Leaders' agenda
The leaders' agenda is a work programme for the European Council.
Indicative leaders' agenda 2026
The indicative leaders' agenda was published in January 2026. Ukraine will be on the agenda for each European Council meeting as long as necessary, and migration and the Middle East will feature as often as required.
Other topics that leaders will address in 2026 include:
- competitiveness and the single market in a new geoeconomic context
- European defence and security
- the MFF, the EU's long-term budget
- enlargement
- the EU in the world
Indicative leaders' agenda 2025
The indicative leaders' agenda for 2025 was published in December 2024. Ukraine and the Middle East were to be featured on the agenda for each European Council meeting for as long as needed.
Other topics that leaders addressed over that period included:
- competitiveness and the single market
- the EU in the world
- the MFF
- migration
- security and defence
- enlargement
Indicative leaders' agenda 2021-2024
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, EU support for Ukraine was a regular agenda item for the European Council meetings. Other regular agenda items included the EU's strategic autonomy and long-term competitiveness.
In the years prior, EU leaders regularly discussed the global COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on resilience and preparedness, as well as the implementation of national recovery plans.
Last review: 20 January 2026