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European Council      25/4/2018  Remarks by President Donald Tusk after his meeting with President Aleksandar Vučić of Serbia Thank you very much, Aleksandar (Vučić). Good evening. I am happy to be back in Belgrade. And I'm grateful for the hospitality of President Vučić. As always. And as always, I had to prepare particularly well for my visit to Serbia. Because I know that, in politics, you are as creative as Nikola Tesla was in science, as effective as Novak Djokovic has been in tennis, and – whenever you want to – as charming as your kolodance. The main reason for my visit is to prepare for the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Sofia on 17 May. And so I came with a clear message: the European Union is, and wants to remain the most reliable partner for Serbia and the entire Western Balkans region. At our summit in Sofia, we will reconfirm our readiness to continue the work on a European perspective for the region. Today, I will not repeat all the slogans about the benefits of mutual cooperation. Just like you, I dislike propaganda. I also know that you hate it when someone tells you what you should do. You have proved many times in your history that you are tough, stubborn and independent. It is you – and you alone – who decide about your destiny. And I know that you will not allow this to change. As a Pole, born and raised under Communism, I well remember our admiration for your courage. We were in the same political bloc, but you were able to establish far greater political independence. In my generation, the legend about your heroic and effective resistance during the Second World War is still very much alive. As a Pole, I know very well what I am talking about. Since those days, even the Germans have known that it is better to be on your side than not. Today, it is clear for the whole world that the future of Serbia will be decided neither by Moscow, nor Washington. Neither by Ankara, nor by Brussels. It will be decided only by Belgrade. As a Pole and a convinced European, I want to tell you that the European Union is precisely the place where nobody imposes anything on anyone. We have built this community so that nobody would ever pay with their blood for their independence. Therefore, it is worth looking at the EU as a project of a strategic dimension. Together we can win almost everything: prosperity, highest standards of public life, lasting democracy with the rule of law and freedom of speech, security, and above all mutual respect and preserving national identity. I am standing here next to my friend and your President, Aleksandar Vučić. A flesh and blood Serbian, I think that to be more Serbian than him is impossible. My talks with him, on our cooperation and our common European path, are always a great challenge. I see a soulmate in him, I was myself in the past a football fan, always ready to fight for the honour of my club. We both know that in life and in politics you sometimes have to fight without a moment's hesitation. But we also know that dialogue and an effort to understand each other is better than conflict. Aleksandar Vučić is living proof that you can be at the same time a strong patriot and a reasonable pragmatist. I am not sure if you know that it is in fact him who initiated the ambitious vision of the economic integration of this region. Already now, without waiting for the conclusion of the accession process. Thanks to his vision and determination, the Sofia summit will also be about strengthening our economic cooperation. Already now the EU is the biggest investor, the biggest donor and the biggest trading partner for the region. More than 60% of Serbia's trade is with the EU, and more than 60% of foreign direct investment in Serbia comes from the EU. Still, we would like to deepen our economic relations further. Therefore, the Sofia summit will aim to substantially increase connectivity between the EU and the Western Balkans region. We want to boost cooperation where it will have the biggest benefit for all sides. This means investment in roads, railways, and smoother transitions at the borders, or in the skies, as was the case with the EIB agreement that we have just witnessed being signed. But it also means more student and cultural exchanges, and eventually a reduction of roaming charges. During our meeting, we discussed the situation in the Western Balkans. I want to thank President Vučić for his personal engagement in the dialogue with Pristina. I know this is a difficult and emotionally charged issue. But it is also a strategic choice that will pay off in the long run. Let me conclude by quoting one of your famous writers, Borislav Pekić, who devoted his life to the European values of democracy and freedom, and who 30 years ago wrote an article entitled "The Desire for Europe", in which he said: "I wish the history of Serbia could also be its future, not only patriotic memory." Since then, Serbia and the entire region have gone through difficult times. It's now time for us to work together on a future in which Serbia will find its natural place as an integral part of a united Europe. Thank you.

