3rd European Political Community Summit

{{Infobox summit meeting

|name=3rd European Political Community Summit

|other_titles=

|logo= 3rd European Political Community Summit logo.png

|logo_size= 150

|image= File:Predsednik vlade na 3. zasedanju EPS in neformalnem zasedanju Evropskega sveta v Granadi v Španiji (53236972766).jpg

|alt=

|caption= Family photo with King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia at the Court of the Lions.

|country= Spain

|date= 5 October 2023

|motto=

|venues= {{ill|Granada Conference Centre|es|Palacio de Congresos de Granada}}
Alhambra

|cities= Granada

|participants= 45 states

|chairperson= Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Spain

|follows=2nd

|precedes=4th

|website= [https://spanish-presidency.consilium.europa.eu/en/events/meeting-of-the-european-political-community/ 3rd European Political Community Summit]

|compactnav=

|keypoints=

}}

The Third European Political Community Summit was a meeting of the European Political Community held on 5 October 2023 at the {{ill|Granada Conference Centre|es|Palacio de Congresos de Granada}} in Granada, Spain.{{Cite web |date=2023-02-11 |title=Granada será 'capital de Europa' con dos cumbres los días 5 y 6 de octubre |url=https://www.ideal.es/granada/granada-capital-europa-20230212130909-nt.html |access-date=2023-02-22 |website=Ideal |language=es}}{{Cite web|url=https://rivaltimes.com/the-alhambra-summit-will-bring-together-44-european-leaders-in-october/|title=The Alhambra summit will bring together 44 European leaders in October|date=February 21, 2023|website=rivaltimes.com}}{{cite web | url=https://moldovalive.md/which-country-will-host-the-third-summit-of-the-european-political-community/?feed_id=3272&_unique_id=6479bcc4503d3 | title=Which country will host the third summit of the European Political Community? | date=2 June 2023 }}

Aims

As had been announced by the host, Spain, the main focus of the summit was intended to be on "the current conflicts affecting the continent, the aim being to take advantage of the attendance of most European leaders to re-establish their unity vis-à-vis Russia's aggression against Ukraine".{{Cite web|url=https://spanish-presidency.consilium.europa.eu/en/news/highlights-agenda-european-political-community-euco-informal-meeting-heads-state-government-granada/|title=The European Political Community and EU leaders discuss the EU's future strategy in Granada|date=October 4, 2023|website=The European Political Community and EU leaders discuss the EU’s future strategy in Granada}}

Preparation

File:Dawn Charles V Palace Alhambra Granada Andalusia Spain.jpg hosted the Royal reception and dinner of the 3rd EPC summit on 5 October 2023.]]

Spain had been announced as the host of the third EPC summit in October 2022.{{Cite web |title=Informal meeting of heads of state or government, Prague, 6 October 2022 |url=https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/european-council/2022/10/06-07/ |access-date=2022-09-08 |website=www.consilium.europa.eu |language=en}} The date and the venue for the summit were announced in February 2023.{{Cite web|url=https://www.elconfidencialdigital.com/articulo/el_chivato/europa-clausura-alhambra-dias/20230203141935515364.html|title=Europa 'clausura' la Alhambra durante tres días|first=Confidencial|last=Digital|date=February 6, 2023|website=Confidencial Digital}}

An informal meeting of the European Council took place the following day at the same venue.{{Cite web|url=https://spanish-presidency.consilium.europa.eu/en/events/informal-meeting-of-heads-of-state-or-government/|title=Informal meeting of heads of state or government|website=Informal meeting of heads of state or government|date=6 October 2023 }}

Schedule and agenda

The summit took place on 5 October 2023 at the {{ill|Granada Conference Centre|es|Palacio de Congresos de Granada}} and was structured as follows (CEST):[https://spanish-presidency.consilium.europa.eu/media/1ixpbrzv/program-cpe.pdf European Political Community Summit Program] consilium.europa.eu/

11:30 - Arrival and doorsteps
12:30:13:30 - Roundtable
13:30-13:00 - Plenary meeting
13:30-15:00 - Thematic clusters on digitalisation and digital transition; energy, environment and green transition; multilateralism and geostrategy
15:00 - Press conference (cancelled)

In the evening, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia welcomed the summit attendees and their companions at the Alhambra's Court of the Lions where the official group photo was taken. Afterwards, guests walked to the nearby Partal gardens to attend a flamenco performance and to the Parador where the closing dinner took place.

