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EU ministers for European affairs are expected to approve the opening of a new chapter in the Turkey’s EU accession negotiations in the General Affairs Council in Luxembourg on October 22. They will also prepare for the upcoming European Council by discussing the creation of the EU Digital Single Market and increasing EU competitiveness.

The Council is to confirm the opening of the Chapter 22 on the Regional policy and coordination of structural instruments in the Turkey’s EU negotiations and to determine the date for the next inter-governmental conference. The Permanent Representatives of the EU Member States have approved this step on October 21 following the European Commission adoption of this year’s Enlargement Package on October 16. The decision would mark the opening of a chapter after more than three years.

The ministers will prepare the European Council on October 24–25 by discussing its draft conclusions which focus on the digital economy, innovations and services, economic growth and youth employment as well as the creation of the Economic and Monetary Union. The conclusions will also provide political guidance on the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius and the response to tragic events in the Mediterranean. 

The Council is to adopt the Conclusions on the added value of the EU macro-regional strategies, a key priority of the Lithuanian Presidency. On the basis of the synthesis report by the Presidency, ministers are also to discuss lessons learned from the 2013 European semester process and the way forward.