​European Council and informal meeting of 27

From an institutional point of view, at the ordinary meeting of the European Council, the Heads of State and Government will hold their traditional exchange with the new President of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, who was elected to this post on 17 January. Furthermore, the Heads of State and Government will tackle the election of the President of the European Council for the period between 1 June 2017 and 30 November 2019.

At the ordinary meeting of the European Council, the agenda includes tackling migratory issues, both in their external and internal dimensions. As regards the external dimension, the Prime Minister of Malta, Joseph Muscat, will report on the tracking of the measures agreed at the Informal Malta Summit, held on 3 February, and other issues will be addressed such as cooperation on the fight against illegal immigration of the Member States with the Libyan authorities and their North African neighbours. As regards the internal dimension, a debate has been scheduled, among other issues, on the reform of the European Union asylum policy.

At an economic level, there will be a discussion on the improvement in the economic situation of the European Union following the reforms undertaken both by the EU and by its Member States, which has led to a return to economic growth. The boost to investment through such instruments as the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) will be addressed, as will the extension of the single market, including the digital agenda, the application of a sound trade policy as an element to drive the economy and the development of Banking Union to help reduce financial risks. The President of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, has been invited to share his perspective on this issue at the meeting.

In terms of foreign policy, the question of the Western Balkans will come under discussion. There will be an analysis of the current situation being experienced by this region bordering the European Union, which receives cooperation to help push through reforms aimed at increasing stability at both a political and an economic level.

Finally, the European Council will also review the state of the situation of the legislative programme to set up the European Public Prosecutor's Office, a new agency that will be tasked with the criminal investigation of offences against the financial interests of the European Union.

At the informal meeting to be held the following day, on Friday, 10 March, the 27 Heads of State and Government will prepare for the Rome Summit on 25 March, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the signing of the constituent Treaty of the European Economic Community. This informal meeting of the 27 will also be framed within the exercise to reflect on the future of the European Union that began at the Bratislava Summit back in September 2016 and which continued at the Malta Summit on 3 February 2017.