==Participants==

File:European_Political_Community.svg

File:051023-sanchez-plenario-comunidad-politica-europea18.jpg Pedro Sánchez chaired the plenary session of the summit]]

File:Predsednik vlade na 3. zasedanju EPS in neformalnem zasedanju Evropskega sveta v Granadi v Španiji (53236378185).jpg

The summit was attended by heads of state or government of the states participating in the European Political Community along with the President of the European Council, the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Parliament.[https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/67102/epc-spain-trombinoscope-1.pdf European Political Community] consilium.europa.eu On the eve of the summit, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced he would not be able to attend due to an illness.{{Cite web|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/azerbaijan-president-ilham-aliyev-refuse-hold-nagorno-karabakh-talks-turkey-recep-tayyip-erdogan-erdogan-canceled-attendance-european-political-community-falling-ill/|title=Erdoğan cancels Granada summit trip after falling ill|date=October 4, 2023}} Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev did not attend due to a perceived "anti-Azerbaijan atmosphere" following the recent Azerbaijani military offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh.{{Cite web|url=https://aze.media/france-disrupts-the-meeting-in-granada-aliyev-does-not-travel-to-spain/|title=France disrupts the meeting in Granada; Aliyev does not travel to Spain|date=October 4, 2023}} Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya was invited to attend by the Spanish government.{{cite tweet|user=Tsihanouskaya|number=1709921428349518306|title=Twitter post}} {{dead link|date=November 2023}}

class="wikitable"

|+Key

style="background-color:#CFECEC; width:3em;"|

|Non-EU member

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" ! scope="col" colspan="2" \|Member ! scope="col" \| Represented by ! scope="col" \| Title
bgcolor="#CFECEC"\| ! {{flagicon\|Albania}} \| Albania \| Edi Rama \| Prime Minister
bgcolor="#CFECEC"\| ! {{flagicon\|Andorra}} \| Andorra \| Xavier Espot \| Prime Minister
bgcolor="#CFECEC"\| ! {{flagicon\|Armenia}} \| Armenia \| Nikol Pashinyan \| Prime Minister
{{flagicon\|Austria}} \| Austria \| Karl Nehammer \| Chancellor
{{flagicon\|Belgium}} \| Belgium \| Alexander De Croo \| Prime Minister
bgcolor="#CFECEC"\| ! {{flagicon\|Bosnia and Herzegovina}} \| Bosnia and Herzegovina \| Željko Komšić \| Chairman of the Presidency
{{flagicon\|Bulgaria}} \| Bulgaria \| Nikolay Denkov \| Prime Minister
{{flagicon\|Croatia}} \| Croatia \| Andrej Plenković \| Prime Minister
{{flagicon\|Cyprus}} \| Cyprus \| Nikos Christodoulides \| President
{{flagicon\|Czech Republic}} \| Czech Republic \| Petr Fiala \| Prime Minister
{{flagicon\|Denmark}} \| Denmark \| Mette Frederiksen \| Prime Minister
{{flagicon\|Estonia}} \| Estonia \| Kaja Kallas \| Prime Minister
{{flagicon\|Finland}} \| Finland \| Petteri Orpo \| Prime Minister
{{flagicon\|France}} \| France \| Emmanuel Macron \| President
bgcolor="#CFECEC"\| ! {{flagicon\|Georgia}} \| Georgia \| Irakli Garibashvili \| Prime Minister
{{flagicon\|Germany}} \| Germany \| Olaf Scholz \| Chancellor
{{flagicon\|Greece}} \| Greece \| Kyriakos Mitsotakis \| Prime Minister
{{flagicon\|Hungary}} \| Hungary \| Viktor Orbán \| Prime Minister
bgcolor="#CFECEC"\| ! {{flagicon\|Iceland}} \| Iceland \| Katrín Jakobsdóttir \| Prime Minister
{{flagicon\|Ireland}} \| Ireland \| Leo Varadkar \| Taoiseach
{{flagicon\|Italy}} \| Italy \| Giorgia Meloni \| Prime Minister
bgcolor="#CFECEC"\| ! {{flagicon\|Kosovo}} \| Kosovo \| Vjosa Osmani \| President
{{flagicon\|Latvia}} \| Latvia \| Evika Siliņa \| Prime Minister
bgcolor="#CFECEC"\| ! {{flagicon\|Liechtenstein}} \| Liechtenstein \| Daniel Risch \| Prime Minister
{{flagicon\|Lithuania}} \| Lithuania \| \| Gitanas Nausėda \| President
{{flagicon\|Luxembourg}} \| Luxembourg \| Xavier Bettel \| Prime Minister
{{flagicon\|Malta}} \| Malta \| Robert Abela \| Prime Minister
bgcolor="#CFECEC"\| ! {{flagicon\|Moldova}} \| Moldova \| Maia Sandu \| President
bgcolor="#CFECEC"\| ! {{flagicon\|Monaco}} \| Monaco \| Pierre Dartout \| Minister of State
bgcolor="#CFECEC"\| ! {{flagicon\|Montenegro}} \| Montenegro \| Jakov Milatović \| President
{{flagicon\|Netherlands}} \| Netherlands \| Mark Rutte \| Prime Minister
bgcolor="#CFECEC"\| ! {{flagicon\|North Macedonia}} \| North Macedonia \| Dimitar Kovačevski \| Prime Minister
bgcolor="#CFECEC"\| ! {{flagicon\|Norway}} \| Norway \| Jonas Gahr Støre \| Prime Minister
{{flagicon\|Poland}} \| Poland \| Mateusz Morawiecki \| Prime Minister
{{flagicon\|Portugal}} \| Portugal \| António Costa \| Prime Minister
{{flagicon\|Romania}} \| Romania \| Klaus Iohannis \| President
bgcolor="#CFECEC"\| ! {{flagicon\|San Marino}} \| San Marino \| Luca Beccari \| Secretary for Foreign Affairs
bgcolor="#CFECEC"\| ! {{flagicon\|Serbia}} \| Serbia \| Aleksandar Vučić \| President
{{flagicon\|Slovakia}} \| Slovakia \| Ľudovít Ódor \| Prime Minister
{{flagicon\|Slovenia}} \| Slovenia \| Robert Golob \| Prime Minister
{{flagicon\|Spain}} \| Spain \| Pedro Sánchez (host) \| Prime Minister
{{flagicon\|Sweden}} \| Sweden \| Ulf Kristersson \| Prime Minister
bgcolor="#CFECEC"\| ! {{flagicon\|Switzerland}} \| Switzerland \| Alain Berset \| President
bgcolor="#CFECEC"\| ! {{flagicon\|Ukraine}} \| Ukraine \| Volodymyr Zelenskyy \| President
bgcolor="#CFECEC"\| ! {{flagicon\|United Kingdom}} \| United Kingdom \| Rishi Sunak \| Prime Minister
{{flagicon\|European Union}} \| European Union \| Charles Michel Ursula von der Leyen \| President of the European Council President of the European Commission

