At its autumn meeting, the European Council is expected to focus mainly on institutional issues, on climate change, on the economic and financial situation as well as on illegal immigration:

• Concerning institutional issues, it is due to discuss the situation as the Lisbon treaty ratification process approaches its completion.
• As regards climate change, it will take stock of preparations for the international conference on climate change to be held in Copenhagen in December and take the appropriate decisions, including on financing.
• Dealing with the economic situation, it will assess the latest developments, take stock of progress on the setting up of a new framework for EU supervision and, if necessary, provide further direction to this work.
• The European Council will be invited to adopt a Strategy on the Baltic Sea Region.
• On illegal immigration, it will take note of proposals and measures taken by the Commission since the European Council session in June 2009.

In addition, the European Council may have an exchange of views on a number of topics in the field of external relations.

The European Council meeting will be preceded by a Tripartite Social Summit where the heads of state or government and the employment ministers of Sweden, Spain and Belgium ("troika" of the current and the two subsequent presidencies) as well as the president of the European Commission and the commissioner for employment will meet with representatives of the main European social partners.