Weekly schedule of President António Costa, 16-22 March 2026.

Simplification: Council agrees position to streamline EU rules on artificial intelligence.

European Council President António Costa invited leaders to the meeting of 19 and 20 March 2026 in Brussels, during which they will discuss Ukraine, Middle East, defence and security, competitiveness and single market, next Multiannual Financial Framework, and migration. 

Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the alignment of certain third countries with Council Decision (CFSP) 2026/455 of 26 February 2026 on restrictive measures to combat terrorism, repealing Articles 2, 3 and 3a of Common Position 2001/931/CFSP on the application of specific measures to combat terrorism and repealing Decision (CFSP) 2025/1577 and Decision (CFSP) 2026/421.

Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the alignment of certain third countries with Council Decision (CFSP) 2026/421 of 19 February 2026 amending Decision (CFSP) 2025/1577 updating the list of persons, groups and entities covered by Common Position 2001/931/CFSP on the application of specific measures to combat terrorism.

On 11 March 2026, the President of the European Council, António Costa and the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev met in Baku, the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Council agrees on a mandate to begin negotiations with the European Parliament on new simplified provisions for fisheries and aquaculture statistics.

The President of the Eurogroup, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, has sent a letter to the President of the Euro Summit, António Costa, to report on the recent work by the Eurogroup and upcoming work priorities.

European Council President António Costa addressed the press following the meeting with the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in Baku, on 11 March 2026.

Kyriakos Pierrakakis, President of the Eurogroup, is travelling to Amsterdam and The Hague where he will meet the Dutch Minister of Finance and the President of the Dutch Central Bank.

European Council President António Costa spoke at the annual conference of the EU ambassadors from the EU delegations and offices around the world, the heads of EU military and civilian missions and the heads of the European Commission representations in all 27 EU member states.

Remarks by Eurogroup President Kyriakos Pierrakakis on macroeconomic developments in the euro area, digital finance (including tokenisation and stablecoins), and energy prices and their implications for the euro area economy in the context of heightened geopolitical instability.

Eurogroup issued a statement on the Belgian draft budgetary plan for 2026.

The Council has adopted a recommendation on human capital that will help member states tackle labour and skills shortages across the EU, with a view to boosting competitiveness and resilience.

President Costa and President von der Leyen issued a joint statement after the video conference with Leaders from Middle East countries on the war in Iran, on 9 March 2026.

The Council presidency, the European Central Bank, the European Commission and the President of the Eurogroup met with European social partners on 9 March 2026 to discuss recent developments of the economic situation, as well as a thematic topic chosen by the Cyprus Presidency: “Artificial Intelligence and the Future of the EU labour market: Safeguarding EU Competitiveness and Social Cohesion”.

The Council has approved conclusions calling on member states and the Commission to invest in children, in order to increase their well-being and combat poverty and social exclusion in the EU.

The Council today agreed to the appointment of Andrés Ritter as the new European chief prosecutor to the EPPO from 1 November 2026.

On 6 March 2026, European Council President António Costa was in Hamburg where he delivered a speech at the Matthiae Mahl event.

Weekly schedule of President António Costa, 9-15 March 2026.