Brussels 16.10.2021 The EU leaders convene in Brussels to discuss developments related to COVID-19, crisis management and resilience, energy prices, security and defence, external aspects of migration and the situation in Belarus. The meeting has started at 10.00 am and will be followed by a press conference.
EU leaders will discuss migration, focusing on its external dimension and the implementation of the June 2021 conclusions.

The European Council will discuss the situation at the EU’s border with Belarus, including the restrictive measures. On December 2, 2021, the Council adopted the fifth package of sanctions over continued human rights abuses and the instrumentalisation of migrants. In view of this situation, the Council imposed restrictive measures on an additional 17 individuals and 11 entities, targeting prominent members of the judicial branch and propaganda outlets that contribute to the continued repression of civil society, democratic opposition, independent media outlets and journalists, and high-ranking political officials and companies that have helped incite and organise illegal border crossing for political purposes.

The European Council will discuss Russia’s military build-up at the border with Ukraine, including the EU restrictive measures in response to the crisis in Ukraine. On 11 October, the Council decided to impose restrictive measures on an additional 8 individuals for actively supporting actions and implementing policies that undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.

The persons added to the EU sanctions list include law enforcement officials – judges, prosecutors and security officers – responsible for enforcing Russian law in the illegally-annexed Crimea and Sevastopol. Those individuals have taken biased decisions in politically-motivated cases, and prosecuted or oppressed opponents of the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol.

EU restrictive measures regarding the territorial integrity of Ukraine now apply to a total of 185 persons and 48 entities. Those designated persons are subject to an asset freeze – including a prohibition on making funds available to them – and a travel ban, which prevents them from entering or transiting through the EU.

European Union – African Union Summit
The European Council is expected to take stock of the preparations for the EU-African Union Summit on 17-18 February 2022. In the light of current events, the European Council may address other specific foreign policy issues.