1 July - 31 December 2026
POLICY PROGRAMME
Irish Presidency of
the Council of the
European Union 2026
Ní neart go cur le chéile
Strength with unity
Our Priorities
Ireland’s 2026 EU Presidency will be defined
by action and by delivery.
Delivery on European competitiveness, on
European values and on European security.
We will be guided by the enduring principle
of strength with unity.
The current global environment is unstable
and deeply challenging. There are many
external factors we cannot control. But in
vital areas, Europe has the means to take
determined action:
» On competitiveness – fostering
prosperity and wellbeing
» On values – upholding the
indispensable foundation of our Union
» On security – protecting our citizens
These three pillars will be the central themes
of the Irish Presidency. They are interlocking
and mutually reinforcing. We will work
intensively on proposals within each pillar,
as well as on priorities which span all three,
including our ongoing support for Ukraine
and our global engagement. In an uncertain
time, we will also work to strengthen
and stabilise the EU’s relationships with
neighbours and with partners around the
world, including the UK and the US.
The work of the Union requires a firm
financial footing. Facilitating timely
agreement on the Union’s budget for
2028-2034, a new Multiannual Financial
Framework, which equips the EU to address
the challenges of the future while supporting
key existing policies such as the Common
Agricultural Policy and Cohesion Policy,
will be an overarching priority for the Irish
Presidency.
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COMPETITIVENESS
In order to deliver a secure economic future
which meets the needs and expectations
of its people, Europe must act urgently
to enhance its competitiveness and
productivity.
The One Europe, One Market Roadmap,
agreed by the Council, the European
Commission and the European Parliament,
provides a blueprint to achieve decisive
progress in 2026. We will treat the
Roadmap’s objectives as core priorities for
the Irish Presidency.
Given the urgency of the task, the targets
are firmly ambitious and challenging.
We will use all the tools available to the
Presidency to facilitate agreement on the
priority files in line with the agreed targets.
Success will require all Member States
and each institution to work purposefully
together in a spirit of cooperation and
compromise, in the interests of every citizen
and business right across our Union.
Our work will be guided by the five agreed
strategic building blocks:
1. Simplifying rules
We will reduce unnecessary administrative
burdens through prioritisation of the
omnibus simplification packages.
We will prioritise a smarter, more coherent
regulatory framework. This is key to
unlocking rapid and efficient development
of critical infrastructure, clean and
affordable energy, affordable housing and
digital innovation.
2. A more integrated Single Market
The Single Market is the foundation of
Europe’s economy and prosperity. The Irish
Presidency will work to eliminate barriers,
tackle regulatory burdens, boost internal
market trade, drive digital transformation
and ensure a level playing field for
businesses operating across the EU.
We will make it easier for businesses to
start-up and scale seamlessly across
the Union, including through the EU Inc.
proposal.
It is time to take a decisive step forward on
the Savings and Investments Union, and to
help channel Europe’s substantial savings
into more productive investments.
3. Championing strong trade
An ambitious trade policy agenda, which
strengthens our trade relationships with
reliable global partners and diversifies our
markets, will also be at the core of our efforts.
The Irish Presidency will support EU efforts to
strengthen economic resilience. Guided by
the promote-protect-partner principles that
support our economic security, we will work
to bolster our supply chain resilience.
4. Energy transition
We will support all efforts to respond to the
exceptional energy crisis facing Europe.
We will prioritise work to enhance Europe’s
security of supply and the development of
sustainable, affordable and secure energy
systems.
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Our Priorities
We will conclude the European Grids
Package and advance the forthcoming
Energy Security Package.
We will support measures to ensure
the protection and resilience of energy
infrastructure, and work to accelerate the
clean energy transition and phasing out
dependence on fossil fuel imports.
5. Digital/AI
We will seek to strengthen the EU’s
capacities in cloud computing and artificial
intelligence (AI), and to advance the Union’s
positions on responsible digital governance.
In an era of transformative technological
change, we will convene governments and
stakeholders for an AI Summit focussed on
harnessing digital and AI opportunities while
empowering our people to thrive in a digital
society.
We will advance work on digital connectivity
and digital networks, and focus on
investment in subsea telecoms connectivity
and the security and resilience of sub-sea
cables.
To complement this work, we will prioritise
sectoral work in support of competitive,
sustainable farming and fishing; create a
more innovation-friendly regulatory and
policy environment; advance educational
mobility through Erasmus+; and promote
investment and reinforcement of resilience
in strategic and emerging sectors, including
AI, semiconductors, biotechnology and new
technologies.
Healthy societies are productive and
competitive ones. Health innovation
will be a central contributor to Europe’s
competitiveness and technological
leadership. We will advance legislation
on biotechnology and medical devices
to drive the innovation, resilience and
competitiveness of this key sector.
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VALUES
Our Union is founded on the values of
respect for human dignity, freedom,
democracy, equality, the rule of law and
respect for human rights, including the
rights of persons belonging to minorities,
as reflected in Article 2 of the Treaty
on European Union. Our shared values,
including those contained in the UN
Charter and the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights, are the bedrock
which makes Europe a good place to
live and work, and they underpin our
competitiveness and our security. Now
more than ever, the EU needs to defend and
vindicate those values within Europe and
globally.
Ukraine continues to endure brutal Russian
aggression against its people and territory.
Russia’s continuing aggression has resulted
in profound human suffering and sustained
damage to the country’s infrastructure,
economy, environment, and social systems,
forcing many Ukrainians to flee their homes
and country. The Irish Presidency will work
to enhance the Union’s unwavering support
for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s illegal war
of aggression. Continued political, military
and financial support for Ukraine, as well
as pressure on Russia, including via robust
sanctions, will remain a priority. The Irish
Presidency will continue to call for a just and
lasting peace for Ukraine. The fundamental
principle that borders cannot be changed
by force must be upheld.
We will work to strengthen the EU’s role
as a principled global actor. This includes
firm support for multilateralism and the
international legal order. We will maintain
support for and engagement with the
United Nations and the wider multilateral
system, and continue to promote human
rights, including women’s rights, gender
equality and the rights of LGBTIQ+ persons,
democracy and the rule of law.
We will promote active engagement in
support of lasting peace and security in
the Middle East, in particular the conflict
between Israelis and Palestinians,
reaffirming the EU’s commitment to the
two-State solution. We will work to end the
dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and
the deteriorating situation in the West Bank.
We will support EU efforts towards peace,
security and stability in Lebanon and Syria,
and in the conflict in the Gulf, which has had
significant regional and global impacts.
The experience of peacebuilding on the
island of Ireland illustrates the profound
importance of dialogue, partnership,
and sustained international support. The
success of the peace process in Northern
Ireland, enabled through the commitment
of communities and institutions, and
supported by the European Union, reflects
the unique circumstances of this island. EU
support, including through the PEACEPLUS
programme, continues to underpin efforts
to strengthen reconciliation, deepen
understanding and foster a shared and
peaceful future together.
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Our Priorities
The Irish Presidency will provide a platform
for strategic discussions on the future of
development cooperation and the enduring
challenge of poverty, recognising that the EU
and its Member States are now the world’s
largest provider of Official Development
Assistance. The impact on economic
stability of geopolitical crises, including the
situation in the Gulf, will require the EU’s
attention. In particular, the outlook for food
security in Africa and beyond will be an
urgent focus.
We see the enlargement process as a
key expression of our values, and as an
investment in peace, security, stability and
prosperity across Europe. We believe that
our fellow Europeans in candidate countries
can benefit from the advantages of EU
citizenship, and the Union as a whole will
be strengthened by the political, economic,
social and cultural contributions new
Member States bring. In particular, we will
work towards the completion of accession
negotiations with Montenegro, and seek to
make substantial progress in negotiations
with Albania, Moldova and Ukraine.
We will promote the rule of law within the
Union, across all Member States, and in
candidate countries. At a time when our
democratic values are being questioned, we
will seek to strengthen the EU’s democratic
resilience through support for initiatives
such as the European Democracy Shield
and the EU Strategy for Civil Society. We will
underline the importance of ensuring that
EU policy and decision-making is informed
by our people and civil society.
The Presidency will support efforts to
strengthen democratic resilience and
protect citizens online, including through
cooperation on addressing disinformation,
online criminality and child safety in digital
environments. The Digital Services Act (DSA)
has demonstrated its practical effectiveness
as a tool to protect democracy and
fundamental rights, balancing freedoms
and responsibilities for online platforms
and changing platform behaviours through
obligations and scrutiny. Building on
this progress, we will work to ensure the
continuation of close cooperation between
Member States and the Commission to
drive effective and balanced application of
the DSA as part of Europe’s suite of online
regulation tools.
Central among the fundamental rights
and values of the EU is the protection and
well-being of our children. They have the
right to enjoy a childhood where they can
flourish, build healthy connections with other
children, and freely express themselves.
It is one of the key challenges of our time
to ensure that the online world is a space
that is safe and healthy for children. It
will be a key priority of our Presidency to
strengthen online safety, in particular the
safety of children online. This will include
advocating for a decision at EU level on the
digital age of majority and highlighting the
importance of robust, privacy-preserving
age verification measures, but also listening
to children’s views on what makes a safe
online world. We will also prioritise work on
legislative measures to combat child sexual
abuse.
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The Irish Presidency will seek to strengthen
the EU’s approach to equality, social
inclusion, non-discrimination and the
protection of the rights of minorities in
line with the renewed Union of Equality
strategies. We will champion the full
participation of disabled people in Europe’s
social and economic life.
We will work to support a socio-economic
model that emphasises societal resilience,
inclusion and cohesion, and will take
forward initiatives on employment,
supporting quality jobs within modern
labour markets. We will seek to enhance
the health of Europe’s population through
prevention and health innovation.
The Irish Presidency will emphasise the
intrinsic value of Europe’s culture and our
sporting heritage, with a focus on promoting
traditional sports.
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Our Priorities
SECURITY
Russia’s ongoing war of aggression
against Ukraine, the conflicts in the Middle
East and the Gulf, and the evolution of new
threats and new forms of warfare present
serious challenges. We must work together
to address these challenges, which have
highlighted the need for Europe to invest
in all dimensions of our own security and
develop our defence capabilities. The Irish
Presidency will work to advance measures
that contribute to the strengthening of
European security and defence.
Active support for Ukraine will be a defining
priority for the Irish Presidency. We will work
to ensure Ukraine has what it needs to
defend itself against Russian aggression,
and support Ukraine in advancing its
capacity and coordination with the EU and
cooperation with partners.
We will take forward work on the proposed
new European Security Strategy, which
aims to respond to the geostrategic
challenges facing the European Union. The
Irish Presidency will advance work on the
measures set out in the White Paper on
the Future of European Defence and the
associated Defence Readiness Roadmap
2030, and on defence procurement. We
will support collaboration to address
critical capability gaps and build resilience,
including in the face of hybrid threats.
