Foreign Affairs Council (Trade), 26-29 March 2026

Main results

The Foreign Affairs Council, in its Trade configuration (FAC Trade), met in the margins of the 14th ministerial conference (MC14) of the World Trade Organization (WTO), which was held in Yaoundé, Cameroon, from 26 to 30 March 2026. The FAC Trade meeting was chaired by the minister of energy, commerce and industry of the Republic of Cyprus, Michael Damianos, as rotating presidency of the Council. The European Commission was represented by the Commissioner for trade and economic security, Maroš Šefčovič, and the Commissioner for agriculture and food, Christophe Hansen.

The opening session of the FAC meeting took place on 26 March, before the beginning of the conference. On the same day, the Council approved a first set of conclusions detailing the EU’s position and expectations for the MC14.

Throughout the conference, the Commission regularly consulted member states on developments.

On 29 March, before the end of the MC14, EU ministers reconvened for the closing session of the FAC Trade meeting. Subsequently, the Council approved a second set of conclusions on the outcomes of the conference.

• Council conclusions at the end of the 14th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization
• Council conclusions at the start of the 14th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization
• 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (official website)
• EU and the World Trade Organization (background information)
• The EU and the WTO (European Commission)
• EU submission on WTO reform (21 January 2026)
• Foreign Affairs Council (Trade) in the margins of WTO MC13 in Abu Dhabi, UAE (25-29 February 2024)