• Source: 2023 Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union

      • Spain held the presidency of the Council of the European Union during the second half of 2023. The presidency was the first of three presidencies making up a presidency trio, followed by the presidency of Belgium, and scheduled to be followed by that of Hungary. It was the fifth time Spain had held the presidency.
      On the first day of the presidency, Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez took the train to Kyiv in a highly symbolic visit, where he met with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and addressed the Verkhovna Rada. During the visit, Sánchez stated that one of the priorities of the Spanish presidency would be working with Ukraine in its bid to accede to the European Union.
      One of the greatest successes of this presidency is considered to be the historic breakthrough regarding the full integration of Bulgaria and Romania into the Schengen area and the initial opening of the air and sea borders of the two already Schengen countries with the other Schengen countries. Land borders are expected to be abolished in 2024.


      Meetings



      The meeting of the College of Commissioners that traditionally inaugurates the rotating presidency took place at the Royal Collections Gallery in Madrid on 3 July 2023. The 3rd EU–CELAC summit took place in Brussels on 17–18 July. The 3rd European Political Community Summit between the members of the European Political Community took place in Granada on 5 October. An informal meeting of the European Council took place at the same venue in Granada the following day, on 6 October.


      = Informal ministerial meetings

      =


      Notes




      References

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