We will advance work on the proposed
regulation on military mobility and to
address maritime security challenges and
the security of critical infrastructure. The Irish
Presidency will support the Union’s ongoing
work on strengthening cybersecurity,
countering hybrid threats, and international
counter-terrorism. We will promote close
cooperation with like-minded non-EU states,
the UN, OSCE and NATO.
We will highlight the central role of the
EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy
(CSDP), and the important contribution
it makes to the EU’s security. The Irish
Presidency will promote the development
and evolution of CSDP to ensure it remains
responsive to ongoing crises.
We will address Europe’s security in all
its dimensions. We will work to enhance
environmental security as an important
element of the Irish Presidency’s agenda.
Particular attention will be paid to
accelerating climate action at EU and
international levels as well as the EU’s global
leadership on climate and biodiversity,
including at relevant UN conferences. We
will also advance work to promote and
develop the circular economy. We will
work to strengthen economic security,
build greater health security, and reinforce
Europe’s food security.
Within the Union, we will advance
measures to facilitate greater cross-border
cooperation in the fight against serious and
organised crime and to address migrant
smuggling and the trafficking of firearms.
The Irish Presidency will support enhanced
co-operation to disrupt the financing
models of organised crime; strengthen
the resilience and security of Europe’s
ports and critical infrastructure; and
improve operational cooperation targeting
transnational criminal networks. The Irish
Presidency will also place a focus on the full
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implementation of the Pact on Migration
and Asylum. We will prioritise moving
towards implementation of measures and
progressing legislation to facilitate migrant
returns and on digitalisation of returns.
The Irish Language
The 2026 Presidency will be the first Irish
Presidency since Irish became a fully-
operational working language of the
European Union in January 2022. The Irish
Presidency will demonstrate the Union’s
commitment to linguistic diversity by
integrating Irish into Council business,
official communications, and cultural
events.
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Our Priorities
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Table of contents
GENERAL AFFAIRS COUNCIL 12
FOREIGN AFFAIRS COUNCIL 18
ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL AFFAIRS COUNCIL 27
JUSTICE AND HOME AFFAIRS COUNCIL 32
EMPLOYMENT, SOCIAL POLICY, HEALTH AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS COUNCIL 37
COMPETITIVENESS COUNCIL 43
TRANSPORT, TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND ENERGY COUNCIL 47
AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES COUNCIL 54
ENVIRONMENT COUNCIL 58
EDUCATION, YOUTH, CULTURE AND SPORT COUNCIL 62
The Irish Presidency will work intensively
and ambitiously so that EU leaders can
take the necessary decisions in 2026 on the
Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for
the period 2028 to 2034.
Delivering on the ambitious timelines
and targets set out in the One Europe,
One Market Roadmap, agreed by the
three institutions in April 2026, will be
a priority across all areas of the Irish
Presidency’s work. In the GAC, the focus
will be on delivering swift progress on the
simplification agenda.
The Irish Presidency is ambitious for the EU’s
enlargement agenda, a key tool in ensuring
Europe’s security and prosperity. We aim to
prepare the ground for the first accession of
new Member States since 2013.
At the heart of our work will be the Union’s
values. The Irish Presidency will ensure that
the rule of law is upheld across the Union
and in candidate countries. We will place
particular emphasis on the resilience of our
democracies.
We will advance positive relations with the
UK, a vital partner for the EU, as well as with
our EEA and EFTA partners.
This Presidency will continue to develop the
Union’s preparedness and resilience for the
full range of risks that we could potentially
face.
The Irish Presidency will also continue to
recognise the need to understand and
respond to specific local contexts and
support the balanced development of
diversified and resilient regional economies
via cohesion policy, ensuring that no region
is left behind and that the needs of regions
facing particular challenges are recognised.
Multiannual Financial Framework
The Irish Presidency will intensively pursue
agreement among Member States on
the Multiannual Financial Framework
(MFF) for 2028 to 2034, laying the financial
foundations for the Union’s actions in the
decade to come.
General Affairs Council
In a world of rapid change, the European Union needs to be strong, agile, and
able to respond to emerging opportunities as well as challenges. Through the
work of the General Affairs Council (GAC), the Irish Presidency will ensure a
strategic focus on the key priorities of competitiveness, values and security and
a coherent approach across the work of all Council formations.
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General Affairs Council
We will work in a spirit of openness, resolve
and transparency to ensure the Union has
a balanced and strong budget to achieve
its goals, which provides for our citizens and
communities, while ensuring the Union’s
competitiveness, security and values.
We will work to ensure that the MFF
continues to promote and protect the
values enshrined in the EU Treaties and in
the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. In
particular, the Irish Presidency will place
emphasis on ensuring that the values of
human dignity, freedom, solidarity and the
continued promotion and advancement
of gender equality are centrally reflected
across all aspects of the MFF, and in
particular in new instruments such as the
European Competitiveness Fund and the
Global Europe Instrument.
We will work closely with the European
Commission and engage intensively with
the European Parliament.
We will advance discussions on the overall
framework at the General Affairs Council
and will work through relevant Council
formations to progress sectoral elements,
including the National and Regional
Partnership Plans (NRPPs), the European
Competitiveness Fund (ECF) and the Global
Europe Instrument, all of which are centrally
important to our citizens, communities, and
beneficiaries within and outside the Union.
Our aim is to hand over a sufficiently
advanced negotiating box to the President
of the European Council so that EU leaders
can take the necessary decisions about the
Union’s future financing in 2026.
Simplification
Simplifying EU rules and regulations is
a key element of ensuring the Union’s
long-term competitiveness. We need to
reduce the regulatory burden, in particular
for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
(SMEs), while continuing to protect and
uphold fundamental and social rights and
maintaining high ambition in terms of
environmental protection, human health
and other standards.
The Irish Presidency will work intensively to
advance the EU’s simplification agenda,
notably through the omnibus packages.
We will aim to reach agreement with
the European Parliament on the digital,
environment, automotive and food and feed
safety packages by the end of 2026, in line
with the commitment set out in the One
Europe, One Market Roadmap. We will also
seek to make early progress on the packages
on taxation, energy products, and citizens.
We will also prioritise efforts that can
support the delivery of affordable
housing and critical infrastructure such
as telecommunications, transport, digital,
healthcare, water, defence, as well as clean,
secure and affordable energy sources.
Through the simplification agenda we will
aim to create a more coherent, streamlined
and simplified regulatory framework at
the EU level for permitting processes, fully
respecting the principles of proportionality
and subsidiarity. We will also work to ensure
that the different impacts EU legislation may
have in Member States’ legal systems are
taken into account at an early stage in the
legislative process.
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Simplification is about better regulation,
not deregulation. We need to prioritise
smarter, simpler and more streamlined
regulations and collectively take forward the
action points outlined in the Commission
Communication A Simpler, Clearer and
Better Enforced EU Rulebook, including
by embedding the “simplicity by design”
concept in our legislative approach and
taking forward work on the “regulatory deep
cleaning” of the EU acquis.
Enlargement
Enlargement is a geostrategic investment
in the peace, security, stability and
prosperity of the European continent.
The Irish Presidency will work closely with
all candidate and potential candidate
countries to support them on their path to
EU membership, in line with the merit-based
process.
The Irish Presidency will prioritise the
completion of accession negotiations with
Montenegro and will advance the drafting of
Montenegro’s Accession Treaty. We will aim
to make swift progress in negotiations with
Ukraine and Moldova as well as Albania.
We note also the planned referendum in
Iceland.
We will work to communicate the benefits
of enlargement, both to citizens of
candidate countries and within the Union,
countering disinformation and malign
external influences that seek to destabilise
the Western Balkans and the Eastern
Neighbourhood.
Internal Reform
As the EU prepares to welcome new Member
States, the Irish Presidency will work to
ensure that the Union’s structures and
processes are fit-for-purpose and enable
us to continue to deliver positively for our
citizens.
Values, Democracy and the
Rule of Law
Respect for human dignity, freedom,
democracy, equality, the rule of law and
respect for human rights, including the
rights of persons belonging to minorities, are
the foundational values of our Union. These
values are deeply cherished by the people
of Europe.
The Irish Presidency will act to safeguard
and promote our shared values across the
Union as well as among candidate and
potential candidate countries.
Bolstering the resilience of our European
democracy will be a priority. The Irish
Presidency will take forward work on the
European Democracy Package, which
includes the European Democracy Shield and
the Strategy for Civil Society. We will place
a particular focus on inclusive democratic
participation and civic engagement, aiming
to reach communities experiencing exclusion
and democratic disengagement. The Irish
Presidency will advance the establishment
and operationalisation of the European
Centre for Democratic Resilience to
strengthen the Union’s collective capacity to
anticipate, detect and respond to threats to
democracy.
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General Affairs Council
The Irish Presidency will be a strong advocate
for the rule of law, leading a constructive
and respectful dialogue on the rule of law in
Member States at both a horizontal and a
country-specific level, as well as looking at
the general trends in candidate countries.
We will seek to make positive progress in the
ongoing Article 7 procedure.
The Irish Presidency will also represent the
Council in the new EU Ethics Body and will
advance its work to promote a common
culture of ethics, integrity and transparency
across the Union’s institutions.
Relations with the UK and other non-
EU Western European Neighbours
The United Kingdom remains a key partner
for the EU. The Irish Presidency will be
ambitious in promoting positive EU-UK
relations, while seeking new opportunities
to advance the renewed agenda of
cooperation in the interests of citizens in the
UK and across the Union. The Irish Presidency
will ensure continued implementation of
existing agreements, namely the Withdrawal
Agreement, including the Windsor
Framework for Northern Ireland, and the EU-
UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement. We
will support the finalisation of negotiations for
the next EU-UK Institutional Summit and we
will advance the outcomes of this Summit.
The Irish Presidency will continue to pursue
the Union’s strong and constructive
relations with our non-EU Western European
neighbours. This will include supporting
positive relations between the EU and
the European Economic Area (EEA) and
European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
countries, as well as advancing agreements
with Switzerland, Andorra and San Marino.
Preparedness and Resilience
Europe today faces a changed security and
geopolitical landscape, with more complex
threats and risks as well as the increasing
frequency of climate-related disasters.
The Irish Presidency will take forward work
under the Preparedness Union Strategy to
bolster the EU’s resilience and preparedness
and ensure a comprehensive, all-hazards,
whole-of-government and whole-of-
society approach, fostering a culture of
preparing citizens for crises.
The Irish Presidency will build on the work
of previous Presidencies to advance key
actions of the Preparedness Union Strategy,
including the delivery of a Comprehensive
EU-Wide Risk and Threat Assessment, the
Minimum Preparedness Requirements,
and progress on initiatives to ensure the
resilience of vital societal functions.