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

! scope="col" colspan="2" |Member

! scope="col" | Represented by

! scope="col" | Title

bgcolor="#CFECEC"|

! {{flagicon|Albania}}

| Albania

| Edi Rama

| Prime Minister

bgcolor="#CFECEC"|

! {{flagicon|Andorra}}

| Andorra

| Xavier Espot

| Prime Minister

bgcolor="#CFECEC"|

! {{flagicon|Armenia}}

| Armenia

| Austria

| Belgium

bgcolor="#CFECEC"|

! {{flagicon|Bosnia and Herzegovina}}

| Bosnia and Herzegovina

| Željko Komšić

| Chairman of the Presidency

| Croatia

| Cyprus

| Nikos Christodoulides

| Denmark

| Estonia

| Finland

| France

bgcolor="#CFECEC"|

! {{flagicon|Georgia}}

| Georgia

| Irakli Garibashvili

| Prime Minister

| Germany

| Olaf Scholz

| Chancellor

| Greece

| Kyriakos Mitsotakis

| Prime Minister

| Hungary

| Viktor Orbán

| Prime Minister

bgcolor="#CFECEC"|

! {{flagicon|Iceland}}

| Iceland

| Katrín Jakobsdóttir

| Ireland

| Italy

bgcolor="#CFECEC"|

! {{flagicon|Kosovo}}

| Kosovo

| Latvia

bgcolor="#CFECEC"|

! {{flagicon|Liechtenstein}}

| Malta

bgcolor="#CFECEC"|

! {{flagicon|Moldova}}

| Moldova

| Maia Sandu

| President

bgcolor="#CFECEC"|

! {{flagicon|Monaco}}

| Monaco

| Pierre Dartout

| Minister of State

bgcolor="#CFECEC"|

! {{flagicon|Montenegro}}

bgcolor="#CFECEC"|

! {{flagicon|North Macedonia}}

| North Macedonia

| Dimitar Kovačevski

| Prime Minister

bgcolor="#CFECEC"|

! {{flagicon|Norway}}

| Norway

| Poland

| Romania

bgcolor="#CFECEC"|

! {{flagicon|San Marino}}

| San Marino

| Luca Beccari

| Secretary for Foreign Affairs

bgcolor="#CFECEC"|

! {{flagicon|Serbia}}

| Serbia

| Spain

| Pedro Sánchez (host)

