The summit is also expected to confirm the second pillar of the banking union and agree on reform commitments of member states in return for financial incentives from the EU Solidarity Fund.

The talks on defence will meanwhile focus on ways to provide security from new global challenges, for instance cyber threats, in the time when national defence budgets are being slashed across the union.

EU leaders, including Slovenian PM Alenka Bratušek, are expected to confirm the annual enlargement decisions adopted by relevant ministers on Thursday. The latest news is that Serbia will launch EU accession negotiations with the EU on 21 January.

Also on the agenda is a series of financial and economic topics as well as migration policy and measures for boosting growth and employment.