EU Council

The Council of the EU is drawing attention to Europe's push to develop its own payment system, reducing reliance on foreign networks such as Visa, Mastercard and US-operated platforms. The discussion centres on sovereignty, sanctions resilience and strategic autonomy in financial infrastructure, as Brussels weighs how to keep European transactions independent from non-European providers.

The Council of the European Union has identified the first five projects of common interest for the European defence industry, a step meant to boost cooperation between member states' defence manufacturers and strengthen Europe's capacity to produce military equipment collectively. The move is part of broader EU efforts to deepen defence integration in response to security concerns on the continent.

The Council of the European Union has moved to strengthen the EU's architecture for responding to threats in space. The step is part of broader European efforts to protect satellites and space infrastructure that underpin communications, navigation and security. The announcement comes as concerns grow over anti-satellite weapons, space debris and the vulnerability of critical orbital assets.

The Council of Europe's anti-corruption body GRECO has published compliance summaries evaluating how Denmark, Hungary, Türkiye and Ukraine are meeting its anti-corruption recommendations. The reports assess each country's progress on issues such as judicial independence, transparency and the prevention of corruption among elected officials. Hungary and Türkiye have repeatedly drawn criticism in past evaluations, while Ukraine's compliance is closely watched amid its EU accession bid.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry says it will add 20 Russian oligarchs to its national sanctions list, in response to the EU Council lifting sanctions on businessmen Mikhail Fridman and Alisher Usmanov. The move signals Kyiv's intent to maintain pressure on Russian elites even where European measures have been rolled back, and is drawing attention to a widening gap between Ukrainian and EU sanctions policy.

The Atlantic Council argues Europe needs a new strategy to counter Russian grey zone aggression, meaning hostile actions below the threshold of open war such as sabotage, disinformation and cyberattacks. The analysis, published on its Ukraine Alert blog, warns that current responses are inadequate and calls for a coordinated European approach to these destabilising tactics amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The EU Council has given the green light to new rules aimed at making the return of rejected asylum seekers and irregular migrants more effective. The legislation is intended to streamline deportation procedures across member states, a long-stalled priority for Brussels. Migration policy remains a divisive issue in Europe, and the decision is likely to draw criticism from rights groups while being welcomed by governments pushing for tougher enforcement.

The Council of Europe is carrying out efforts to strengthen constitutional justice and human rights protections in Albania. The initiative reflects ongoing cooperation between Albania and European institutions on reforming the country's legal system and aligning it with European human rights standards.

Draft European Council conclusions for the October 15-16 summit show EU leaders plan to urge Ukraine and other participants to intensify efforts to secure all planned 2026 payments under the Ukraine Support Loan and the Ukraine Facility. Ukraine has so far received €14.9 billion under these mechanisms, and leaders want disbursement schedules kept on track.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen used her 2026 State of the Union address to propose creating a European Security Council, a new body intended to strengthen the EU's collective defence and security decision-making. The proposal comes amid ongoing debates about Europe's defence capabilities and its role in international security, and is expected to prompt discussion among member states over how such a council would operate.

The Council of Europe presented an updated version of its Rule of Law Checklist to the European Parliament. The checklist is a practical tool used to assess how well states uphold the rule of law, covering areas such as independence of the judiciary and protection of fundamental rights. The presentation signals continued cooperation between the two institutions on rule-of-law monitoring.

The President of the European Court of Human Rights held a meeting with Germany's Federal Foreign Minister. The talks, announced by the Council of Europe, come amid ongoing debate across Europe over the Court's role and member states' compliance with its rulings. Details of the discussion, including whether specific cases or reforms were raised, have not been disclosed.

The Council of the European Union has agreed its negotiating position on simplifying and streamlining food and feed safety requirements. The move is part of broader efforts to cut administrative burdens for businesses while maintaining safety standards. The stance will form the basis for talks with the European Parliament on revising the rules.

EU member states have agreed a common negotiating position on the next Multiannual Financial Framework's support for the fisheries sector covering 2028-2034. The Council will now negotiate with the European Parliament and the European Commission over how future funding for fishing communities, fleet measures and sustainable fisheries will be structured under the next long-term EU budget.