European Council of 19-20 March 2026 - Invitation letter by President António Costa to the members of the European Council 20:45 European Council President António Costa[...]

Dear colleagues,

I would like to invite you to our March European Council, that will take place on 19 March.

The military escalation in the Middle East is causing global instability, and its negative consequences are already being felt in Europe. We will therefore discuss the situation in Iran and the region, and our response to its geopolitical and economic fall-out, including as regards energy prices and energy security. Together, we must identify the instruments we need to mobilise to ensure a timely, coordinated and effective response that protects our citizens and our companies, while at the same time working towards de-escalation and stability in the region.

As we work together to deal with this crisis, we should also keep the focus on our strategic competitiveness agenda, which becomes all the more pressing. That is why we will now translate the sense of urgency of our discussions in Alden Biesen into a new "One Europe, One Market" agenda, consisting of concrete measures and ambitious deadlines. The overall purpose of this agenda is to strengthen European competitiveness, enhance our strategic autonomy and reinforce the foundations of our social model. The implementation of these measures, taken together, will contribute to our prosperity and the overall affordability of daily life for our citizens, and make the European Union more resilient to future crises. All of this requires clear and sustained political guidance from the European Council, in March and beyond.

In this context, the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2028-2034 will be decisive. I would like us to discuss the contribution of the new EU long-term budget to our competitiveness agenda, because it will be the main instrument at our disposal for common strategic action. At the same time, we need to have an honest discussion about how we can match our ambitions with the appropriate level of financing. We will come back to the MFF regularly during 2026, to create the conditions for a timely agreement.

We will hear from President Zelenskyy at the beginning of our discussion about Ukraine. We will reaffirm our steadfast support for Ukraine as it continues to defend itself against Russian aggression and strives for a just and lasting peace. Increasing pressure on Russia until it engages in meaningful negotiations towards peace remains essential.

We will also address the worrying situation in Lebanon, and Gaza and the West Bank. I have invited the United Nations Secretary General António Guterres to join us for a working lunch to discuss the deteriorating international situation and how the European Union, working with its partners, can act to defend multilateralism.

It will be crucial to review ongoing efforts to increase our defence readiness. The current geopolitical context once more demonstrates how urgent they are. We need to continue to push for rapid progress in strengthening the Europe of defence - including in its industrial dimension - as a fundamental component of Europe's strategic autonomy.

We will also have the opportunity to take stock of progress in the field of migration. This remains a political priority for us all, and the worsening situation in the Middle East reminds us of the need to move forward with our asylum and migration agenda.

Despite the many important topics, my aim is to keep our meeting to one day, if our discussions allow for it.

We will start on Thursday 19 March at 10h00 with our traditional exchange of views with the President of the European Parliament. I have invited European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde and Eurogroup President Pierrakakis to share their economic analysis in the framework of a Euro Summit in inclusive format.

I look forward to seeing you in Brussels,

António Costa

• Invitation letter