Overview of the main topics and events at the Council of EU and European Council.

The indicated format of each meeting (physical or virtual) are subject to change.

Video conference of development ministers, 23 November 2020

EU ministers of development will exchange views on linking debt relief and investments to the Sustainable Development Goals, and promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment in all external action

Video conference of research ministers, 27 November 2020

Ministers in charge of research will have an informal exchange of views on the investment targets for research and development proposed by the Commission in its Communication “A new ERA for Research and Innovation” of 30 September 2020

Video conference of youth ministers, 30 November 2020

Youth ministers will discuss youth mobility during the pandemic and beyond and will be briefed about the ongoing work in the area of democratic awareness among young people and the European Youth Work Agenda

Video conference of education ministers, 30 November 2020

Education ministers will express solidarity with the victims of terrorist attacks in Europe and will discuss the European Education Area and the European cooperation in education and training beyond 2020

Video conference of economics and finance ministers, 1 December 2020

Ministers are expected to discuss administrative cooperation in the field of taxation, the Banking Union, the Capital Markets Union, European Semester 2021, international debt relief, in particular for African countries, and international tax issues

Video conference of culture ministers, 1 December 2020

Ministers will discuss the recovery of the culture and media sector from the pandemic and will be briefed about the conclusions on gender equality in the field of culture, and on safeguarding a free and pluralistic media system

Video conference of sport ministers, 1 December 2020

Ministers will discuss the international sporting events during the pandemic and will be briefed about the EU Work Plan on Sport 2021-2024 and the conclusions on promoting cross-sectoral cooperation for the benefit of sport and physical activity in society

Video conference of justice ministers, 2 December 2020

Ministers will discuss the justice aspects of counter terrorism, as well as rule of law developments in the field of justice. They will be informed of the state of play on the proposal for a regulation on assignments of claims and of the latest developments in the setting up of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO)

Video conference of health ministers, 2 December 2020

Ministers will discuss ways to build a European Health Union and will exchange views about the pharmaceutical strategy for Europe

Video conference of employment and social policy ministers, 3 December 2020

Ministers will discuss social protection in the Platform economy and how to implement the Commission’s Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025

For video coverage of Council sessions and audiovisual material, please see the following Council websites:

On 10 September 2020, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2020/1269^[1] amending Decision 2014/145/CFSP.

The Council Decision renewed the existing restrictive measures for a further 6 months, until 15 March 2021, and amended the list of individual designations subject to restrictive measures as set out in the Annex to Decision 2014/145/CFSP, concerning 41 individuals and 28 entities.

The Candidate Countries Montenegro and Albania^[2], and the EFTA countries Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this Council Decision.

They will ensure that their national policies conform to this Council Decision.

The European Union takes note of this commitment and welcomes it.

^[1] Published on 11.09.2020 in the Official Journal of the European Union no. L 298, p. 23.

^[2] Montenegro and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.

Saturday 21 November 2020
G20 summit under the Saudi G20 Presidency via videoconference (local time)
16.00 Opening remarks
16.10 Working session 1
18.40 Side event “Pandemic preparedness and response”

Sunday 22 November 2020
G20 summit under the Saudi G20 Presidency via videoconference (local time)
15.30 Side event “Safeguarding the Planet”
16.00 Intervention at the working session 2
18.30 Closing remarks

Monday 23 November 2020
09.00 Phone call with Prime Minister of Kuwait Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah
11.00 Phone call  with the Holy Father Pope Francis

Tuesday 24 November 2020
10.00 Video conference with President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta

Thursday 26 November 2020
16.30 Video conference with inter-institutional actors

One of the discussions pivoted on procedures for equality and non-discrimination of migrants and people in need of international protection. FRA provided an overview of how non-discrimination provisions are embedded in EU law and how these resonate in practice. Special attention was given to non-discrimination provisions encapsulated in the EU law instruments establishing large-scale IT systems for migration management and in the EASO and Frontex regulations. Migration academics and representatives of the Council of Europe joined the event. 

FRA presented the Portfolio of Indicators and the Roma Survey 2020. On the second day, participants shared their experiences in health monitoring, and their lessons learned concerning reporting, stakeholder engagement, and data collection. In the closing session, new ideas were put forward to discuss in the following RWP meeting, scheduled for February 2021.