A new Brexit deal was hammered out and announced at the eleventh hour, days ahead of the deadline set by the UK lawmakers and hours before the European Council summit began
BRUSSELS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th October, 2019) A new Brexit deal was hammered out and announced at the eleventh hour, days ahead of the deadline set by the UK lawmakers and hours before the European Council summit began.The EU27 had been set to discuss Brexit, which is currently scheduled for October 31. The new deal allows for a possibility that the UK will, indeed, leave at the end of the month and with an agreement, at that. However, the new agreement still has to be approved by the UK parliament on Saturday and opposition parties have already criticized it.
But Brexit is only one of the issues on the tightly packed agenda.
The EU leaders will have to discuss Turkey's offensive in northern Syria. The European Union has already condemned the operation and pledged to review its arms exports to Turkey.
However, Europe depends on Turkey for hosting Syrian refugees. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has already threatened to send refugees back to the European Union if the EU criticizes Ankara's operation in Syria.
The European leaders are expected to discuss the thorny issue of opening accession talks with Albania and the Republic of North Macedonia. The negotiations may be difficult. France is reportedly against these new additions suggesting that the two countries need to implement additional reforms.
The Republic of North Macedonia made a long-awaited step toward EU negotiations when it settled its naming dispute with Greece last year, prompting Athens to withdraw its veto on accession talks.
Yet another thorny issue: with the departure of the United Kingdom, European budgets will have to do severe austerity cuts, but in what areas? The European leaders will discuss the long-term EU budget 2021-2027 on the basis of the work of Finland's presidency.
The debate will not be conclusive, and the discussion is expected to continue in December.
Climate change is on the agenda amid growing youth movement drawing the politicians' attention to the climate change.
THE EU leaders will talk about the bloc's priorities for the next five years. The new President-elect of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen will be invited to present the program of the new commission. Christine Lagarde's nomination as the president of the European Central Bank is likely to get approved.