The Irish Presidency will support the delivery
of Exercise Integrated Resolve 26 (IR-26)
as part of the Parallel and Coordinated
Exercises (PACE) with NATO. Additionally,
the Irish Presidency will convene a meeting
of EU Resilience Directors to provide further
strategic direction to the implementation of
the Preparedness Union Strategy.
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Maritime
The Union must protect its oceans and seas
so that they can continue to provide their
critical benefits to people and the planet.
The Irish Presidency will work to translate the
ambitious aims of the European Ocean Pact
into practical measures, with a focus on
strengthening marine spatial planning and
supporting the delivery of marine protected
areas and nature restoration.
With the EU facing increasing challenges
to its maritime security, the Irish Presidency
will support the implementation of the EU
Maritime Security Strategy and Action Plan
and will take forward work on the mid-
term review of the EU Maritime Security
Strategy and Action Plan once the review is
published.
Drugs
The Irish Presidency will take forward the
implementation of the revised EU Drugs
Strategy for the period 2026-2030, leading
discussions on approaches to demand and
harm reduction. The Irish Presidency will
also organise bilateral dialogues on drugs
with regional partners, as well as a yearly
dialogue with the Civil Society Forum on
Drugs. In addition, the Irish Presidency will
host a mutual learning event for National
Drug Coordinators on drug use and
homelessness.
Staff Regulations
The Irish Presidency will take forward work
on ensuring the geographical balance of
staff in EU institutions, bodies and agencies,
including a practical, evidence-based
analysis of implementation measures to
address the under-representation of some
Member States.
Statistics
Official statistics continue to underpin
evidence-informed decision-making. In
response to emerging demands, the Irish
Presidency will aim to reach agreement
on non-financial commercial real estate
statistics, and on European fisheries and
aquaculture statistics.
In line with the broader simplification
agenda, the Irish Presidency will also
begin discussions to streamline European
statistics, reducing the burden on
respondents while continuing to meet
citizens’ needs.
COHESION
Economic, Social and Territorial
Cohesion
The Irish Presidency will ensure that
cohesion policy remains focused on
addressing social, economic and territorial
disparities so that all citizens have an
opportunity to participate in the economic
and social life of the Union.
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General Affairs Council
The Irish Presidency will promote local
and place-based solutions and related
measures to build local capacity and make
best use of allocated resources. We will
promote implementation through multi-
level governance structures that facilitate
active involvement of our cities and regions,
social partners and other stakeholders.
This Presidency will emphasise the need
for regional development strategies
specifically adapted to those regions
currently struggling with their own economic
development. The Irish Presidency will
also enable the continued development
of European Territorial Cooperation with
particular regard to the needs of border
areas and those affected by conflict.
The Irish Presidency will support regional
development and the clean and digital
transitions by way of investments
in infrastructure, energy, research,
environmental and urban regeneration,
including access to affordable housing,
supports for SMEs, strategic industries and
transport.
Cohesion policy supports resilient
regional economies, which play a vital
role in ensuring the Union’s overall
competitiveness. By aligning investment
with balanced regional development
strategies that seek to take advantage of
opportunities in innovative technologies and
industry, Europe can make use of the full
range of resources to support competition
and growth across the Union and ensure
that no region is left behind.
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We will work to continue and maintain the
Union’s unwavering support for Ukraine in
the face of Russia’s war of aggression, by
maintaining pressure on Russia and ensuring
that Ukraine continues to have access to the
support and finance that it needs, including
to defend itself. The Irish Presidency will
support EU efforts to contribute to peace and
security in the Middle East. This will include
support for implementation of the two-State
solution, supporting action in response to
the huge humanitarian needs in Gaza and
the deteriorating situation in the West Bank.
Supporting EU efforts towards peace, security
and stability in the Gulf, where conflict has
had regional and global impacts, in Lebanon,
and support for the transition in Syria will be
a priority.
In support of a more resilient and secure
Europe, the Irish Presidency will ensure
a coherent, inclusive and coordinated
approach to the Union’s defence and
security agenda, supporting the EU’s focus
on the development of critical defence
capabilities. Advancing work on the
proposed new European Security Strategy
will be a priority during the Irish Presidency.
We will promote the development and
evolution of the EU’s Common Security
and Defence Policy to ensure it remains
responsive to ongoing crises, and advance
work on military mobility and on defence
procurement. The EU’s efforts to strengthen
cyber security, build our resilience to hybrid
threats, and work together to address
maritime security challenges will be a focus
of the Irish Presidency.
In support of mutually beneficial and
positive global partnerships, we will seek to
strengthen EU relations with the UK, the US
and Canada, and prioritise EU engagement
with partners in Africa, Latin America and the
Asia-Pacific region.
Against this complex and rapidly evolving
global environment, the Irish Presidency will
continue to pursue an ambitious trade policy
agenda, which upholds the multilateral
trading system and takes forward essential
work on reform of the WTO.
Foreign Affairs Council
The European Union faces increasingly complex geopolitical challenges. Through
the work of the Foreign Affairs Council, the Irish Presidency, working closely with
the High Representative/Vice President, will seek to strengthen the EU’s role as a
principled global actor. The EU’s firm commitment to multilateralism, the United
Nations and the international legal order, as well as the promotion of human
rights, democracy and the rule of law, will be central to the work of the Irish
Presidency.
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Foreign Affairs Council
The implementation of the EU US Trade
and Investment agenda will be a clear
priority well as ongoing trade negotiations
with Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand
and the UAE. Trade Policy does not exist
in a vacuum and the Irish Presidency will
also take forward the December 2025 Joint
Communication on Strengthening Economic
Security.
The Irish Presidency will also ensure that the
EU’s role as the world’s largest development
and humanitarian actor will be kept in
the spotlight. We will provide a platform
for strategic discussions on the future of
development cooperation, humanitarian
assistance, and the enduring challenge of
poverty. The impacts of geopolitical crises
and emerging challenges will be an urgent
focus for the EU. The issues of food, health,
and gender will be core dimensions for the
Irish Presidency in focusing strategic debate.
EXTERNAL RELATIONS
The security environment in Europe has
been transformed by Russia’s war of
aggression in Ukraine, while the broader
international context facing us has never
been more challenging. The rules-based
order on which Europe’s security and
prosperity depend is increasingly under
challenge.
The European Union must navigate these
increasingly complex and cross-cutting
geopolitical challenges, while also ensuring
that it is equipped to take advantage
of emerging opportunities. Through the
work of the Foreign Affairs Council, the
Irish Presidency will prioritise the EU’s key
strategic goals and values, supporting a
coherent approach across the work of all
Council formations as we seek to advance
them.
Responding to Russia’s aggression towards
Ukraine will remain the major foreign policy
priority for the EU. During the Irish Presidency,
we will work with our EU partners to maintain
unwavering support for Ukraine, including
political, military and financial support, and
progress towards Ukraine’s membership of
the EU. We will continue to pressure Russia
to end its illegal and unjustified war of
aggression, including via robust sanctions in
close coordination with likeminded partners.
We will also support continued EU
engagement on other countries and issues
in the Eastern neighbourhood and beyond,
including with Moldova, a candidate for EU
membership, and on Belarus and the South
Caucasus.
Events in the Middle East will remain a key
priority during our Presidency. In relation to
the Israel-Palestine conflict, we will reaffirm
the EU’s commitment to a comprehensive,
just and lasting peace in the Middle East
based on the two-State solution, that
guarantees the right of both Israelis and
Palestinians to self-determination and
to live in peace and safety within secure
borders. We will also maintain a focus on
the humanitarian needs in Gaza and on the
situation in the West Bank, where unilateral
actions which threaten the viability of the
two-State solution are causing further
instability.
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Developments in the wider Middle East
region will also be a priority for the Irish
Presidency. The conflict in the Gulf has
undermined regional security, directly
impacting Gulf states and countries in the
wider region and affecting the regional
and global economy. The Irish Presidency
will support EU efforts to contribute to
achieving peace and security in the region,
uphold international law and freedom of
navigation, address security concerns,
and work to strengthen relations between
the EU and the Gulf Cooperation Council
(GCC), including through the EU-GCC
summit in Riyadh in October 2026. We will
work with EU and international partners to
support a restoration of peace and security
in Lebanon and work to uphold Lebanon’s
territorial and economic sovereignty. We
will also ensure continued EU support to the
transition underway in Syria.
The heightened focus on security and
defence in response to Russian aggression
and broader geopolitical dynamics will
ensure that this will be a key priority. The
Irish Presidency will work to advance the
European security and defence agenda.
Priorities will include promoting progress
on the EU’s cyber, hybrid, maritime,
international counter-terrorism and
preparedness agendas.
We will support projection of the EU’s
strengths in conflict prevention, conflict
resolution, crisis management, and
sustaining peace. This will highlight that
dialogue and mediation are essential
elements of a comprehensive security
strategy, alongside deterrence and defence.
The Irish Presidency will assert the critical
role of the EU in protecting the international
legal order, democracy, peacebuilding
and effective multilateralism, supporting
mechanisms for international criminal
accountability and enhanced oceans
governance, including through active
engagement with and support for the United
Nations. EU support for the UN is critical as
the organisation engages in significant
reforms in the face of profound global and
institutional challenges and needs, as well
as a change of leadership through the
election of a new UN Secretary General.
As the Union faces a difficult external
environment as well as internal challenges,
we will ensure that core EU values are
maintained across all areas of EU external
work. We will continue to promote human
rights and democracy, and climate action,
including by countering the shrinking of
civil society space, and we will work to
oppose attempts to dilute international
commitments and human rights standards,
including on women’s rights, gender
equality and the rights of LGBTIQ+ persons.
This will include supporting negotiation and
finalisation of a new and effective EU Action
Plan on Human Rights and Democracy.
Promoting a globally engaged EU, through
investment in wider relationships with
international partners, will also be a priority
during our Presidency.
Progressing EU enlargement, which is the
ultimate guarantee of security for the
European continent, will be at the centre of
our Presidency.
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Foreign Affairs Council
We will work to promote a mutually
beneficial and positive transatlantic
relationship. This will include preparations
for EU participation in the G20 Summit to be
held in Florida in December 2026.
We will underscore the UK’s status as an
important partner for the EU. It will be crucial
that the EU and UK work together in facing
the global challenges that we share. We will
also work to maintain and strengthen EU
relations with Canada.
The strategic partnership between the EU
and the African Union recognises that our
common future lies in closer cooperation
and collective action for the promotion of
peace, stability and development in Africa
for the mutual benefit of the peoples of
Africa and Europe. We will prioritise this
relationship, including seeking to strengthen
EU engagement and to develop joint
EU positions on Sudan, with a focus on
mediation efforts and humanitarian access.
The Sahel will remain a priority for the EU,
with the focus on taking forward the EU’s
Renewed Approach to the region.
The Irish Presidency will also prioritise EU
engagement with partners in Latin America
and the Asia-Pacific region. The annual EU-
Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum and any EU-
ASEAN meeting at Foreign Ministers’ level will
be a key focus.