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Council of the European Union    25/4/2018  European travel information and authorisation system (ETIAS): Council confirms agreement with European Parliament On 25 April, EU ambassadors confirmed an agreement reached between the Council Presidency and the European Parliament representatives on the proposal for a European travel information and authorisation system (ETIAS). "Today's agreement is another important step in protecting the EU's external borders. By knowing who is coming to the EU before they even arrive at the border, we will be better able to stop those who may pose a threat to our citizens." Valentin Radev, Bulgarian minister of interior ETIAS will allow for advance checks and, if necessary, deny travel authorisation to visa-exempt third-country nationals travelling to the Schengen area. It will help improve internal security, prevent illegal immigration, protect public health and reduce delays at the borders by identifying persons who may pose a risk in one of these areas before they arrive at the external borders. Functioning of the system

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Συμβούλιο της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης      19/4/2018  Απλούστερη χρήση των κονδυλίων της ΕΕ: Το Συμβούλιο επιβεβαίωσε τη συμφωνία με το Κοινοβούλιο Η ΕΕ απλουστεύει τους κανόνες για τη χρήση κονδυλίων από τον προϋπολογισμό της. Στις 19 Απριλίου 2018 η Επιτροπή των Μόνιμων Αντιπροσώπων του Συμβουλίου (ΕΜΑ) ενέκρινε συμφωνία που επιτεύχθηκε με το Ευρωπαϊκό Κοινοβούλιο σχετικά με τον αποκαλούμενο κανονισμό «Omnibus» για τους δημοσιονομικούς κανόνες της ΕΕ. Ο κανονισμός θα τροποποιήσει τον ισχύοντα δημοσιονομικό κανονισμό, ο οποίος καθορίζει ένα γενικό πλαίσιο για τη διαχείριση του προϋπολογισμού, καθώς και μια σειρά πράξεων που διέπουν τα πολυετή προγράμματα της ΕΕ σε συγκεκριμένους τομείς, συμπεριλαμβανομένης της πολιτικής για τη συνοχή. Θα θεσπιστούν απλούστεροι κανόνες για τη χρήση των διαφόρων ειδών κονδυλίων, ανεξάρτητα από το αν η διαχείρισή τους γίνεται άμεσα από την Επιτροπή, έμμεσα από διάφορα όργανα και οργανισμούς ή από κοινού με εθνικές αρχές.

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| SPEECH Report by President Donald Tusk to the European Parliament on March European Council meetings Let me brief you on the outcome of the March European Council, where leaders tackled a number of issues, ranging from Russia and Turkey to trade, taxation and, of course, Brexit. The European Council agreed with the UK Government’s assessment that it is highly likely that the Russian Federation is responsible for the nerve agent attack in Salisbury. We expressed full solidarity with the United Kingdom by condemning this attack and as a response many leaders decided to expel Russian diplomats. The EU ambassador to Moscow was recalled for consultations. Speaking about Russia, I should mention last weekend's targeted airstrikes by France, the United Kingdom and the United States against Syrian chemical weapons facilities. The use of chemical weapons, anywhere in the world, must not become normalised. Nor can it be without consequences. The airstrikes were necessary and proportionate to deter further use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime to kill its own people. It is urgent that all parties in Syria engage in the UN-led political process to end this tragedy. Above all, Russia and Iran should stop playing games and seriously engage in finding a responsible and peaceful solution. The European Council discussed trade and called for a permanent EU exemption from the US tariffs on steel and aluminium. We strongly supported the steps taken by the European Commission to ensure that the interests of the Union are fully protected. In case there is no permanent exemption for the EU, we will have no choice but to react. We wish to avoid this route, which is why I called for a dialogue that will bring more trade between the US and the EU, not less. Free and fair trade is one of the most powerful engines for growth and jobs, and we should make full use of it. It is simply in everyone's interest. Leaders also discussed the digital economy, which is a great opportunity, but also a challenge for tax systems. There was a clear understanding that we need to make our tax systems fit for the digital era. A global tax regime would certainly be most welcome, but many felt that it would take too much time to prepare. The discussion confirmed the leaders' desire to work towards an effective and fair solution among EU Member States. In the context of the digital economy, we also discussed recent revelations related to Facebook and Cambridge Analytica. The European Council called on social networks and digital platforms to guarantee