European Council: discussions on the future of the EU and Brexit resumed. Tusk, “worried about Catalonia, but no mediation by the EU”

(Brussels) The European Council, convened in Brussels on October 19^th and 20^th to discuss a long agenda, has been resumed. Yesterday, the “conclusions” (the official position of the heads of state and government) about migration, digital Europe, security and defence, external relations were adopted. The prime ministers and the presidents met again at 9.00 am this morning, for a business breakfast for 27 of them (the United Kingdom has been left out), to discuss the “Leaders’ Agenda” outlined by the president of the European Council, Donald Tusk, with a ‘to-do’ list from here to mid-2019. This will be followed by a discussion about how to handle the Brexit negotiations. The leaders’ discussions – which take place behind closed doors – are however focussed on political news, first and foremost what is happening in Catalonia. In the press conference that marked the end of day one, Tusk stated: “I am constantly in touch with prime minister Rajoy, I won’t deny that the situation is worrying but there’s no room for any kind of mediation” by the EU. Indirect support to the position of the Spanish government, which will suspend the independence of the Catalan region on Saturday.