SECURITY AND DEFENCE
Europe faces a deteriorating international
security situation. Russia’s ongoing war
of aggression against Ukraine, rising
geopolitical tensions and ongoing hybrid
attacks across the continent present a
complex and evolving threat environment
and new challenges for the European Union
as a whole. The Irish Presidency will support
the EU in navigating this reality.
Across all areas, the Irish Presidency
will promote a coherent, inclusive and
coordinated approach to the Union’s
defence and security agenda, supporting
a more resilient and secure Europe, with
full respect for the national security and
defence policies of Member States. The EU
needs strong partnerships on security and
defence across the globe to address these
challenges, including with like-minded non-
EU states, the UN, OSCE and NATO.
Full solidarity with, and active support
for, Ukraine is a defining priority for the
Presidency. We will work to ensure the swift
disbursement of the Ukraine Support Loan to
ensure Ukraine has what it needs to defend
itself against Russian aggression. We will
champion the full integration of Ukraine
into EU defence initiatives with the same
access as EU Member States. We hope for
a sustainable peace agreement in Ukraine
and support the strategic review of the EU’s
Military Assistance Mission in support of
Ukraine.
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The Irish Presidency will support the EU’s
focus on the development of critical defence
capabilities through a stronger and more
flexible European defence industry, and
the promotion of inclusive and mutually
beneficial EU-NATO cooperation. Following
on from the EU’s White Paper on Defence
and Defence Readiness Roadmap, the Irish
Presidency will aim to steer progress to
allow us to achieve greater collaboration to
close our collective critical capability gaps
and build our resilience to hybrid threats,
including through the Annual Defence
Readiness Report to be presented at the
October meeting of the European Council.
We will seek to facilitate consensus among
Member States on realistic, prioritised next
steps, including on European Defence
Projects of Common Interest, ensuring they
deliver for all Member States. The Presidency
will also promote measures that support
the dual-use innovation ecosystem and
harness civilian-developed technology
innovation to address Member States’
defence requirements. The Irish Presidency
will also work to progress the revision of
the Defence Procurement Directive seeking
to strengthen the efficiency, transparency,
and competitiveness of EU defence
procurement, and to incentivise and
streamline joint procurement.
The Irish Presidency will also seek to
progress the Commission’s proposed
Regulation on Military Mobility, which aims
to streamline processes across Member
States to facilitate the movement of military
personnel and equipment across the EU,
with the goal of finalising agreement with
the co-legislators.
We will work to advance the proposed new
European Security Strategy which will be
launched during the Irish Presidency term.
The Irish Presidency will also contribute
to EU efforts to address maritime security
challenges, including measures to counter
Russia’s shadow fleet, and enhance
maritime domain awareness. The
Presidency will also aim to support the mid-
term review of the EU’s Maritime Security
Strategy which will take place in the second
half of 2026.
The EU’s missions and operations have
played a significant role in addressing
security challenges across the world and
strengthening the security and defence
of partners. The European Peace Facility
(EPF) has proven to be a key instrument
to enhance the EU’s ability to strengthen
international security and stability. The Irish
Presidency will prioritise the EU’s continued
focus on crisis preparedness and crisis
management outside the Union, and will
champion a role for the EU in assisting the
Lebanese authorities to enhance security for
their citizens through a potential Common
Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) mission
and support through the EPF.
Ahead of the expiration of the current
Civilian CSDP Compact in 2027, the Irish
Presidency will facilitate the scoping and
shaping of EU decision-making around the
future strategic direction of the instrument.
We will continue to emphasise the
importance of mainstreaming human rights
and gender, including by promoting UNSCR
1325 on Women, Peace and Security in the
planning and operation of all missions.
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Foreign Affairs Council
The Irish Presidency will support the use
of the European Peace Facility as an
instrument to enhance the EU’s ability
to strengthen international security and
stability, including through the provision of
military support to Ukraine.
Faced with a complex and evolving threat
environment, the Irish Presidency will work
to strengthen responses to hybrid and
cyber threats through prioritising work to
ensure a comprehensive and coherent
EU approach to current challenges. We
will work to progress the EU agenda
on countering hybrid threats through
implementation of the EU Hybrid Toolbox
and work to strengthen cooperation with
partners, including those most affected by
hybrid activity. The Presidency will focus
on the EU response to Foreign Information
Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) and
the threats posed to critical infrastructure
by hybrid activity.
The Presidency will promote a more
strategic implementation of the Cyber
Diplomacy Toolbox and engagement
with partners. It will also seek to advance
international law and responsible state
behaviour in cyberspace, as well as explore
further engagement in global cyber security
initiatives.
The Presidency will retain a focus on existing
and emerging threats from international
terrorism and violent extremism. The
Presidency will represent EU Member States
at counter-terrorism dialogues with external
states and organisations.
As part of our commitment to bolstering
resilience and preparedness within the
European Union, the Irish Presidency
will prioritise the advancement and
implementation of the key actions detailed
within the Preparedness Union Strategy. This
will include advancing the Union’s capacity
to anticipate, prevent, and respond to crises
through an all hazards, whole of society,
and whole of government approach. The
Irish Presidency will continue to encourage
high-level Member State dialogue on
the Preparedness Union Strategy. The
Presidency will work to support fostering a
culture of preparing citizens for crises across
the Union.
The Irish Presidency will advance a number
of key actions in the second half of 2026,
including supporting the resilience of
vital societal functions, delivery of an EU-
wide Comprehensive Risk and Threat
Assessment, the Minimum Preparedness
Requirements, and overseeing the EU-NATO
Integrated Resolve Parallel and Coordinated
Exercises (PACE), due to take place in
November 2026. To complement the
Preparedness Union Strategy and build on
the work of previous Presidencies, the Irish
Presidency will also progress the roadmap
to strengthen cross-border cooperation in
the EU in the field of crisis preparedness and
response.
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We will also support the immediate
Union priority for full transposition and
implementation of the Critical Entities
Resilience Directive, reinforcing policy and
technical deliverables during the Irish
Presidency. Other areas of significance
related to critical infrastructure include
the EU Action Plan on Drone and Counter
Drone Security, the EU Action Plan on Cable
Security, the Digital Omnibus, and the
Blueprint for Critical Infrastructure.
TRADE
The Irish Presidency will pursue an
ambitious, open, rules- and values-based
trade policy agenda that seeks to advance
Europe’s diversification priorities and, in
line with the commitments in the One
Europe, One Market Roadmap, supports
European competitiveness, resilience and
economic security, as well as inclusive
economic growth and trade. In the current
geopolitical environment, we will work with
the Commission in the pursuit of deepening
trade and investment relationships using
traditional trade agreements, but also
newer forms of sectoral agreements such
as digital partnerships.
At a time of rising trade uncertainty and
fragmentation, the Irish Presidency will work
to maximise the underutilised opportunities
for increased trade within our Single Market
while also striving to strengthen and diversify
our markets with reliable, global partners.
Our trade relations with strategic partners in
Asia and the Middle East will be prioritised,
as well as with partners in Africa, including
by advancing negotiations with Malaysia,
the Philippines, Thailand and the United
Arab Emirates.
The Presidency will seek to build a more
ambitious and mutually beneficial EU-US
trade and investment relationship, in line
with the on-going implementation of the
EU-US Joint Statement. There are areas for
further mutually beneficial cooperation
in the expansion of the Joint Statement
including in relation to supply chains and
critical sectors and technologies.
The Irish Presidency will place an emphasis
on the ratification and implementation of
recently agreed agreements, including
the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic
and Trade Agreement (CETA), with 2026
marking ten years since it was signed. The
Presidency will pay particular attention
to the implementation of trade and
sustainable development chapters,
including provisions relating to trade and
gender. The Presidency will also prioritise
the formal Council procedures for the
agreements with India and Indonesia.
Following the recently-concluded 14th
World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial
Conference (MC14), the Irish Presidency
will promote cooperation with like-minded
partners to uphold the multilateral trading
system, focusing attention on advancing
the WTO reform agenda.
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Foreign Affairs Council
The Commission Joint Communication
on Strengthening Economic Security of
December 2025 provides greater clarity
and coherence for the EU’s work in this area.
The Irish Presidency will guide negotiations
on relevant files in the Council, to ensure
that all measures are compatible with
free, open and rules-based international
trade and WTO rules, and can address
proven cases of unfair trade practices. The
underlying approach must be to secure EU
competitiveness and economic resilience
while remaining open to trade, on a level
playing field.
DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION
AND HUMANITARIAN
ASSISTANCE
The impact of conflict and global political
and economic volatility is mounting -
and visible in sharp and accelerating
increases in global poverty and hunger, and
unprecedented levels of humanitarian need.
Further shocks stemming from the conflict
in the Gulf, particularly the impact on food
production, will only exacerbate these
trends.
In this challenging environment for
international development co-operation
and humanitarian assistance, the EU and its
Member States remain the world’s largest
providers of Official Development Assistance
(ODA) and climate finance. Team Europe is
now also the largest global humanitarian
donor.
The Irish Presidency will provide a platform
for strategic discussions on the future of
development cooperation and the enduring
challenge of poverty.
As the reduction and, in the long term,
the eradication of poverty is the primary
objective of the EU’s development policy,
the Irish Presidency will engage our global
shared commitment on reaching the
furthest behind and focus on the areas of
food, gender equality and health.
Recognising the transformative potential of
inclusive economic growth, as both a driver
and an enabler of sustainable development,
and the severe impacts of climate change
and conflict on the most vulnerable, the
Presidency will facilitate discussions on how
to scale global investments that benefit
people and planet, underpinned by the
Union’s values and long-term strategic
interests.
The Presidency will maintain momentum on
the EU’s Global Gateway Strategy in a Team
Europe approach recognising the power
of supporting sustainable people-centred
growth and the importance of supply
chain resilience in deepening mutually
beneficial partnerships. As part of building
and deepening global partnerships, the
Presidency will recognise the contribution
of all sectors and stakeholders including
governments, the private sector, multilateral
organisations and in full respect of and
promoting civil society space.
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These issues are central to the ongoing
negotiations on the Global Europe
instrument as part of the 2028-2034
Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF),
which will underpin the EU’s external action
over the coming decade.
The EU has a critical role in protecting
the international legal order, democracy,
peacebuilding, and multilateralism. The
Irish Presidency will reaffirm the EU’s central
role in shaping a more effective multilateral
development system, revitalising progress
on the Sustainable Development Goals,
delivery of the Paris Climate Agreement,
Principled Humanitarian Action, and
follow up on the Seville Commitment on
Finance for Development, recognising the
interdependence of these agendas.