transparent practices and full protection of citizens' privacy and personal data. EU and national legislation must be respected and enforced. This important matter, together with other issues relating to Digital Europe, will be discussed by the leaders at the informal meeting in Sofia in May. During the Euro Summit, leaders exchanged views on long term challenges ahead of the EMU. The EU economy is back to pre-crisis growth rates, which makes this a very good time to reflect strategically on our ambitions. Many of the themes we discussed – like a fiscal capacity for the euro area – are difficult, but I see avenues to be explored. As we agreed in December, the most urgent political priority remains strengthening the Banking Union and further developing the ESM. This remains my goal, even though I am not a blind optimist. In June we will aim to take a first set of decisions and provide additional guidance on the way forward. On Brexit. The EU27 adopted guidelines for the future EU-UK relationship and welcomed the progress made on the Withdrawal Agreement. We want to use the positive momentum in these negotiations to finally settle outstanding issues such as the solution to avoid a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. The UK's decision on Brexit has caused the problem, and the UK will have to help solve it. Without a solution, there will be no withdrawal agreement and no transition. Leaders will assess the negotiations in June. In parallel, we will start our first talks about the future EU-UK relationship. Finally, on Turkey. Despite many controversies, we agreed that the EU-Turkey meeting should go ahead. I met President Erdoğan in Varna, together with Jean-Claude (Juncker) and Prime Minister Borissov. We took stock of where things now stand in our relationship and set out some parameters for the future. We expressed clearly different views on democratic standards, Turkey's involvement in Syria and its illegal actions in the Eastern Mediterranean as well as the Aegean Sea. However, we decided to keep the lines of communication open. We will also continue to work closely together on issues such as migration and terrorism. Before concluding let me say a few words about the Western Balkans, where I will travel next week to prepare EU-Western Balkans Summit in Sofia on 17 May. The message to our friends is clear: the European Union is and will continue to be the most reliable partner for the entire region. As the biggest investor, the biggest donor, the biggest trading market and the best promise for a better future for citizens. Our summit should reaffirm the European perspective of the region. And more importantly, it should improve, in concrete terms, connections with and within the region. Thank you. General Affairs Council, 17/04/2018 Main results Rule of law in Poland  The Council discussed the situation with regard to the rule of law in Poland.  The Commission updated ministers on the latest developments in its dialogue with the Polish authorities.  The Council will return to this issue at its next meeting.  Commission's reasoned proposal under Article 7(1) TEU EU electoral law  The Council discussed amendments to the 1976 Electoral Act which lays down a number of common rules concerning elections to the European Parliament.  The main change concerns the introduction of an obligatory minimum threshold of 2% to 5% for constituencies with more than 35 seats in the EP elections. This rule would also apply to single-constituency member states. The Council will continue efforts to reach an agreement on this file as soon as possible. Enlargement Ministers heard a presentation from the Commission on its new enlargement package. EU enlargement (background information) Meeting information Meeting n°3614   Luxembourg   17/04/2018   14:00 Preparatory documents Indicative programme, General Affairs Council, 17 April 2018 Provisional agenda, General Affairs Council, 17 April 2018 List of A items, non-legislative activities, General Affairs Council, 17 April 2018 Background brief Outcome documents Outcome of the Council meeting List of participants

