Policy briefs · Oct 17, 2026
Belgium Outlines EU Council Presidency Priorities for 2027: Defence, Enlargement, and Digital
Belgium's federal government published its programme for the Belgian EU Council Presidency in the first half of 2027, centring on three strategic clusters: advancing EU defence industrial capacity, progressing Western Balkans and Ukrainian accession, and completing the Digital Single Market legislative cycle. The document, endorsed by the coalition government of Prime Minister Alexander De Croo's successor Georges-Louis Bouchez, reflects Belgian ambitions to use the presidency to rebuild EU institutional momentum after 2026's political turbulence.
Contents
Key takeaways
- Presidency programme covers 47 legislative files across six working groups
- Defence focus includes the European Defence Investment Programme and joint procurement frameworks
- Ukraine accession: Belgium commits to advancing at least six screening chapters to inter-governmental conference
- Digital agenda: EU AI Governance Act secondary regulations and Platform Accountability Rules are flagship files
- Belgian presidency will host a special European Council on competitiveness in February 2027
Programme Architecture and Priorities
Belgium's 72-page presidency programme, released October 17, opens with a framing argument that the EU must move from 'crisis management to strategic building' — echoing language from the 2025 Draghi competitiveness report that reshaped the EU's economic self-image. The defence cluster is the most politically ambitious, seeking agreement on a common procurement doctrine that would allow member states to pool orders for air defence and drone systems without triggering state aid concerns. Belgian officials point to Estonia's European Sky Shield coordination model as the template.
On enlargement, Belgium will hold the rotating presidency at a moment when Ukraine's EU accession talks are expected to enter their first substantive chapters after screening concludes. The presidency programme commits to convening a dedicated accession conference with Kyiv before the end of the Belgian term and to completing the Western Balkans accession framework review, which has been stalled since Montenegro's compliance concerns were raised in 2025. Albania and North Macedonia are explicitly named as targets for 'political milestone decisions' during the Belgian semester.
Institutional Context and Belgian Strengths
Belgium's presidency follows Poland's in the second half of 2026, which focused heavily on eastern security. Belgian diplomats intend to pivot partially westward, rebuilding momentum on internal market and digital files that received less attention during Poland's tenure. The EU AI Governance Act, passed in 2024, requires a substantial body of secondary regulation by 2027, including standards for high-risk systems in healthcare and critical infrastructure. Belgium's strong regulatory tradition and home to major EU institutions gives its officials deep familiarity with the legislative machinery.
Domestically, the presidency serves a legitimising function for Prime Minister Bouchez's government, which has struggled to define a cohesive domestic agenda since taking office in early 2026. Managing a high-profile EU presidency, which historically rallies public attention and gives governments institutional purpose, is seen as an opportunity to demonstrate competence. Belgium will co-chair the presidency with the Commission on the competitiveness agenda and has secured the European Central Bank's participation in a February financial stability conference in Brussels.
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