European Council, 17-18/12/2015

European leaders met in Brussels on 17 and 18 December to discuss, among other things, the migration crisis, the fight against terrorism, the internal market, and the Energy Union with a forward-looking climate policy.
On this occasion, Xavier Bettel, Prime Minister of Luxembourg, handed over the Presidency to the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte. The Netherlands will hold the Council Presidency from January 2016 for the next 6 months.
To address the unprecedented refugee flows observed in 2015, the EU has devised a comprehensive strategy and is working tirelessly to resolve the most urgent issues. According to a report by the Luxembourg Presidency, implementation is progressing rapidly in some areas, but significant shortcomings remain. On 17 December, the European Council assessed the extent to which decisions taken had been implemented and agreed to accelerate actions regarding: the operation of reception centers (hotspots); the execution of relocation and repatriation decisions; the control of the EU’s external borders; cooperation with countries of origin and transit. EU leaders also called on the Council to swiftly examine the European Commission’s proposal published on 15 December on strengthening the EU’s external borders. In particular, the Council should take a position on the European Border and Coast Guard during the Dutch Presidency.
Following the terrorist attacks in Paris on 13 November 2015, the EU must further intensify its counter-terrorism action. The European Council examined further measures regarding: information exchange and terrorism financing; controls at external borders; conditions leading to terrorism, prevention of radicalization and violent extremism; counter-terrorism cooperation with third countries. Leaders welcomed the agreement on a directive on the use of Passenger Name Record (PNR) data and called for its rapid implementation.
Following the Commission’s announcement titled “Upgrading the Single Market: more opportunities for people and business”, the European Council called for the completion of the European Single Market in all its dimensions and the acceleration of the implementation of the Digital Single Market and the Capital Markets Union. It also emphasized the importance of reaching an agreement on the negotiations for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).
Finally, EU leaders expressed satisfaction with the historic climate agreement reached at COP 21 in Paris and called for accelerated work on an Energy Union with a forward-looking climate policy. They emphasized the importance of diversifying suppliers, sources, and supply routes, which is one of the objectives of the Energy Union.