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European Council      17/4/2018 G7 Leaders' Statement on Syria We, the G7 Leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and the European Union, are united in condemning, in the strongest possible terms, the use of chemical weapons in the April 7 attack in Eastern Ghouta, Syria. We fully support all efforts made by the United States, the United Kingdom and France to degrade the Assad regime’s ability to use chemical weapons and to deter any future use, demonstrated by their action taken on April 13. This response was limited, proportionate and necessary – and taken only after exhausting every possible diplomatic option to uphold the international norm against the use of chemical weapons. Use of chemical weapons is a breach of the Chemical Weapons Convention and constitutes a threat to international peace and security. The repeated and morally reprehensible use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime in the past has been confirmed by independent international investigators. We condemn this deliberate strategy of terrorizing local populations and forcing them into submission. Syria’s possession of chemical weapons and their means of delivery are illegal under UN Security Council Resolution 2118 and the Chemical Weapons Convention. We stand together against impunity for those who develop or use these weapons, anywhere, anytime, under any circumstances. We remain committed to a diplomatic solution to the conflict in Syria. We commend and support UN Special Envoy de Mistura’s efforts towards an inclusive and credible political transition in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2254 and the Geneva Communiqué. Council of the European Union      16/4/2018 Syria: Council adopts conclusions EU foreign ministers discussed the latest developments in Syria, including following the targeted US, French and UK airstrikes on chemical weapons facilities. They discussed the need to relaunch a political solution to the conflict in the framework of the UN-led Geneva process, ahead of Brussels II conference on Supporting the future of Syria and the region. The Council adopted conclusions on Syria. Read the full text of the conclusions Syria: Council response to the crisis Supporting the future of Syria and the region - Brussels conference of 24-25 April 2018 Council of the European Union      16/4/2018 Council adopts its position on a new legal framework against unfair trade competition The Council adopted today its position on the regulation modernising the EU's trade defence instruments, following the political agreement reached with the EP in December 2017. This step clears the way for the final adoption of the text by the Parliament in the coming weeks. The regulation amends the existing legal framework which allows  higher tariffs to be imposed on dumped or subsidised imports in order to improve the protection of EU producers from damage caused by unfair competition.  The new regulation makes EU trade defence instruments more predictable, transparent and accessible, in particular for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). “The adoption of these new trade defence instruments is particularly timely. In the face of protectionist pressures and growing threats to the values and principles of the rules-based trading system, it is all the more important for the EU to have  the right tools, whilst at the same time supporting free and fair trade." said Emil Karanikolov, the minister responsible for trade matters of Bulgaria, which currently holds the Council presidency The proposed regulation will: Increase the transparency and predictability of provisional anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures. This includes a pre-disclosure period of three weeksafter the information is made public during which provisional duties will not be applied, as well as additional safety nets related to stockpiling. Enable investigations to be launched without an official request from industry when there is a threat of retaliation by third countries. Enable trade unions to submit complaints together with industry and to become interested parties in the proceedings. Reduce the normal investigation period to a period of 7 months, with a maximum period of 8 months. Definitive duties will have to be imposed within 14 months. Enable higher duties to be imposed where there are raw material distortionsand where these raw materials, including energy, account individually for more than 17% of receipts. This would allow for the level of duties imposed under the "lesser duty rule" to be adapted if it is in the interest of the EU. The imposition of higher duties will include a target profit set at a minimum of 6%. Enable importers to be reimbursed of duties collected during an expiry review investigation in cases where trade defence measures not being upheld. Take into account social and environmental standards when assessing the acceptability of an undertaking and when establishing the injury elimination margin. The Council's position was adopted by a qualified majority, with Ireland abstaining and Sweden and UK voting against. The European Parliament is now expected to vote in plenary on the final text of the regulation, thereby completing the legislative procedure in second reading. The formal signature of the regulation is foreseen in Strasbourg in late May. The regulation should be published in the Official Journal shortly