| Prime Minister

| Sweden

| Ulf Kristersson

| Prime Minister

bgcolor="#CFECEC"|

! {{flagicon|Switzerland}}

| Switzerland

| Alain Berset

| President

bgcolor="#CFECEC"|

! {{flagicon|Ukraine}}

| Ukraine

| Volodymyr Zelenskyy

| President

bgcolor="#CFECEC"|

! {{flagicon|United Kingdom}}

| Charles Michel
Ursula von der Leyen

| President of the European Council
President of the European Commission

=Invited delegates=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" ! scope="col" colspan="2" \|Entity ! scope="col" \| Represented by ! scope="col" \| Title
{{flagicon image\|Flag of Belarus (1918, 1991–1995).svg}} \| United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus \| Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya \| Head

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

! scope="col" colspan="2" |Entity

! scope="col" | Represented by

! scope="col" | Title

| United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus

| Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya

| Head

Outcomes

=Armenia-Azerbaijan relations=

A meeting between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was scheduled be held at the summit as was the case at the two previous summits.{{Cite web|url=https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2023/05/08/press-statement-on-armenia-and-azerbaijan/|title=Press Statement on Armenia and Azerbaijan, 8 May 2023 - Consilium}} This was expected to be the first meeting between the two following the 2023 Azerbaijani offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh and resulting flight of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians.{{Cite web|url=https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2023/09/26/statement-by-spokesperson-for-president-of-the-european-council-charles-michel-on-armenia-azerbaijan-normalisation-26-september-2023/|title=Statement by Spokesperson for President of the European Council Charles Michel on Armenia-Azerbaijan normalisation - 26 September 2023 - Consilium}} However, on the eve of the summit, Aliyev announced that he would not attend due to what he described as an "anti-Azerbaijani atmosphere".{{Cite web|url=https://apa.az/xarici-siyaset/azerbaycanin-qranada-gorusunden-imtina-etmesinin-sebebleri-ekskluziv-788835|title=Azərbaycanın Qranada görüşündən imtina etməsinin səbəbləri - EKSKLÜZİV|website=Apa.az}} Pashinyan had hoped to present a potential peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan at the meeting.{{Cite web|url=https://www.commonspace.eu/news/pashinyan-says-armenia-ready-sign-peace-document|title=Pashinyan says Armenia is ready to sign peace document|website=commonspace.eu}} A spokesperson for the Azerbaijani leadership indicated that Aliyev was willing to meet with Pashinyan in Brussels in the near future to resume dialogue.{{cite tweet|user=HikmetHajiyev|number=1709892377324724646|title=Azerbaijan supports the tripartite Brussels process and the regional peace agenda in the format of the European Union}} In Aliyev's absence, a meeting between Pashinyan and European Council president Charles Michel, French president Emmanuel Macron, and German chancellor Olaf Scholz took place instead.{{Cite web|url=https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2023/10/05/statement-by-prime-minister-nikol-pashinyan-of-armenia-president-michel-of-the-european-council-president-macron-of-france-and-chancellor-scholz-of-germany/|title=Statement by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia, President Michel of the European Council, President Macron of France and Chancellor Scholz of Germany - Consilium}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2023/10/5/european-political-community-live-news-leaders-to-meet-in-spains-granada|title=Focus on Karabakh, migration as dozens of European leaders meet in Spain|first=Mersiha|last=Gadzo|website=www.aljazeera.com}} During a meeting between Ursula von der Leyen and Nikol Pashinyan, von der Leyen stated "We reiterated our condemnation of the military operation by Azerbaijan against the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh and reaffirmed the need to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Armenia. Armenia and the EU are bound by shared political values and their commitment to a rules-based international order. In these difficult times, the EU and Armenia stand shoulder to shoulder. We are committed to further strengthen EU-Armenia relations". President von der Leyen also informed of the preparations for a joint EU-US event to support Armenia.{{Cite web|url=https://neighbourhood-enlargement.ec.europa.eu/news/joint-statement-european-commission-president-ursula-von-der-leyen-and-armenian-prime-minister-nikol-2023-10-06_en|title=Joint Statement by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, 5 October 2023|website=neighbourhood-enlargement.ec.europa.eu}}

