On 12 December, the Council approved the EU's legislative priorities for 2018-2019 which have been agreed with the European Parliament and the Commission. The priorities are set out in a joint declaration due to be signed by the Presidents of the three institutions on 14 December. The declaration lists the main legislative initiatives on which the three institutions aim to achieve substantial progress and, where possible, agreement, before the 2019 European elections.
Better protecting the security of citizens is one of the EU priorities for 2018-19. This will be achieved by ensuring Member States' authorities know who is crossing common external borders, interoperable EU information systems for security, criminal records, border and migration management, by strengthening instruments on the fight against terrorism and against money laundering, and by enhancing the competitiveness and innovation of the Union defence industry through a European Defence Fund;
The joint declaration setting out the EU's priorities for 2018-19 will be signed by the Estonian Prime Minister Jüri Ratas, the President of the Parliament, Antonio Tajani, and the President of the Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker on 14 December in the margins of the meeting of the European Council.