At an informal summit in Brussels on Monday, EU leaders are expected to negotiate the distribution of the EU’s top jobs after the elections – notably the posts of European Commission President, European Council President and foreign affairs chief.
Convoys of farmers protesting against agricultural regulations and food imports occupied the EU quarter in Brussels on Monday, blocking roads and setting fires. Following proposals from the European Commission, EU agriculture ministers vowed to cut red tape – but called for more ambitious proposals to better meet farmers’ demands.
The EU has agreed on a reform of emissions trading, the key climate protection instrument. A week after the corruption scandal in the European Parliament, Qatar has issued a statement warning of possible negative repercussions for relations with the EU. At the UN’s Biodiversity Conference, Brussels joined forces to significantly increase funding to counteract biodiversity loss.