Following the summit, it was announced that the EU would host a meeting between Pashinyan and Aliyev before the end of October 2023.{{Cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20231005-azerbaijan-ready-for-eu-mediated-talks-with-armenia-in-brussels|title=EU to host Armenia-Azerbaijan talks this month|date=October 5, 2023|website=France 24}}

=Belarusian opposition=

Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya was invited to attend the summit by the Spanish government. Tsikhanouskaya held bilateral meetings with the leaders of Armenia,{{cite tweet|user=Tsihanouskaya|number=1710172825540014317|title=In my meeting with @armenia 🇦🇲 Prime Minister @NikolPashinyan & Foreign Minister @AraratMirzoyantoday, I expressed condolences in connection with the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh}} the Czech Republic,[https://twitter.com/Tsihanouskaya/status/1710036568147108238 Had the chance to personally thank PM @P_Fiala for support to democratic Belarus] Twitter post Latvia,{{cite tweet|user=EvikaSilina|number=1709972243445329942|title=Thank you @Tsihanouskaya for the meeting and the courage to stand up for a free Belarus enjoying democracy and the rule of law}} Spain,[https://twitter.com/Tsihanouskaya/status/1709972389956563001 At the invitation of 🇪🇸 PM @sanchezcastejon, I arrived at the meeting of the European Political Community in Granada] Twitter post and with Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy.{{cite tweet|user=JosepBorrellF|number=1709956076118921235|title=Met with Svietlana @Tsihanouskay to reaffirm the EU's determination to engage with Belarus democratic forces & civil society including through the work of the consultative group}}

=Cyber security=

France proposed that access to the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre's Cybersecurity Emergency Fund should be available to all EPC participating states.https://www.elysee.fr/front/pdf/elysee-module-21760-fr.pdf France signed an agreement with the governments of Montenegro and Slovenia to establish a joint cyber resilience capacity-building training institute to be based in Montenegro.

=Energy security=

Michel and Von der Leyen praised Europe's joint efforts in energy security. EU member states together with Norway, Ukraine, Moldova and Serbia agreed to work together within the EU Energy Platform to improve energy efficiency and further harness renewable sources of energy.{{Cite web|url=https://spanish-presidency.consilium.europa.eu/en/news/european-political-community-meeting-5-october-granada/|title=Leaders of 50 European countries join forces in support of Ukraine at the European Political Community Summit in Granada|date=October 5, 2023|website=Leaders of 50 European countries join forces in support of Ukraine at the European Political Community Summit in Granada}}

=European unity and EU enlargement=

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez stressed the importance of maintaining unity across the continent. Josep Borrell said he was optimistic about the European Commission granting EU candidate status to Georgia.{{Cite web|url=https://agenda.ge/en/news/2023/3701|title=EU High Representative Borrell "optimistic" about Georgia's candidacy|website=Agenda.ge}} The leaders of Hungary,{{Cite web|url=https://agenda.ge/en/news/2023/3719|title=Hungary's PM tells Georgia "we need you in EU very much"|website=Agenda.ge}} and Lithuania stressed the importance of Georgia's accession for regional stability.{{Cite web|url=https://agenda.ge/en/news/2023/3695|title=Lithuania "strongly motivated" to "politically support" Georgia's EU candidacy - President|website=Agenda.ge}} Coinciding with the summit, the European Parliament urged that EU accession talks with Moldova should open before the end of the year.{{Cite web|url=https://tvpworld.com/73216065/accession-talks-with-moldova-to-start-by-year-end|title=EU to start accession talks with Moldova|first=Telewizja Polska|last=S.A|website=tvpworld.com}}