In responding to humanitarian crises, the
Irish Presidency will ensure that a focus is
maintained on principled and needs-based
humanitarian assistance in response to
the most severe crises, including those in
Ukraine, Palestine, Sudan and the Greater
Horn of Africa, and the Sahel. We will also
continue to respond to less visible and
neglected crises, including those across
the Middle East, in Afghanistan, Myanmar,
Haiti, and in refugee-hosting countries. The
Irish Presidency will prioritise discussion on
reducing humanitarian need in the longer
term, recognising that flexible, predictable
funding enables a humanitarian,
development, peace nexus approach. There
will be a particular focus on International
Humanitarian Law and Humanitarian
Diplomacy in the face of restrictions on
humanitarian space. The Presidency will
also provide space for discussions on the
future of humanitarian assistance given the
immense pace of change in global crisis
response systems.
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Foreign Affairs Council
Reflecting the commitment in the One
Europe, One Market Roadmap, priority
will be given to achieving the targets
on the Savings and Investments Union
and the Digital Euro. Action in this area
will focus both on deepening European
capital markets and strengthening the
competitiveness of Europe’s banking
sector, helping to mobilise resources
for longer-term economic growth and
competitiveness. The Irish Presidency will
also take forward economic coordination
through the European Semester cycle,
supporting sound fiscal policies that
contribute to debt sustainability and
investment.
Ukraine
The provision of continued economic
and financial support to Ukraine is a key
priority of the Irish Presidency, including
Ukraine’s longer-term reconstruction
following Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion.
It remains essential that ECOFIN continues
to take stock of the economic and financial
consequences of the war. This will include
the provision and monitoring of European
and international financial support. The
Presidency will continue to cooperate with
international partners, including the IMF, in
this regard.
Economic and Financial
Affairs Council
In a rapidly evolving global economic and geopolitical environment, the
Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) will prioritise the Union’s
competitiveness, resilience and fiscal sustainability, while remaining agile in
responding to international economic developments. Ensuring coordinated and
effective policy action remains essential to safeguard stability and support the
European economy. In light of ongoing developments in the Middle East and
impact on energy markets in particular, the Presidency will facilitate work and
discussion in ECOFIN where appropriate.
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Competitiveness
Competitiveness is the Irish Presidency’s
overarching priority for ECOFIN and is
central to strengthening Europe’s economic
prospects. In line with the strategic priorities
identified by our institutions, the Presidency
will ensure that competitiveness is
embedded across the work of ECOFIN. In this
regard, priority will be given to advancing
current and new competitiveness initiatives,
including the simplification agenda. This will
include taking forward the work initiated
by the Danish Presidency to examine the
economic consequences of EU legislation.
Savings and Investments Union and
Digital Euro
A key priority of the Irish Presidency is the
Savings and Investments Union (SIU). A
stronger, more liquid EU capital market will
improve the functioning of the real economy
by offering more attractive opportunities to
both businesses and investors and boosting
Europe’s capacity to finance innovation and
support enterprises, both large and small.
Further work is needed to remove barriers
to capital and improve the functioning of
the internal market. To this end, the Irish
Presidency will respond to the commitment
in the One Europe, One Market Roadmap
and aim to conclude negotiations on the
Market Integration and Supervision Package.
The Irish Presidency will also work towards
an agreement in trilogue negotiations on
the enabling framework for a Digital Euro,
promoting a European option for digital
payments that will bring new benefits for
citizens, strengthen the EU as a financial
hub, and bolster our economic resilience.
Securitisation provides a bridge between
bank lending and capital markets. A
revitalised EU securitisation market will
free up bank lending capacity and add
investment opportunities for capital market
investors. The Irish Presidency will take
forward trilogue negotiations with the
European Parliament on the Securitisation
Framework with a view to reaching a
political agreement.
Investing in our competitiveness requires a
strong and stable EU banking sector, given
the heavy reliance of EU businesses on
bank-based financing. The Irish Presidency
will facilitate discussions on the European
Commission’s report on the competitiveness
of the banking sector with a view to
promoting simplification and a level playing
field in the internal market and globally.
Deeper capital markets within the EU
require stronger participation by both
EU savers as retail investors and pension
funds as institutional investors. The Irish
Presidency will progress negotiations on the
Supplementary Pensions Package and aim
to conclude negotiations, in line with the
One Europe, One Market Roadmap.
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Economic and Financial Affairs Council
Capital markets are vital for start-ups and
scale-ups with limited access to bank-
based lending. The Irish Presidency is ready
to start negotiations when the European
Commission brings forward a proposal on
the review of the Regulation on European
Venture Capital Funds (EuVECA), as well
as a proposal aimed at improving options
for growth companies to exit the venture
capital stage (Investment Exits).
The simplification agenda shows that often
the best way forward can lie in making
rules simpler and more targeted. A more
proportional and efficient framework of
financial regulation will be a key factor in
delivering our objectives. To improve the
rules for investment in the green transition,
the Irish Presidency will engage in trilogue
negotiations on the Sustainable Finance
Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) to work
towards a political conclusion.
Economic Governance
Given ongoing geopolitical tensions
and the highly dynamic and uncertain
international environment, a key imperative
of the Irish Presidency is to strengthen
European economic resilience. This will
be achieved through the implementation
of growth-enhancing structural reforms,
underpinned by a strong implementation of
the Economic Governance Framework and
sustainable public finances. In this regard,
the Presidency will continue to facilitate the
coordination and engagement of Member
States on their budgetary policies, including
through implementation of medium-term
fiscal structural plans.
Effective implementation of the European
Semester will be integral to this, entailing
strong economic and fiscal policy
coordination and surveillance. The Irish
Presidency will ensure the continued
monitoring of economic and budgetary
policies, and macroeconomic imbalances,
including through the 2027 European
Semester Autumn Package.
The delivery of structural reforms and
investments is important for enhancing
European economic growth and
productivity. The Irish Presidency is
conscious of the need for Member States
to complete the implementation of their
Recovery and Resilience Plans by 31 August
2026. The Presidency will manage the
process to ensure delivery of outstanding
milestones and targets in order to ensure
the effective absorption by Member
States of these funds before the end-year
deadline.
Annual EU Budget
The Irish Presidency will work to achieve an
agreement with the European Parliament on
the EU’s annual budget for 2027, to ensure
the necessary resources are in place to
deliver the EU’s policy priorities for 2027.
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IRELAND2026.EU
2028-2034 Multiannual Financial
Framework
In the context of the 2028-2034 Multiannual
Financial Framework (MFF) negotiations,
ECOFIN will, as appropriate, continue
discussions on a possible revision of the
own resources system. The Presidency will
further progress the regulation establishing
a budget expenditure tracking and
performance framework.
Taxation
The Irish Presidency will prioritise work
on the tax simplification agenda and
will significantly progress and aim to
conclude the recast of the Directive on
Administrative Cooperation (DAC). The
recast will streamline the nine iterations
of this important tax transparency and
cooperation mechanism.
The Presidency will also progress work
on the expected Tax Simplification
Omnibus which will seek to simplify several
corporate tax directives, including the
two Anti-Tax Avoidance Directives. The
Tax Simplification Omnibus, together with
the recast of the DAC, will aim to reduce
complexity caused by existing tax rules,
and reduce the reporting, administrative
and compliance burdens for taxpayers and
Member States’ tax administrations, thereby
contributing to efforts to enhance European
competitiveness.
In conjunction with its Chair, the Irish
Presidency will progress the work of the
Code of Conduct Group (Business Taxation),
including updating the EU list of non-
cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes in
October 2026.
Cognisant of European competitiveness,
the Presidency will ensure there is ongoing
monitoring of the OECD Global Minimum Tax
(Pillar Two rules) and the implementation
of the Side-by-Side solution at EU level
and also ensure the timely assessment of
any impacts arising. The Presidency will
also encourage the swift implementation
by Member States of further simplification
measures agreed at the OECD. The
Presidency will continue to engage with
global partners on international tax matters,
including through OECD and UN fora.
The Irish Presidency will progress work on
the proposed extension of the Carbon
Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)
regulation and on the proposal for a
Temporary Decarbonisation Fund (TDF),
which aims to support EU producers
vulnerable to carbon leakage in their
decarbonisation efforts. This work will likely
include facilitating trilogue negotiations with
the European Parliament.
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Economic and Financial Affairs Council
A priority for the Irish Presidency is pursuing
agreement among Member States on the
Tobacco Tax Directive. The new proposals
aim to update current legal framework
for excise duty on tobacco in line with the
objective of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan,
by better aligning the taxation of tobacco
and tobacco-related products with public
health objectives.
The Irish Presidency will progress work
amending the EU VAT Framework and
stands ready to progress any proposals
made by the Commission during our
Presidency.
Customs Union
The Presidency will advance and seek to
reach agreement on the drugs precursors
file, which aims to reduce the availability of
drug precursors for illicit drug production,
while facilitating legitimate trade.
International Economic Relations
The Irish Presidency seeks to strengthen
international economic cooperation,
including through ECOFIN ministerial
dialogue with EFTA countries, and will work
to develop unified EU positions on the G20
finance track.
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A comprehensive European approach
to asylum and migration is essential for
maintaining public trust in the management
of migration. Through the work of the
Justice and Home Affairs Council, the Irish
Presidency will continue work to advance
a fair, firm, rules-based approach to
migration, asylum and returns.
Europe faces a changing geopolitical and
security landscape, and the Irish Presidency
will prioritise advancing actions that
support Member States in securing borders,
fighting serious and organised crime, and
responding to new and emerging threats.
The Irish Presidency will also progress work
on the Council’s vital and ongoing efforts
to uphold and strengthen respect for EU
values, fundamental rights, and the rule
of law. This work will include a continuing
focus on domestic, sexual and gender-
based violence, on protecting minorities
from discrimination, and on protecting and
promoting the rights of the child, including
through their participation in the making of
decisions that affect their lives.
Advancing a Fair, Firm, Rules-Based
Approach to Migration, Asylum and
Returns
The sustained effective implementation
of the Pact on Migration and Asylum will
be central to ensuring a comprehensive
European approach to asylum and
migration, and for maintaining public trust
in the management of migration.
The Irish Presidency will work with all other
Member States, Schengen-associated
countries, and the Commission to maintain
a focus on monitoring implementation
of the Pact in the months after it comes
into operation, to support its ongoing full
application, seeking to identify early any
gaps, should they emerge. The Presidency
will also seek to progress negotiations
on the Asylum, Migration and Integration
Regulation and the Border Management
and Visa Regulation as part of the MFF
negotiations, to ensure Member States
have appropriate funding to continue to
effectively implement and operationalise
the Pact.
Justice and Home
Affairs Council
In a world of constant and rapid change, the European Union needs to be
strong, agile, and able to respond promptly to emerging opportunities as well as
challenges to our safety, security, social cohesion, fundamental rights, and the
rule of law.
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Justice and Home Affairs Council
In addition, we will conclude the second
iteration of the annual migration
management cycle, with the establishment
of a Solidarity Pool for 2027 under the Pact.
