Migration, trade and future EU members to dominate summit of bloc’s leaders

BRUSSELS — Presidents and prime ministers from across the EU will be asked to review the bloc’s dependencies on increasingly uncertain trading partners, weigh in on the row over its €2 trillion long-term budget and consider how to pave the way to admitting new countries as members. A new draft agenda and annotated running order for the European Council on Oct. 15 and 16, obtained by POLITICO, set out the priorities for the summit. “Following the presentation of an updated draft Negotiating Box by the Irish Presidency, the European Council will discuss the next Multiannual Financial Framework,” the document reads. European Council President António Costa has promised the meeting — a rare two-day affair — will make significant headway on the budget, which he plans to have agreed before leaders break for Christmas. “The European Council will have a strategic discussion on migration,” the note goes on, as well as “a strategic discussion on enlargement and internal reforms.” In addition, the summit will focus on support for Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East and “the implementation of Europe’s defence readiness agenda.”