thereafter. TDI regulation: Text of the Council's position TDI regulation: statement of the Council's reasons on its position at first reading Council of the European Union      16/4/2018 Malicious cyber activities: Council adopts conclusions On 16 April 2018, the Council adopted conclusions on malicious cyber activities which underline the importance of a global, open, free, stable and secure cyberspace where human rights and fundamental freedoms and the rule of law fully apply. The Council expresses its serious concern about the increased ability and willingness of third states and non-state actors to pursue their objectives by undertaking malicious cyber activities. The EU will continue to bolster its capabilities to address cyber threats. The Council firmly condemns the malicious use of information and communications technologies (ICTs), including in Wannacry and NotPetya, which have caused significant damage and economic loss in the EU and beyond. It stresses that the use of ICTs for malicious purposes is unacceptable. The EU expresses its willingness to continue working on the further development and implementation of voluntary non-binding norms, rules and principles for the responsible state behaviour in cyberspace within the UN and other appropriate international fora. Read the full text of the conclusions Cyber attacks: EU ready to respond with a range of measures, including sanctions, press release of 19 June 2017 ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ Συμβούλιο της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης      16/4/2018  Κακόβουλες δραστηριότητες στον κυβερνοχώρο: το Συμβούλιο εγκρίνει συμπεράσματα Στις 16 Απριλίου 2018, το Συμβούλιο ενέκρινε συμπεράσματα σχετικά με τις κακόβουλες δραστηριότητες στον κυβερνοχώρο όπου υπογραμμίζεται η σημασία που έχει ένας παγκόσμιος, ανοικτός, ελεύθερος, σταθερός και ασφαλής κυβερνοχώρος, στον οποίο εφαρμόζονται πλήρως τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα, οι θεμελιώδεις ελευθερίες και το κράτος δικαίου. Το Συμβούλιο εκφράζει τη σοβαρή ανησυχία του για την αυξημένη ικανότητα και προθυμία τρίτων κρατών και μη κρατικών παραγόντων να επιδιώκουν τους στόχους τους αναλαμβάνοντας κακόβουλες δραστηριότητες στον κυβερνοχώρο. Η ΕΕ θα εξακολουθήσει να ενισχύει τις ικανότητές της για την αντιμετώπιση των απειλών στον κυβερνοχώρο. Το Συμβούλιο καταδικάζει απερίφραστα την κακόβουλη χρήση τεχνολογιών των πληροφοριών και των επικοινωνιών (ΤΠΕ), όπως στα περιστατικά με το Wannacry και το NotPetya, τα οποία έχουν προκαλέσει σοβαρή βλάβη και οικονομική ζημία εντός και εκτός των συνόρων της ΕΕ. Τονίζει δε ότι η χρήση ΤΠΕ για δόλιους σκοπούς είναι απαράδεκτη. Η ΕΕ δηλώνει πρόθυμη να συνεχίσει να εργάζεται, εντός του ΟΗΕ και άλλων κατάλληλων διεθνών φόρουμ, για την περαιτέρω ανάπτυξη και εφαρμογή των εθελοντικών μη δεσμευτικών προτύπων, κανόνων και αρχών υπεύθυνης κρατικής συμπεριφοράς στον κυβερνοχώρο. Διαβάστε το πλήρες κείμενο των συμπερασμάτων Κυβερνοεπιθέσεις: Η ΕΕ είναι έτοιμη να αντιδράσει με σειρά μέτρων, μεταξύ των οποίων και κυρώσεις, δελτίο Τύπου της 19ης Ιουνίου 2017 Council of the European Union      16/4/2018 Chemical disarmament and non-proliferation: Council adopts conclusions On 16 April 2018, the Council adopted conclusions on chemical disarmament and non-proliferation with a view towards the fourth special session of the conference of the states parties to review the operation of the chemical weapons convention on the prohibition of the development, production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons and on their destruction. This session will take place in The Hague on 21-30 November 2018. The Council recalls that the European Union stands united in its support for the total prohibition and elimination of chemical weapons worldwide and that it strongly believes that use of chemical weapons, including the use of any toxic chemicals as weapons, by anyone, be it a State or a non-State actor, anywhere, and under any circumstances is abhorrent and must be rigorously condemned. The Council reaffirms that the use of chemical weapons is unacceptable, constitutes a breach of international law and may amount to a war crime or a crime against humanity and that there can be no impunity and those responsible for such acts must be held accountable. It underlines that the most recent reports from Syria, which are truly shocking and must be urgently and independently investigated, only serve to reinforce the EU's shared determination. Furthermore, the Council welcomes the upcoming fourth review conference of the Chemical Weapons Convention and expresses its commitment to contributing constructively to its successive outcome. Read the full text of the conclusions Disarmament, non-proliferation and arms export control (EEAS website)