Euro Leaders Prepare for ‘Very Long’ November Summit
Leaders Prepare for ‘Very Long’ November Summit
A 16-hour EU leadership summit ended on Friday (19 October) with the announcement of what is expected to be another marathon meeting of heads of state and government in November, when concrete figures for the 2014-2020 budget will be discussed for the first time.
EU leaders have been told not to make private plans for the weekend of 24-25 November, as the summit planned for 22 and 23 November would almost certainly need more time for discussions, EurActiv has learned.
European Council President Herman Van Rompuy also wants to avoid long night sessions, such as this week, when talks ended at 4 a.m. before resuming at 9.30 a.m. Friday.
How many shirts?
In the past, leaders have indicated their readiness to stay over the weekend to discuss the budget by announcing the number of shirts they had in their luggage.
Commission President José Manuel Barroso said reporters: “At next month’s extraordinary European summit, we need to provide the Union with a budget for growth and jobs. This is of critical importance. I cannot promise you to have more sleep. I think it’s going to be a long European Council.”