The Council of the European Union will be headed by Belgium for the first six months of 2024 (1st of January to the 30th of June), a special year for the institution because next June, the citizens of the 27 Member States (nearly 200 million voters in the last elections in 2019) will elect the 720 new Members of the European Parliament.
Moreover, Belgium assumes the rotating Presidency for the thirteenth time, at a moment when the European Union stands at a crossroads, dealing with the consequences of the Russian illegal aggression in Ukraine, the pandemic, the energy crisis, disinformation, extreme climate events, and a renewed conflict in the Middle East.
For six months, as an honest and neutral intermediary as the nature of a presidency requires, Belgium will strive to encourage discussions and build consensus between the Member States, between the Council and the other European institutions, and between the European Union and its international partners.
The Belgian Presidency will work towards better protecting European citizens, strengthening cooperation, and preparing our shared future. It will focus on six thematic areas and will provide particular attention to maintaining our unwavering support to Ukraine.
Read the Belgian Presidency Programme here.
