General Affairs Council
General Affairs Council, 16 September 2025
Main results
Ministers responsible for European affairs started preparations for the October 2025 European Council by discussing its annotated draft agenda. The Commission presented a letter of intent in preparation of its 2026 work programme on which ministers exchanged views.
As part of the Council’s annual rule of law dialogue, ministers discussed general developments on the rule of law situation in the EU and exchanged views on the general trend of rule of law in several candidate countries, namely Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.
<p>Marie Bjerre, Minister for European affairs of Denmark</p>
In the current geopolitical situation, EU’s enlargement is a top priority. The rule of law remains a fundamental condition for EU membership as part of the Copenhagen criteria that all new members must meet. The discussion at today’s Council with Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia marks the importance of including candidate countries in our dialogue. It shows again that the EU takes rule of law issues very seriously. Rule of law is not just something for the accession process. It is a fundamental and defining value, when you are a member of the EU.
Marie Bjerre, Minister for European affairs of Denmark
October European Council preparation
The Council started preparing the European Council meeting of October 2025 by discussing the annotated draft agenda, which includes:
Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine
latest developments in the Middle East with a focus on Gaza
European defence and security
competitiveness and twin transition
housing, and
migration
The preparatory work will continue at the next General Affairs Council on 21 October 2025.
Legislative programming
The Commission presented its letter of intent of 10 September 2025, published following the State of the Union speech. In its letter, the Commission sets out the initiatives of major political importance for the coming year, in advance of the adoption of its 2026 work programme. The Commission presented the following key priorities for the upcoming year:
a new plan for Europe’s sustainable prosperity and competitiveness
a new era for European defence and security
supporting people, strengthening our societies and our social model
sustaining our quality of life: food security, water and nature
protecting our democracy, upholding our values
global Europe: leveraging our power and partnerships
This presentation was followed by an exchange of views among ministers. The presidency will summarise this exchange in a letter to the president of the Commission to provide the Commission with the ministers’ views on the envisaged priorities and initiatives. The 2026 work programme will be presented to the General Affairs Council (GAC) on 17 November 2025.
The three institutions will then work towards preparing the joint declaration on the EU legislative priorities for 2026, to be approved by GAC on 16 December 2025 and signed in the margins of the December European Council meeting.
Letter of intent with regard to the preparation of the Commission work programme for 2026, 10 September 2025
Annual rule of law dialogue
As part of the Council’s annual rule of law dialogue, ministers held a horizontal discussion on general developments related to the rule of law situation in the EU. The discussion was based on the Commission’s 2025 rule of law report published on 8 July 2025.
The debate covered four areas related to the rule of law: the justice systems, the anti-corruption framework, media pluralism and freedom, and other institutional issues related to checks and balances.
During the discussion, ministers welcomed the overall progress in fulfilling the Commission’s recommendations, as well as the integration of a structured assessment of the rule of law’s impact on the single market in this year’s report.
They also welcomed – for a second consecutive year – the inclusion of the four candidate countries in the 2025 report. Ministers reiterated their support for the exercise as a useful tool to guide national reforms and considered important to continue the dialogue in full respect of the principles of objectivity, non-discrimination and equal treatment of all member states.
The Council is expected to hold a country-specific discussion at the General Affairs Council meeting in November, focusing on Bulgaria, Czechia, Germany and Ireland.
2025 Rule of Law Report: the importance of the rule of law for Europe’s democracy, security and economy, Commission press release, 8 July 2025
Rule of law (background information)
Rule of law in candidate countries
For a second consecutive year, ministers exchanged views on the overall trend of the rule of law situation in four candidate countries, namely Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. Ministers from the countries concerned took also part in the discussion.
The rule of law has a central role in the enlargement process as a fundamental condition for EU membership. The inclusion of the candidate countries in the rule of law report aims to put them on equal footing with member states and providing an additional platform to support their reform efforts and accession process.
Against this background, ministers held a broad exchange of views on rule of law matters with these candidate countries. The discussion focused on general trends within the four areas related to the rule of law and no formal conclusions were issued after the debate. Discussions on the rule of law in individual candidate countries will continue to take place in the framework of the enlargement process.
2025 Rule of law report (European Commission)
Rule of law: why it matters (background information)
Any other business
The Council took note of the information provided by the French delegation on the upcoming Commission proposal regarding the EU democracy shield. The French delegation underlined that this initiative should:
significantly enhance civil society’s resilience to information manipulation by promoting the dissemination of reliable, pluralistic, and high-quality information, and
guarantee the integrity of the EU democratic processes, in particular by ensuring the full implementation of European legislation on digital services.
The Polish delegation also informed the Council on the violation of the Polish airspace by Russian drones on the night of 9-10 September, as well as the reaction of the Polish and allied military forces.
Other items
The Council adopted a recommendation about the gradual transition of Ukrainian displaced persons from temporary protection to other residence statuses, when conditions allow. It also proposes action to facilitate the reintegration of Ukrainian refugees into Ukrainian society.
With this recommendation, the EU is preparing for a coordinated approach for when conditions in Ukraine are conducive to phasing out the temporary protection status.
Meeting files
Preparatory documents
List of A items, non-legislative activities
List of A items, legislative deliberations
Provisional agenda
Background brief
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