European Union

Place:        Europa building, Brussels 

Chair(s):    Evarist Bartolo, Minister for Education and Employment of Malta
                   Dr Owen Bonnici, Minister for Justice, Culture and Local Government 

All times are approximate and subject to change 

MONDAY, 22 MAY 2017

 +/- 09.30      
Doorstep by Minister Bartolo 

+/- 10.00      
Beginning of Council meeting (Roundtable)
Adoption of the agenda
Adoption of legislative A Items (public session)
Adoption of non-legislative A items 

YOUTH 

+/- 10.35 
Conclusions on the role of youth work in supporting young people's development of essential life skills  Adoption 
+/- 10.45 
Conclusions on the strategic perspectives for European cooperation in the youth field post-2018 - Adoption 
+/- 10.55      
Resolution on the Structured Dialogue and the future development of the dialogue with young people  -Adoption
+/- 11.05      
Building Europe's future - listening to and supporting young people (public session) -Debate 

EDUCATION 

+/- 15.15      
Decision on a common framework for the provision of better services for skills and qualifications (Europass) (public session) - Progress report
+/- 15.25      
Recommendation on the European Qualifications Framework for lifelong learning - Adoption
+/- 15.35
Giving learners a voice: how to improve and modernise our systems to provide high quality education for all - Debate

+/- 18.00      
Press conference (live streaming) - main press room Justus Lipsius building 

TUESDAY, 22 MAY 2017

+/- 09.15      
Doorstep by Minister Bonnici 

+/- 10.00      
Beginning of Council meeting (Roundtable) 

AUDIOVISUAL/CULTURE 

+/- 10.10      
Directive on the coordination of certain provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in Member States concerning the provision of audiovisual media services in view of changing market realities (public session) 
+/- 11.40      
Council conclusions on an EU strategic approach to international cultural relations -Adoption 

+/- 13.15      
Press conference - tbc (live streaming) - - main press room Justus Lipsius building  

SPORT 

+/- 15.15      
Conclusionson sport as a platform for social inclusion through volunteering -Adoption 
+/- 15.30      
Resolution on the European Union Work Plan for Sport (1 July 2017 - 31 December 2020) - Adoption
+/- 15.40      
Sports media and its role in strengthening social inclusion (public session) - Debate

Facebook's purchase of Whatsapp is having expensive repercussions: the EU Commission has imposed a fine of 110 million euros on the US company for providing false information about data sharing before the takeover. The press praises Europe's competition authorities - but also warns that they must do more to counter the dominant position of US technology companies.

Pressure on US President Donald Trump is mounting in the scandal over alleged ties between Russia and Trump's campaign team. The Department of Justice has placed the investigations into the affair in the hands of former FBI chief Robert Mueller, who is considered to be non-partisan. This shows that the institutions' checks and balances are still functioning, some commentators conclude. For others, the last thing the US needs is Trump's impeachment.

The Greek parliament approved a new austerity plan on Thursday evening. The package is based on a recent deal with Athens' creditors and foresees, in exchange for another tranche of bailout aid, cutbacks amounting to 4.9 billion euros that will mainly affect pensioners and the middle class. Europe's media complain that over the years the austerity programmes have failed to achieve their goal.

Theresa May presented the British Conservative Party's manifesto for the June 8 elections on Thursday. The prime minister announced policies that would not be "for the privileged few" as well as restrictions on immigration and tax cuts both for families and businesses. Europe's commentators take opposing views on whether her strategy for broadening the Tories' voter base will pay off.

Poland's government continues to reject demands that it take in more refugees. The country now faces EU treaty infringement proceedings if it fails to accept the agreed number of refugees from other EU states in the near future. While some commentators are filled with shame by the behaviour of the country's politicians, others find the social discourse on the issue questionable.