Delivering a speech on Sunday at the Aix-en-Provence Economic Forum, which is among the major economic events in France, Charles Michel President of the European Council started with the exceptional nature of this Covid-19 crisis. 

On 1 July 2020, Germany took over the presidency of the Council of the European Union. During a six-month period, Germany will lead the work of the Council during the recovery from the corona virus crisis, building co-operation and agreement between member states.

The EU-Republic of Korea Summit videoconference took place on Tuesday morning on important topics for both partners. It brought together the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the President of the Republic of Korea, Jae-in Moon.

Following the EU summit on Friday, Italian PM Giuseppe Conte said that the leaders made “a step forward", ANSA reported. "The right climate, one of convergence, is developing," he commented after the video conference, focused on the European Commission's proposed coronavirus Recovery Fund.

EU leaders concluded their June virtual summit with still significant divisions on the massive €1.85tn recovery package, composed of the revamped 2021-2027 MFF of €1.1tn and new €750bn Next Generation EU instrument. It was suggested by the Commission on 27 May, as a strong response to the socio-economic upshots of Covid-19 pandemic.

The European Council meeting dedicated to the huge recovery package that should help European economies to upsurge from the coronavirus shock, was kicked off as a videoconference on Friday morning. It is clear from the outset that no final outcome can be expected from this sitting, but the hopes are that the divisions will turn less severe. 

Three main items topped the agenda of the Eastern Partnership leaders' meeting held on Thursday via video conference - Covid-19 and the consequences of the crisis, the strategic partnership and EaP’s future. The virtual summit brought together the heads of state and government of the EU 27 member states and the leaders from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.

European countries are slamming the Trump administration's withdrawal from negotiations on a major digital services tax. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, speaking on France Inter, called it a “provocation” and said France will still implement the tax regardless of the US change of heart.

The Council adopted on Monday a decision adapting the EU position on the reference period to be used for measuring the growth of CO2 emissions in international aviation, to take account of the unprecedented drop in air traffic due to the coronavirus crisis.

With improving the health situation, the majority of EU countries plan to lift the controls at their internal borders and the travel restrictions by 15 June, and the others will do so until the end of the month. At a videoconference on Friday, organised by the Croatian Presidency, the EU Home Affairs ministers discussed the response to the Covid-19 pandemic in the field of internal border controls and the free movement of persons.