We will seek to continue the work done by
previous Presidencies to build an effective
return system by supporting work on the
regulation relating to migrant returns as it
moves towards implementation, as well as
prioritise early discussion on the proposal
to digitalise returns expected from the
Commission.
The Irish Presidency will continue to engage
Member States, the Commission, the
European External Action Service (EEAS),
European Agencies, partner organisations
and partner countries, as they closely
monitor migratory flows into the EU and will
respond swiftly should any challenges arise.
We will work with other Member States,
the Commission, the EEAS, and with the
agencies to further develop the Union’s
cooperation with third countries, including
in relation to the external dimension of
migration. The Irish Presidency will build on
the EU’s strategic partnerships, monitoring
progress of existing and new Action Plans
along migration routes.
The Irish Presidency fully recognises
the importance of the Schengen Area
as a major achievement of European
integration and as a key contributor to
economic growth within the Union. The Irish
Presidency will build on the work of previous
Presidencies in focusing on implementing
the priorities of the 2026-2027 Schengen
Council cycle, enhancing Schengen
governance, including within the Schengen
Council, and we will work to advance the
technical amendments to the Schengen
Borders Code that the Commission is
expected to bring forward during our
Presidency. We will also prioritise following
up on the published EU Visa Strategy,
progressing the EU Digital Travel application
towards implementation, and concluding
the negotiations on a Framework
Agreement with the United States on an
Enhanced Border Security Partnership.
The Irish Presidency will support ongoing
discussions on legal migration pathways
focused on strategically addressing the
EU’s labour and skills gaps and working with
partner countries on initiatives like EU Talent
Partnerships and the EU Talent Pool.
Collectively, advancing this work will further
the Union’s efforts to have an efficient,
effective and coherent asylum and
migration system.
An end must be found to Russia’s war of
aggression in Ukraine. The Irish Presidency
is committed to working with the Member
States and the Commission on the
continued activation of the Temporary
Protection Directive and to further develop
the framework for a coordinated, fair and
effective exit strategy to bring temporary
permissions to a managed conclusion, in
line with the Council Recommendation on
this matter.
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IRELAND2026.EU
Keeping Europe Safe and Secure
Europe faces a changing geopolitical and
security landscape. The publication of the
ProtectEU Internal Security Strategy has
provided a set of objectives and actions
for the coming years to ensure a safer and
more secure Europe. The Irish Presidency will
prioritise advancing these actions.
As part of strengthening the security
capabilities of the EU, the Commission will
present proposals to revise the mandates of
Frontex and Europol so that the agencies are
better equipped to support Member States
in securing borders, fighting serious and
organised crime, and responding to new
and emerging threats. The proposals are
also expected to focus on the agencies’ role
in building stronger strategic partnerships
with third countries and the private sector,
on improving data analysis, and on ensuring
enhanced oversight and accountability.
The Irish Presidency will prioritise advancing
these proposals.
Reaching agreement on the Internal
Security Regulation, as part of the MFF
package, will lay the foundations for
Member States to further enhance their
capabilities to address serious and
organised crime, support operational co-
operation, and enhance the resilience of
critical entities against hostile attacks,
and the Irish Presidency will prioritise an
agreement on this matter.
The Irish Presidency will prioritise and
advance negotiations on the Union
Civil Protection Mechanism and
Health Emergency Preparedness and
Response Regulation within the MFF.
The Presidency will build on the ongoing
work regarding the implementation of
the EU Preparedness Strategy with a
focus on further strengthening societal
resilience, progressing the forthcoming
proposal to provide for a European Critical
Communications System and working
collectively with public and private entities
to enhance crisis preparedness.
Over recent years, EU efforts to protect our
societies against serious and organised
crime have advanced considerably. But we
cannot stand still – organised criminals are
becoming more and more sophisticated,
and it is imperative that we work together to
adapt faster.
The Commission’s roadmap on Access to
Data provides a solid basis for solutions to
provide improved lawful access to data for
effective law enforcement, in order to tackle
serious crime, including terrorism, and to
protect the rights of victims, while also
safeguarding cybersecurity and respecting
fundamental rights. The Irish Presidency
places priority on advancing this vital work.
The Commission is also expected to
bring forward a revision of the Directive
on the European Investigation Order to
improve and strengthen the cross-border
investigation and prosecution of serious
crimes, and to introduce a new Organised
Crime Directive, replacing the existing
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Justice and Home Affairs Council
Framework Decision. The Commission will
also present a revision of the mandate
for Eurojust which will, among other
objectives, seek to enhance the agency’s
ability to support national competent
authorities more proactively and strengthen
international cooperation. These measures,
along with the recently-presented proposal
to combat Firearms Trafficking, will allow
for deeper cross-border cooperation in
the fight against serious and organised
crime and will ensure consistency across
Member States in relation to key offences
and how these offences are prosecuted and
punished. In recognition of the threat that
organised crime, in all its forms, presents
to the safety and security of communities
across Europe, these proposals will be
prioritised.
The publication of a new Drugs Strategy and
new EU Action Plan against Drug Trafficking
by the Commission in December 2025 has
provided a roadmap for further action to
address the trafficking and use of illicit
drugs, and the Irish Presidency will prioritise
advancing this work. The Irish Presidency
will also conclude the 11th round of mutual
evaluations addressing the combating of
cross-border illicit drug trafficking within
the European Union, and will progress plans
for the commencement of the 12th round of
mutual evaluations.
The Irish Presidency will host a Ministerial
meeting of the European Ports Alliance
Public-Private Partnership as part of the
drive to fight drug trafficking and organised
crime, and to deliver on the roadmap set
out in the EU Ports Strategy.
The business model of migrant
smuggling must be broken – this is both a
humanitarian and a security imperative.
The Irish Presidency will prioritise the Migrant
Smuggling Directive to better support law
enforcement to break up the organised
crime groups responsible.
Protection of Fundamental Rights
and the Rule of Law and Promotion of
Digitalisation
Our societies should be measured by how
we protect the most vulnerable. Over recent
years we have seen a proliferation of child
sexual abuse material flooding the digital
sphere, and the Irish Presidency stands
ready to progress work on the Child Sexual
Abuse Directive and Regulation.
Children are fully-fledged holders of rights
and the protection and promotion of the
rights of the child is a key objective of the
EU. In recognition of this, the Irish Presidency
will progress work that promotes the
participation of children when decisions that
affect their lives are being made, including
in justice systems. We will also work to
progress the proposed Regulation on the
Recognition of Parenthood and to conclude
the formal adoption of the Regulation on
matters relating to the protection of adults
who need support to make important
decisions.
We will also maintain a spotlight on the
scourge of domestic, sexual and gender-
based violence which is so endemic across
our societies.
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ÉIRE2026.EU
The EU is founded on the values enshrined
in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union
and is committed to the protection of
human rights as set out in the Charter of
Fundamental Rights. The Irish Presidency
will progress work on the Council’s vital and
ongoing efforts to uphold and strengthen
respect for EU values and fundamental
rights.
Under the Irish Presidency, the fundamental
rights of racialised groups, and those
that are minoritised and discriminated
against based on their religious beliefs
or membership of an ethnic group, will
be championed, including through the
adoption of Council Conclusions on anti-
racism and upholding European values.
The Presidency will work proactively to
implement the new EU Anti-Racism Strategy
2026-2030, and apply its guiding principles
in tackling racism in all its forms, including
antisemitism, anti-Muslim hatred, racism
that impacts the Traveller and Roma people
and communities, and racism affecting
people of African descent.
Reflecting the focus on simplification
and competitiveness across all Council
formations, the Justice and Home Affairs
Council will support ongoing digital
simplification efforts, supporting the EU’s
strategic positioning as the location of
choice for trustworthy digital innovation,
while continuing to protect and uphold
fundamental rights including privacy and
protection of personal data. The Irish
Presidency will seek to reach agreement at
Council on the forthcoming amendments
to the EU Data Protection Regulation for EU
institutions and bodies.
The Irish Presidency will progress work on
the evaluation of the e-Justice Strategy
mid-way through its life cycle to ensure
it is addressing evolving challenges
and keeping pace with technological
developments. Effective implementation
of the Digital Justice Package will be a
focus for the Irish Presidency; this includes
the DigitalJustice@2030 Strategy, and the
European Judicial Training Strategy (2025-
2030) which aims to accelerate the use of
digital technologies, including of artificial
intelligence, to make justice systems more
efficient and resilient as well as build
digital capacity of justice professionals.
Advancing negotiations on the Justice
Programme as part of the MFF will assist
with ensuring effective implementation of
these strategies.
The Irish Presidency will also continue work
on the EU’s accession to the European
Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
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Justice and Home Affairs Council
At EPSCO, the Irish Presidency will hold firm
in our belief that our European values are
a clear economic and social advantage,
ensuring rights, tolerance, solidarity,
and non-discrimination. Our Presidency
programme will demonstrate that these
values are not just abstract ideals but
practical principles, including the rule of
law, which underpins the fairness, trust and
stability of the system.
An equal Europe can enable economic
reform, growth and competitiveness to
be realised more effectively. The Irish
Presidency will advance a work programme
to support a European social and economic
model that harnesses the talents of
Europe’s diverse population and ensures
that economic reform is both equitable
and inclusive. The Presidency will work to
complete the equality reforms aimed at
safeguarding rights and protecting the most
vulnerable from discrimination.
The Presidency will lead the discussion on
how we create and support high quality jobs
within modern labour markets and ensure
that workers and employers are equipped to
thrive within and beyond our Single Market.
Ensuring equitable access to high-quality
health care is a core expression of our
Union’s values. The Irish Presidency will build
on major developments in the life sciences
and in digital health to highlight that strong
and inclusive health systems can underpin
innovation and competitiveness as well as
community and health resilience across the
Union.
We will also lead in the continuing
implementation of the Strategy for
European Life Sciences by progressing the
EU Biotech Act I, supporting innovation-
friendly frameworks for medicines, medical
technologies and digital health, and
advancing revisions to the EU Medical
Device Regulations.
Employment, Social
Policy, Health and
Consumer Affairs Council
The Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO)
will guide our collective efforts to strengthen our citizens’ quality of life and
standard of living, to promote social inclusion and equal rights, and to increase
competitiveness and fair growth. In doing so, we will support a socio-economic
model that emphasises equality, societal resilience, and cohesion.
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IRELAND2026.EU
Social investment combats poverty and
exclusion and supports a more equal
and more socially inclusive society, with
the social cohesion that this engenders
paying dividends, helping not just to sustain
the economy but to fuel its growth and
development. The European social model
provides a solid foundation for accelerating
innovation by investing in people, leading to
a skilled and agile workforce. By building on
the EU’s strengths and upholding European
values during the Irish Presidency, we will
assist in future-proofing the EU as a good
place to live and work.
