Security and defence, education, culture and Brexit in the European Council

Security and defence

Heads of state and government discussed security and defence issues with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. They confirmed the launch of the permanent structured cooperation, PESCO, at a special event.

This cooperation will develop the European Union's operative capacity for military crisis management tasks, which may also be made available for actions such as UN operations. PESCO offers a framework for cooperation on the development of military capabilities, but also an opportunity for tangible security and defence policy projects.

Efforts for a more social Europe

At the Social Summit for Fair Jobs and Growth in Gothenburg on 17 November, EU leaders agreed to further develop the EU's social agenda. Continued efforts have developed in more detail in the conclusions of the December meeting. The EU will implement the European pillar of social rights, facilitate a well-functioning social dialogue at all levels and make progress on pending legislative matters on social issues. The EU will also follow up on the EU action plan to tackle gender-related pay gaps.

Education and culture

The European Council considers that education and culture are fundamental for creating a well-functioning society with the possibility of lifelong learning. To support work on education and culture in the Member States, the European Council will increase support to exchanges and mobility across borders among different groups, such as students, and also people in need of skills development. The European Council also wants to encourage more young people to learn languages and set a goal for young people to speak at least two foreign European languages.

The European Council also wants Member States to review various ways to tackle challenges related to digital transformation, cyber security and media skills, and encourage Member States to address education and further education issues in a lifelong perspective.

Climate change

The European Council welcomed the outcome of the climate summit in Paris in December 2017 and emphasised that EU countries will continue efforts to fight climate change, through actions such as adopting EU legislation.

Migration

Over dinner, heads of state and government discussed migration from several perspectives, including how the EU is to cooperate internally on migration in the future.

Euro cooperation

On the second day of the meeting, the heads of state and government met in an EU27 format for an inclusive Euro Summit. Heads of state and government, President of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi and President of the Eurogroup Jeroen Dijsselbloem discussed continued work to deepen the European Monetary Union, EMU.

Brexit negotiations

On the second day of the meeting, heads of state and government also met in the EU27 format to discuss the status of negotiations on the UK's withdrawal from the EU, Brexit. As expected, the leaders found that sufficient progress had been made in the first phase and that negotiations could move to the second phase. This assessment was made after the European Commission's Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier and the UK reached an agreement on solutions to the difficult issues of the rights that will apply for UK and EU citizens after the withdrawal, the agreement on the UK's economic commitments and the border conditions between Ireland and the UK.

In the guidelines, the European Council emphasises that it is ready to draft a framework for continued relations between the EU and the UK after its withdrawal and, in a first step, to negotiate a transitional solution.

Prime Minister Stefan Löfven represented Sweden at the meeting.