set out in the respective Commission recommendations of

8 November 2023 are taken.

Georgia

16. The European Council also decides to grant the status of candidate country to Georgia, on the understanding that the relevant steps set out in the Commission recommendation of

8 November 2023 are taken.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

17. The European Council will open accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina, 

once the necessary degree of compliance with the membership criteria is achieved.

It invites the Commission to report to the Council on progress at the latest in March 2024,

with a view to making a decision.

North Macedonia

18. The European Union is ready to complete the opening phase of the accession 

negotiations with North Macedonia as soon as it has implemented its commitment to 

complete theconstitutional changes as referred to in the Council conclusions of 18 July 

2022, in line with its internal procedures. The European Council calls on North Macedonia to 

accelerate the completion of these changes.

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Western Balkans

19. Reaffirming its full and unequivocal commitment to the EU membership perspective of 

the Western Balkans, the European Council calls for the acceleration of their accession 

process.

20. The European Council takes note of the Commission’s Communication on a new 

growth plan for the Western Balkans, which aims to accelerate the socio-economic 

convergence between the Western Balkans and the European Union, based on strict 

conditionalities, and encourages the region to step up the pace of EU-related reforms and to 

advance regional economic integration through the Common Regional Market, based on 

EU rules and standards.

21. The European Council remains committed to advancing the gradual integration between 

the European Union and the region during the enlargement process itself in a reversible and

merit-based manner.

Reforms

22. As the Union enlarges, successful European integration requires that Union policies be 

fit for the future and financed in a sustainable manner, based on the values on which the 

Union is founded, and that the EU institutions continue to function effectively.

23. The European Council will address internal reforms at its upcoming meetings with a view 

to adopting by summer 2024 conclusions on a roadmap for future work.

IV. MULTIANNUAL FINANCIAL FRAMEWORK 2021-2027

24. The European Council discussed the revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework

2021-2027 as set out in document EUCO 23/23, which was firmly supported by 26 Heads of

State or Government. The European Council will revert to the matter early next year.

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V. SECURITY AND DEFENCE

25. In the context of global instability, strategic competition and security threats, the 

European Council underlines the importance of strengthening European security and 

defence to deliver an ambitious geopolitical Union. The Union needs to take more 

responsibility for its own security and defence, pursue a strategic course of action and 

increase its capacity to act autonomously.

26. Having taken stock of work carried out to implement its previous conclusions, the 

Versailles Declaration and the Strategic Compass, the European Council underlines that 

more needs to be done to fulfil the Union’s objectives of increasing defence readiness and 

increasing defence expenditure in a collaborative way, including enhancing defence 

investment and capability development, and to achieve an effective and integrated market 

for defence. In particular, the European Council:

a) calls for the existing measures to be implemented as a matter of urgency to facilitate and

coordinate joint procurement and to increase the European defence industry’s

interoperability and production capacity in order to replenish Member State stocks,

notably in light of the support to be provided to Ukraine;

b) calls on the High Representative and the Commission, in coordination with the

European Defence Agency, to swiftly present a European Defence Industrial Strategy

(EDIS), including a proposal for a European Defence Investment Programme (EDIP), in

light of the need to strengthen the European defence technological and industrial base,

including SMEs, and to make it more innovative, competitive and resilient;

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c) underlines the importance of further developing an integrated market in the field of

defence to reinforce cross-border supply chains, ensure critical technologies and

improve the competitiveness of the European defence industry. To that end, the EU’s

regulatory framework for the defence industrial sector should be adapted to enhance

interoperability, standardisation, and harmonisation of certification processes and to

allow for faster and more flexible action, in particular with regard to public

procurement;

d) in view of the next Annual Progress Report of the Strategic Compass and in line with

the commitments undertaken by the participating Member States in the framework of

the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), calls for work to be intensified to

increase the defence readiness, resilience and security of the Union, including through

defence investment, military mobility, regular live exercises, enhancing space security,

countering cyber and hybrid threats, addressing foreign information manipulation and

interference (FIMI) based on the recently established toolbox which includes the

possibility of exploring new restrictive measures, and reinforcing the collaborative

development of the capabilities necessary to conduct the full range of missions and

operations, in particular through the implementation of the EU Rapid Deployment

Capacity;

e) calls for an enhanced role of the European Investment Bank Group in support of

European security and defence, building on the bank’s Strategic European Security

Initiative;

f) calls for continued work to strengthen the new Civilian CSDP Compact, in light of the

Council conclusions on civilian CSDP of 11 December 2023.

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27. A stronger and a more capable European Union in the field of security and defence will

contribute positively to global and transatlantic security and is complementary to NATO,

which remains the foundation of collective defence for its members. This is without 

prejudice to the specific character of the security and defence policy of  certain Member 

States, andtakes into account the security and defence interests of all Member States.

VI. MIGRATION AND OTHER ITEMS

Migration

28. The European Council held a strategic discussion on migration and took note of the 

recent letter by the President of the European Commission.

29. The European Union will continue to pursue a comprehensive approach to migration 

which combines increased external action, mutually beneficial comprehensive partnerships 

with countries of origin and transit, addressing the root causes of migration, opportunities 

for legal migration, more effective protection of EU external borders, resolutely fighting 

organised crime, human trafficking and smuggling, instrumentalisation of migration as a 

hybrid threat and stepping up returns.

Hybrid attacks

30. The European Council strongly condemns all hybrid attacks, including the 

instrumentalisation of migrants by third countries for political purposes, and remains 

determined to ensure effective control of the EU’s external borders. The European Union is 

determined to counter the ongoing hybrid attacks at its external borders launched by the 

Russian Federation and by Belarus.

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COP28

31. The European Council welcomes the successful conclusion of the COP28 UN Climate

Conference and the first Global Stocktake of the Paris Agreement, in particular the 

agreement to accelerate emission reductions towards net zero by 2050 and the agreement 

on reducing global emissions by 43 % by 2030 and 60 % by 2035 relative to the 2019 level, 

in line withthe best available science, to keep the 1.5 °C objective within reach. It also 

welcomes the agreement by all parties to transition away from fossil fuels in energy 

systems.

VII. EU-TÜRKIYE RELATIONS

32. The European Council takes note of the joint report of the High Representative and the

European Commission on the state of play of EU-Türkiye relations, and will revert to the

matter at an upcoming European Council meeting.

VIII. FIGHT AGAINST ANTISEMITISM, RACISM AND XENOPHOBIA

33. Seriously concerned about recent alarming incidents, the European Council reiterates its

condemnation in the strongest possible terms of all forms of antisemitism and hate,

intolerance, racism and xenophobia, including anti-Muslim hatred. It recalls in this context 

the European Union Anti-racism Action Plan and the European Strategy on combating

antisemitism and fostering Jewish life, the swift implementation of which is essential for the

security of Jewish communities.

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IX. STRATEGIC AGENDA

34. Following the informal meeting in Granada and subsequent consultations, and taking 

into account the long-term objectives of making the Union stronger and ready to welcome 

new members, the European Council will continue its work on the new Strategic Agenda, 

defining the Union’s priorities and ways to achieve them in the coming years and providing 

guidance for the Union during the next institutional cycle. It will adopt the next Strategic 

Agenda by summer 2024.