EMPLOYMENT AND
SOCIAL POLICY
Employment
The international order that shapes the
global economy has become increasingly
unstable, and so it is essential we ensure
our labour markets are able to respond
to this changing landscape. In doing
so, the challenge before us is to ensure
shared values such as decent work, equal
treatment, social inclusion and the rule of
law are at the fore of the EU employment
agenda.
Recognising that our economic and social
model must keep pace in order to ensure
Europe remains competitive, the Irish
Presidency will address how Europe remains
an attractive place to work and live, how
we ensure we have sufficient access to
skilled labour, and how we maintain a level
playing field that means rights deliver real
protections.
The Presidency will seek to highlight key
European initiatives on employment,
including the Quality Jobs Roadmap and
Act, and the forthcoming Fair Labour Mobility
Package. These initiatives are at the heart
of the European employment agenda and
will address multiple dimensions of quality
jobs, such as working conditions, access to
social protection, skills and equality, social
dialogue and collective bargaining.
Quality Jobs
The Quality Jobs Roadmap calls for a
renewed commitment to fostering quality
jobs in a competitive economy. The
Roadmap outlines a range of initiatives to
align employment policy with the needs
of a fast-evolving economy, with the key
building blocks focussed on the thematic
areas in which coordinated EU action
is most needed, including creating and
maintaining quality jobs in the EU; boosting
digital innovation while promoting quality
jobs; ensuring that fair, safe and equal
working conditions underpin a resilient
labour force; promoting social dialogue;
and maintaining effective enforcement.
The Roadmap will be accompanied by the
Quality Jobs Act, a forthcoming legislative
proposal to advance workers’ rights while
keeping up with technological, economic
and societal changes. The proposal
will seek to update EU rules protecting
workers while supporting productivity
and competitiveness. The Irish Presidency
will seek to highlight the importance of
supporting and protecting quality jobs
across the European Union.
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Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council
Fair Labour Mobility Package
The Fair Labour Mobility Package, which is
expected to be published during the Irish
Presidency and is identified as a priority in
the One Europe One Market Roadmap, will
aim to promote a more efficient EU labour
market through enhanced worker mobility
and by promoting better workers’ rights and
a level playing field across Member States.
The Irish Presidency will seek to engage with
the fair labour mobility agenda focusing on
the proposals to develop a digital European
Social Security Pass (ESSPASS) and to
strengthen the mandate of the European
Labour Authority (ELA).
Progressing the development of the digital
European Social Security Pass (ESSPASS)
initiative will make it easier for individuals
to exercise their social security rights when
they are in another Member State.
Another important feature of this package
will relate to the role of the European Labour
Authority (ELA) in supporting the effective
implementation and enforcement of fair
working conditions. This may include the
consideration of how this initiative can
enhance the overall safety net across
the EU, safeguarding workers’ rights and
supporting good employment practices.
Occupational Safety and Health
Health and safety at work is one of the
areas in which the EU has had a real impact,
but despite this progress, work-related
accidents and diseases still occur too
frequently and with devastating impacts on
workers, enterprises and economies.
The Irish Presidency will continue to
advance our collective efforts to improve
our approach to occupational health
and safety, underpinned by the vision to
make Europe’s workplaces safer, healthier
and more productive. The Presidency will
focus on facilitating discussions on how all
workers are protected from work-related
injury and ill-health by informing policy,
raising awareness and engaging key actors.
Implementation and Enforcement
Building Europe’s competitiveness to boost
prosperity and resilience and unleash new
opportunities, innovation and growth across
the EU includes a strong commitment to the
effective implementation, supervision and
enforcement of EU legislation. The European
Commission has proposed simplification
measures that aim to lighten the regulatory
burden, while cooperating on better
implementation measures should drive
better results.
The EU has a comprehensive body of laws
and policies governing work, social rights,
and labour markets. It is essential that the
drive for competitiveness strengthens socio-
economic resilience and is underpinned by
a level playing field for business that raises
standards for citizens across the Union.
Often the demand for new legislation comes
not because there is a legislative gap but
because existing rules and regulations are
not fully interpreted and enforced. The Irish
Presidency will seek to promote a discussion
on how to ensure the EU’s implementation
and enforcement agendas support real
protections for the rights enshrined under EU
law.
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ÉIRE2026.EU
European Anti-Poverty Strategy
The publication by the Commission of
the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy, the first of
its kind at an EU level, seeks to set out a
comprehensive approach to prevent and
protect against poverty with an ambition
to eradicate poverty within the EU by 2050.
The Irish Presidency will support work that
delivers on our commitments to reduce
the number of people at risk of poverty
and improve social inclusion across the
EU. Social exclusion is more likely to affect
unemployed people, lone parent families,
migrant and ethnic minority communities,
and disabled people. Progressing this file
and reinforcing the European Pillar of Social
Rights is a priority for the Irish Presidency.
Delivering for Children through the
Child Guarantee
Social investment and actions that address
child poverty have long-term economic
and social benefits. The Irish Presidency
will support the strengthening of the
European Child Guarantee and will work
to improve conditions and outcomes for
children experiencing disadvantage, with a
particular focus on parenting supports.
People with Disabilities
As we mark the 20th anniversary of the
adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights
of Persons with Disabilities, realising the
rights of disabled people will be a priority for
the Irish Presidency. Our focus will be on full
participation in social and economic life for
the almost 100 million people who live with a
disability in the EU.
Removing barriers to sustainable
employment is essential to counter the
poverty and social exclusion disabled
people can experience. A focus of the
Irish Presidency will be on addressing the
disability employment gap, identifying
those policy levers that can successfully
harness the skills and talents of people with
disabilities in the workplace and thereby
contributing to a more inclusive and
competitive EU economy.
The Presidency will support the Commission
to progress the newly strengthened
European Strategy for the Rights of Persons
with Disabilities, including a focus on
the promotion of digital and assistive
technologies as a key enabler of inclusion,
freedom and choice, and to deliver on
our commitments for enhanced disability
inclusion up to 2030.
Housing Exclusion and Homelessness
Following the publication of the EU Anti-
Poverty Strategy, the Irish Presidency will
progress the Commission’s proposal for
a Council recommendation on fighting
housing exclusion, defined as the inability
of individuals to access or maintain
decent, stable housing across the EU. The
recommendation focuses in particular on
those most impacted by homelessness,
namely vulnerable persons in precarious
housing situations, and seeks to support
measures which will prevent and address
homelessness.
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Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council
Delivering a Union of Equality
The Presidency will seek to uphold and
promote the values of the Union by working
to complete the EU equality legal framework
and seek Council agreement to adopt the
directive on implementing the principle of
equal treatment.
EU action to strengthen equality, gender
equality, rights and non-discrimination is
integral to achieving a fair, competitive and
prosperous Europe for all. Underpinning
our approach will be a commitment to
the EU social and economic model, and
the Irish Presidency will advance work to
demonstrate how an equal Europe can
enable economic reform, growth and
competitiveness to be realised more
effectively.
The Presidency will advocate for the rights of
LGBTIQ+ individuals and Traveller and Roma
communities through knowledge exchange
on equal rights and safe environments, and
will also support implementation of the EU
LGBTIQ+ Equality Strategy 2026–2030 and
the EU Roma Strategic Framework (2020–
2030).
Gender Equality
Building on the unanimous support of
Member States for the EU Roadmap for
Women’s Rights, the Irish Presidency will
work with the Commission to advance
implementation of the new EU Gender
Equality Strategy 2026–2030. We will focus
on issues related to the care economy,
the impact of technological changes to EU
labour markets, and decision-making.
Effective equality data is a critical tool
in ensuring evidence-based policies
and developing our understanding of
intersectional discrimination. The Irish
Presidency will champion efforts to improve
the collection, analysis and use of equality
data, and work to support the Commission’s
development of a Recommendation on
Equality Data.
HEALTH
Europe’s competitiveness, security and
sustainability are intrinsically bound to
the health of our people, the strength of
our life sciences base and the resilience
of our health systems. As we navigate
demographic shifts, geopolitical uncertainty
and rapid technological change, robust
health systems and a dynamic life sciences
ecosystem have become essential drivers
of long-term prosperity – supporting a
healthier, more productive workforce,
managing future healthcare costs, and
enabling innovation. A healthy population is
the foundation of a cohesive and confident
Europe, and the EU’s commitment to the
health and wellbeing of our full population
remains one of our defining global
strengths.
The Irish Presidency will emphasise the
mutually reinforcing importance of health
and competitiveness. We will promote
population health and wellbeing as a
vital foundation for European security
and competitiveness, and highlight how
innovation in health systems and in
the life sciences delivers for European
citizens. The Irish Presidency will progress
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IRELAND2026.EU
key competitiveness reforms through
negotiations on the Biotech Act I (both
the Directive and the Regulation) and
simplification of the Medical Devices
Regulation and In Vitro Diagnostics
Regulation, together with a focus on
progression of the Pharmaceutical Package.
We will also prioritise progress on the
implementation of the European Health
Data Space, promoting secure data use,
interoperability and digital trust frameworks
that support research, innovation, and the
development of safe and effective AI in
health.
Prevention and health equity are essential
to the health and wellbeing of the people
of Europe. The Presidency will work to
accelerate implementation of the EU Safe
Hearts Plan by advancing innovations in
prevention, early detection and integrated
care that reduce inequalities and improve
outcomes across Member States. Proactive
innovation in population health will also
be critical to the sustainability of public
finances and to our long-term security and
competitiveness. As part of our commitment
to proactive innovation in healthcare
delivery, the Presidency will promote greater
attention to women’s health and conditions,
including endometriosis, recognising
their impact on workforce participation,
healthcare utilisation, and on long-term
wellbeing.
In support of European strength and
security, we will fortify the Union’s
resilience to health threats by advancing
preparedness actions, supporting the
Critical Medicines Act, and reinforcing
coordination on cross border health security
threats including anti-microbial resistance,
cyber risks to health infrastructure, and
medical supply vulnerabilities. Ireland will
emphasise the importance and impact of
the EU’s approach to integrating mental
health into all policies and will explore
ways of strengthening Europe’s health
security architecture by ensuring mental
health remains integral to resilience, crisis
preparedness and the management of
cross border health threats.
The Irish Presidency will support a more
resilient European health ecosystem by
promoting stronger clinical research and
trial capacity, and an environment in which
life sciences innovation can be translated
more effectively into patient benefit and
high-value economic activity across the
Union. We will reinforce the EU’s leadership
in global health by supporting efforts to
strengthen multilateral health diplomacy.
By promoting innovation, preparedness,
digital transformation and equitable access
to care, the Irish Presidency will ensure that
health and the life sciences contribute fully
to our Union’s competitiveness, resilience
and wellbeing. A competitive and resilient
EU benefits health systems and citizens
Union-wide.
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Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council
The Presidency will work to strengthen
the foundations of EU competitiveness
by further advancing the Single Market,
enhancing regulatory effectiveness,
accelerating innovation and scale up for
SMEs, and ensuring that Europe’s industrial
competitiveness is sustainable, resilient,
and aligned with the EU’s social and climate
objectives.
