EU leaders will today meet at an EU Council Meeting to discuss migration, security and youth unemployment, amongst other things, but the discussion will focus on Brexit during a working dinner later on, for which British PM Theresa May will not be attending.

During the actual summit, which will last only one day, the 28 heads of government will assess the EU-Turkey agreement on migration, discuss the issue of the reform of the Common European Asylum System, including on how to apply the principles of responsibility and solidarity in the future.

They will also assess progress on the Partnership Framework on migration and the results achieved concerning the compacts with the selected African countries, debating also whether these could be extended to other countries.

Security is also on the agenda, particularly enhanced cooperation on external security and defence.

EU leaders will also discuss investment and youth-related initiatives and the fight against youth unemployment, as well as external relations.

The summit officially ends at 6:30pm, but all leaders except for Britain’s May will discuss Brexit over a working dinner later on in the evening, where they will try to hammer out a united stand.

The nations are set to give the lead role in the talks to EU Commission pick Michel Barnier but the EU Parliament fears it will be sidelined, President Martin Schulz said yesterday.

He has warned that legislators could reject any Brexit draft agreement and that it could lead to "the very hardest of Brexits."

EU leaders will meet new Italian PM Paolo Gentiloni, who has just won a second vote of confidence in Italy. Gentiloni previously served as foreign affairs minister in Matteo Renzi’s government.

This will be the last EU Summit before Malta takes over the EU Presidency for six months in January.