António Costa, who assumed office as the President of the European Council on December 1, 2024, is the first Portuguese and the first socialist to lead the Council, serving a term of two and a half years.

During his inaugural meeting on December 19, 2024, Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, praised Costa's collaborative spirit.

Metsola commended Costa's ability to convene all EU prime ministers simultaneously, marking a significant shift towards unity that has been lacking in recent years.

Both Costa and High Representative Kaja Kallas are former members of the European Parliament, indicating a strong commitment to collaboration from the outset of their terms.

Metsola emphasized that strong personalities like Costa are essential for the involvement of the European Parliament in EU decision-making and expressed her anticipation for regular exchanges between the two institutions.

The first Council meeting under Costa's leadership focuses on supporting Ukraine amid the ongoing Russian invasion and has adopted a new one-day meeting format for greater efficiency.

The agenda for this meeting includes critical discussions on migration, the EU's global role, military preparedness, and geopolitical tensions, particularly in the Middle East, Georgia, and Moldova.

Costa's first European Council meeting concluded quickly, a significant achievement not seen since 2012, allowing leaders to concentrate on other pressing issues.

In a move towards transparency, Costa proposed that his leadership and the workings of the European Council be subject to scrutiny by the new EU Interinstitutional Ethics Body.