=Kosovo-Serbia relations=

Given the strained relations between Kosovo and Serbia, stemming from the Banjska attack, it is anticipated that the tense dynamic between the two nations will be a prominent subject of discussion. European leaders are endeavoring to facilitate a meeting between the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, and the President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani.{{Cite web|url=https://paparaci.com/368180/the-guardian-ka-perpjekje-per-aranzhim-te-nje-takimi-osmani-vuciqi-ne-granada/|title="The Guardian": Ka përpjekje për aranzhim të një takimi Osmani – Vuçiqi në Granada|first=eros|last=klaiqi|date=October 4, 2023}} Chancellor Olaf Scholz affirmed that the heightened tensions between the two states will also be addressed on Thursday and Friday during the summit scheduled to take place in Granada.{{Cite web|url=https://indeksonline.net/scholz-kerkon-zgjidhje-paqesore-mes-kosoves-e-serbise/|title=Scholz kërkon zgjidhje paqësore mes Kosovës e Serbisë – Indeksonline.net}} President Osmani has declined a meeting with the President of Serbia, asserting that sanctions against Serbia must precede any further dialogue.{{Cite web|url=https://indeksonline.net/osmani-nuk-takohem-me-vuciqin-pa-iu-vendosur-sanksionet/|title=Osmani: Nuk takohem me Vuçiqin pa iu vendosur sanksionet – Indeksonline.net}}

=Migration=

The leaders of Italy, the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, France, Albania, and the European Commission held a meeting about migration on the fringes of the summit. In a statement released afterwards, they pledged to take action to tackle human trafficking by strengthening external borders to prevent unauthorized crossings, increase patrols and search and rescue operations, harmonize criminal legislation to fight against people smugglers and support sustainable development through education, job creation and climate action to help reduce migration.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/joint-statement-following-the-pms-meeting-on-migration-05-october-2023|title=Joint statement following the PM's meeting on migration: 05 October 2023|website=GOV.UK}}

=Youth mobility=

France stated its intention to push for the expansion of the [https://youth.europa.eu/discovereu_en "DiscoverEU"] youth mobility scheme to be expanded to include all EPC participating states.

Concerns and controversy

Rishi Sunak's behavior

United Kingdom prime minister Rishi Sunak caused controversy a few days before the summit by insisting that the agreed agenda be scrapped and the sole focus be migration.{{cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2023/09/27/britain-spain-row-rishi-sunak-demand-illegal-migration/ | title=UK and Spain in row over Sunak demand for focus on illegal migration | newspaper=The Telegraph | date=27 September 2023 | last1=Samuel | first1=Henry | last2=Barnes | first2=Joe | last3=Riley-Smith | first3=Ben | last4=Hymas | first4=Charles }} After failing to get the scheduled agenda scrapped, Sunak co-hosted a fringe meeting on migration with Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/04/giorgia-meloni-turns-to-rishi-sunak-to-take-battle-against-migration-beyond-eu|title=Giorgia Meloni turns to Rishi Sunak to take battle against migration beyond EU|first=Lisa|last=O'Carroll|date=October 4, 2023|newspaper=The Guardian}} Sunak caused further controversy by refusing to participate in the summit's closing press conference, resulting in it being cancelled.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/europe/article/rishi-sunak-infuriates-emmanuel-macron-over-british-summit-dithering-6c5vbff6n|title=Rishi Sunak infuriates Emmanuel Macron over British summit dithering|first=Oliver Wright | Bruno Waterfield, Brussels | Adam Sage|last=Paris|date=July 19, 2024|website=www.thetimes.com}} He also snubbed the Spanish Royal family by refusing to attend the post summit banquet hosted by King Felipe VI of Spain, a second cousin once removed of King Charles III of the United Kingdom.{{Cite web|url=https://brusselssignal.eu/2023/10/spain-cancels-press-conference-after-dust-up-between-sanchez-and-sunak/|title=Spain cancels press conference after dust-up between Sánchez and Sunak|date=October 6, 2023|website=Brussels Signal}}

References

External links

[https://spanish-presidency.consilium.europa.eu/en/events/meeting-of-the-european-political-community/ 3rd European Political Community Summit]
[https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/international-summit/2023/10/05/ European Council: 3rd European Political Community Summit]
[https://spanish-presidency.consilium.europa.eu/en/news/european-political-community-meeting-5-october-granada/ Doorsteps and press conference]
[https://newsroom.consilium.europa.eu/events/20231005-eu-meeting-of-the-european-political-community-october-2023 Press materials]

Category:2023 conferences

Category:2023 in international relations

Category:21st-century diplomatic conferences

Category:October 2023 in Spain

Category:Diplomatic conferences

Category:Foreign relations of the European Union

Category:European integration

3rd

Category:Spain and the European Union

Category:Alhambra (Spain)

Category:Granada

Category:2023 in Andalusia