In the run-up to the European Council, General Affairs Council members discussed draft conclusions on the war in Ukraine, energy and the economy, as well as foreign policy issues. In the energy debate, State Secretary Štucin called for strong and concrete action at EU level, especially on energy prices and their impact on citizens and businesses: "We need to adopt a temporary market intervention for large companies and create a dynamic price corridor for natural gas. This would help Member States to mitigate the inflation pressures, provide a framework in case of supply disruptions and prevent speculation."

State Secretary Štucin also called for a discussion on Bosnia and Herzegovina under the foreign policy item of the agenda at the October European Council. "Following the general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Commission's decision to recommend granting it candidate status in this year's enlargement package, now is the right time to take further steps," said the State Secretary.

Ministers and state secretaries for European affairs also discussed the follow-up to the Conference on the Future of Europe, in particular the timeframe for EU Council to respond to the possible organisation of a convention aimed at amending EU treaties. State Secretary Štucin considered that the EU should focus first and foremost on proposals that can be implemented within the existing treaties and bring benefits to citizens, calling for a continuation of the inter-institutional dialogue on these issues. He added that the debate on internal reforms of the EU and its decision-making process should not be linked to the Union's enlargement policy.

In the ensuing discussion, State Secretary Štucin expressed his support for the debate on the establishment of common principles for elections to the European Parliament, stressing the importance of taking into account subsidiarity and proportionality, as well as Slovenia's constitutional order. He also expressed Slovenia's willingness to discuss the creation of a Union-wide electoral unit and the introduction of transnational lists for a limited number of MEPs, and expressed reservations about a system of leading candidates for the presidency of the Commission.

Regarding the state of the rule of law in Poland, the State Secretary pointed out that respect for the EU's fundamental values, including the rule of law, is the Union's linchpin that strengthens citizens' trust in national and EU institutions.