Main results - General Affairs Council

08 January 2019

The Council focused on the priorities of the Romanian presidency and plans for negotiations on the next long-term EU budget. Ministers also exchanged views on disinformation.

Romanian presidency priorities

The Council heard a presentation on the priorities of the Romanian presidency. 
These are organised around four pillars:

Priorities of the Romanian presidency

Next multiannual financial framework

Ministers were informed about the organisation of discussions on the multiannual financial framework for 2021-2027 in the coming months.

At their meeting on 13-14 December 2018, EU leaders welcomed the intensive preparatory work carried out during the Austrian presidency. They called on the Romanian presidency to develop an orientation for the next stage of the negotiations, with a view to achieving an agreement in the European Council in autumn 2019.

The presidency informed the Council that it intends to continue discussions at technical and political level with the aim of making substantive progress on both the structure and content of the next multiannual financial framework. At the same time intensive work will continue on the various sectoral proposals.

EU action against disinformation

Ministers exchanged views on how to respond to disinformation, taking particular account of the forthcoming European elections. The discussion follows a number of recent initiatives on tackling disinformation, as well as calls from the European Council for the development of a coordinated response.

Full press release


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