On the initiative of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, the Council agreed on Thursday evening that the head of the Mission of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the European Union be declared persona non grata. 

On Friday, the EU leaders started the second day of their video conference with a session on security and defence. With North Atlantic Treaty Organization Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg they will exchange views on EU-NATO cooperation. High Representative Josep Borrell will update leaders on ongoing work on the Strategic Compass.

After a five-hour video conference on Thursday, EU leaders remain determined to maintain tight restrictions while stepping up efforts to accelerate the provision of Covid-19 vaccines and to prepare for a tough fight with the variants of the virus.

On Thursday and Friday, the EU leaders will meet again via videoconference to continue their coordination work on the Covid-19 pandemic and advance other important issues on the agenda. It will take place against the background of continuing significant restrictions on movement, the introduction of border controls in part of the Schengen area and large losses for the economy.

During the Foreign Affairs Council held on Monday in Brussels, ministers had discussions about Russia, Iran and Hong Kong. The Council exchanged views, via video conference, with the new US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the substantive agenda for EU-US cooperation on key global, foreign and security policy issues. 

On Friday, President of the European Council Charles Michel will deliver a speech by video conference at a special edition of this global security event, focusing on the renewal of the transatlantic partnership and its role in the economic recovery following the pandemic. 

Czech PM Andrej Babis said on Wednesday that Central European countries asked European Council President Charles Michel to help ease controls imposed by Germany on the Czech and Austrian borders to free up the flow of goods and industrial components, Reuters reported.

During their informal video conference, EU economic and finance ministers examined closely the current economic situation and outlook. Prior to the discussions, the Commission gave a recap of its 2021 winter forecast and the European Central Bank zoomed in on financial stability related matters. Ministers also discussed the implementation of the measures agreed last year as part of the EU’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Commission's winter economic forecast, presented  last week, directly binds the expectations for light at the end of the tunnel in the spring to the vaccine roll out rate. That is why the videoconference meeting of the Eurogroup on Monday started exactly with a snapshot of the grip concerning the sanitary crisis, on the loosening of which the dynamics of economic growth will further depend.

The 7th Association Council between the EU and Ukraine, held in Brussels on Thursday, reaffirmed its continued commitment to strengthening the political links and economic integration of Ukraine with the European Union on the basis of the Association Agreement and its Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area and to the common values enshrined in it.