Access to affordable housing is a key
component of a competitive European
economy and the Irish Presidency will
seek to progress the initiatives under the
European Affordable Housing Plan, including
the Affordable Housing Act and the
Construction Services Act.
Maximising the contribution of research
and innovation to Europe’s competitiveness,
security, and prosperity will be a key priority.
In this context, the Irish Presidency will
aim to advance negotiations on the next
EU Research and Innovation Framework
Programme (Horizon Europe) and the
proposed European Innovation Act.
The Irish Presidency will focus on
strengthening the competitiveness of
the European space sector as a strategic
growth area.
INTERNAL MARKET AND
INDUSTRY
Enhancing European competitiveness and
economic resilience remains a core priority
for the European Union, carrying forward
the priorities identified in the Draghi and
Letta reports. The One Europe, One Market
Roadmap sets out a clear path forward
with ambitious timelines for delivery,
and the Irish Presidency will meet this
challenge. This objective is underpinned
by regulatory simplification, deeper Single
Market integration, improved investment
conditions, skills development, and greater
policy coherence across the EU.
Competitiveness Council
Ireland assumes the Presidency of the Council of the European Union at a pivotal
moment for EU competitiveness. Through the work of the Competitiveness
Council the Irish Presidency will make decisive progress on many of the flagship
initiatives set out in the One Europe, One Market Roadmap which aim to renew
European competitiveness, support our industries, and bolster our economic
security and resilience.
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ÉIRE2026.EU
Under the Irish Presidency, the
Competitiveness Council (Internal Market
and Industry) will advance this agenda
with a particular focus on the Single Market
as the cornerstone of European prosperity.
Actions will centre on implementing the
Single Market Strategy, eliminating the
“terrible ten” barriers and thereby creating
an environment in which SMEs can grow and
scale, emerging technologies can flourish,
and public and private investment can
collectively support competitiveness.
The Presidency will progress key initiatives
designed to strengthen the internal market
and make it a better place to do business
and to work, including negotiations on
EU Inc. (the 28th Regime), the Industrial
Accelerator Act, Chips Act 2.0, and the
forthcoming EU Product Act.
The Irish Presidency will continue to prioritise
the removal of Single Market barriers,
reduction of regulatory burdens, facilitation
of trade, and acceleration of digital
transformation, in line with the Roadmap.
This approach will be complemented by
targeted support for innovation, SMEs,
and advanced research in key areas
such as artificial intelligence and green
technologies, ensuring sustainable and
inclusive growth across all Member States.
The Presidency will support the
development of an innovation friendly 28th
Regime, EU Inc., to enable companies to
operate seamlessly across the Union. This
initiative will reflect the EU’s core principles
of transparency, fairness, and the rule of
law, providing businesses with the stable
conditions required to invest and expand.
Investment in strategic sectors and the
strengthening of industrial resilience will
also be prioritised. In line with the Draghi
report’s recommendations on accelerating
industrial investment, legislative initiatives
addressing semiconductors, biotechnology,
and energy intensive industries will form
a central pillar of the Presidency’s work.
Key actions will include advancing the EU
industrial strategy, progressing reform of
public procurement rules, promoting high
standards and digital fairness, encouraging
diversification to reduce dependencies,
and fostering emerging technologies.
These measures aim to position the EU as
a resilient and outward looking economic
actor in an increasingly volatile global
environment.
The Industrial Accelerator Act will be a
flagship proposal to promote industrial
renewal within the EU. It will strengthen
EU industrial competitiveness, accelerate
decarbonisation, and secure supply
chains in strategic sectors. The Industrial
Accelerator Act will be a priority file for the
Irish Presidency, and we will work to achieve
the target set by the One Europe, One
Market Roadmap, which calls for the co-
legislators to agree the Act by the end of the
year.
This work also supports the objectives of the
“promote” pillar of the EU Economic Security
Strategy, while preserving the Union’s
openness and its commitment to a rules-
based global trading system.
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Competitiveness Council
The Irish Presidency will integrate
competitiveness with sustainability and
inclusion, promoting upskilling and lifelong
learning to support the green and digital
transitions. We will work to advance
circular economy principles and industrial
decarbonisation, aligning competitiveness
with regional development and climate
goals, boosting our economic resilience
while maintaining a predictable, coherent,
and values-based regulatory framework.
Following the Commission’s Communication
A Simpler, Clearer and Better Enforced
EU Rulebook, the Presidency will promote
regulatory simplification and better
enforcement. This includes reviewing
existing legislation to reduce unnecessary
complexity, avoid gold plating, and ensure
EU law delivers effectively for citizens and
businesses.
The Irish Presidency will support continued
progress on the EU’s intellectual property
framework, recognising its importance for
innovation and economic growth. Work will
focus on advancing priority legislative files,
fostering consensus among Member States,
reviewing the Directive on Copyright in the
Digital Single Market to ensure it remains
fit for the digital era, and coordinating the
EU’s engagement at the World Intellectual
Property Organization.
The Irish Presidency aims to strengthen
the European dimension of housing policy
through the forthcoming Affordable Housing
Act and Construction Services Act.
The Construction Services Act is a key
initiative under the Single Market Strategy
and will aim to modernise the regulatory
framework for construction and installation
services, boost productivity, and make it
easier to provide services across borders,
particularly for SMEs in border regions.
The Affordable Housing Act will aim to
support public authorities in identifying
areas of housing stress, to take measures to
protect housing affordability in those areas,
including with regard to short-term rentals.
Addressing the housing crisis in areas under
housing stress also requires measures to
increase housing supply in a variety of areas
under the control of Member States such
as new build, making better use of vacant
properties, developing social housing, and
simplifying planning and permitting.
Cross Council cooperation will be
encouraged on horizontal initiatives such
as the omnibus simplification process, the
European Competitiveness Fund, the green
and digital transitions, and better regulation.
RESEARCH AND INNOVATION
Europe’s research and innovation system is
one of its strongest assets, as highlighted
in the Draghi and Letta reports. Research
and innovation underpin productivity,
competitiveness, and broader social,
environmental, and cultural progress.
Horizon Europe has demonstrated its value
in addressing strategic challenges, and the
Irish Presidency coincides with a critical
phase in the EU’s research and innovation
policy and budgetary cycle.
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By advancing negotiations on the next
EU Research and Innovation Framework
Programme (FP10) - also known as the
Horizon Europe programme - the Irish
Presidency will build on the work of previous
Presidencies and help to ensure that
research and innovation remain central to
EU policymaking, supporting a competitive,
secure, and prosperous Europe.
Improving Europe’s overall innovation
performance will also be a priority. To
this end, the Presidency will seek to
progress negotiations on the proposed
European Innovation Act. In parallel, the
Irish Presidency will initiate discussions on
a future European Research Area (ERA)
Act, supporting the development of a fully
functioning ERA that is attractive to global
talent and maximises research impact.
SPACE
The Irish Presidency will focus on enhancing
the competitiveness of the European space
sector by unlocking the potential of a single
market for space, fostering innovation,
supporting SME growth and enabling the
scaling of space enterprises. The Presidency
will ensure that the conditions are met
for the continued evolution of the Union
Space Programme, by progressing the
EU Space Services Agency Regulation in
parallel with relevant articles of the ECF, to
support effective implementation of the EU’s
ambitious space agenda. The Presidency
will promote the EU space sector’s valuable
contribution to wider EU strategic priorities,
and will help to maintain safe, secure and
sustainable space operations amid rapidly
increasing space activity by advancing the
EU Space Act.
These efforts will aim to strengthen Europe’s
open strategic autonomy, enhance security
and resilience, and reinforce the EU’s global
leadership in this strategically vital sector.
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Competitiveness Council
We will advance work on digital connectivity
and digital networks, and work to strengthen
cybersecurity and cyber resilience, as
well as investment in subsea telecoms
connectivity and the security and resilience
of submarine cables. We will seek to
strengthen the EU’s leadership in cloud
computing and artificial intelligence, and
take forward work on digital simplification,
contributing to the Union’s competitiveness.
We will drive the Union’s energy agenda
forward to build true energy security,
supporting the deployment of indigenous
renewable energy and clean energy, and
building robust grids. The Irish Presidency
will be responsive to ongoing geopolitical
factors and their implications for energy
affordability and security. We will support
the development of a more electrified, more
resilient and more efficient energy system
that can lower prices for citizens across
Europe.
TRANSPORT
Transport as an Enabler for
Competitiveness
Amidst intense global competition, the
European transport network is essential
for boosting the EU’s competitiveness.
To maximise transport’s contribution to
competitiveness, the Irish Presidency stands
ready to progress negotiations on the
Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) as part of
the wider 2028-2034 Multiannual Financial
Framework negotiations.
Transport,
Telecommunications
and Energy Council
Through the work of the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy (TTE)
Council the Irish Presidency will support efforts to build a more connected,
resilient and competitive Europe in line with the One Europe, One Market
Roadmap. We will support the development of Europe’s transport network as
a key enabler for competitiveness, work towards decarbonisation and a just
transition in the transport sector, and ensure that a safe, secure and resilient
transport network can deliver for the people of Europe.
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CEF investment is critical to completing the
Trans-European Transport (TEN-T) Network
of rail, maritime and inland waterway
infrastructure which underpins the free
movement of people and goods throughout
the Union.
The Irish Presidency will emphasise the
critical contribution of the maritime
sector to EU economic growth and
competitiveness. Building on the EU Maritime
Industrial Strategy and the EU Ports Strategy,
the Irish Presidency will recognise the key
role of ports in delivering energy security
and will continue to seek to support the
modernisation of training to address critical
skills needs within the maritime sector.
Aviation is another key enabler of the EU’s
competitiveness. The development of the
EU’s internal aviation market has expanded
connectivity, supported economic activity
and delivered substantial benefits for
businesses and citizens. During the Irish
Presidency, we will commence negotiations
on the revision of the Air Services Regulation,
covering key issues such as airline licensing,
pricing transparency and market access.
In parallel, we will also support discussions
on a new EU Aviation Strategy to secure this
vital sector’s competitiveness.
The Irish Presidency will advance the
EU’s simplification agenda for transport,
including key elements of the Automotive
Package, through regulatory streamlining
that supports competitiveness across the
wider transport ecosystem. In line with the
commitments set out in the One Europe,
One Market Roadmap, we will aim to reach
agreement with the European Parliament
on the Automotive Simplification Omnibus
package by the end of 2026.
Decarbonisation and Delivering a Just
Transition
Delivering a just, green transition is essential
to meeting the EU’s decarbonisation goals.
The economic opportunities presented by
the green transition will help secure the EU’s
long-term competitiveness.
For transport, the Irish Presidency will
prioritise the advancement of discussions
on Clean Corporate Vehicles. Alongside
the proposals relating to CO2 Emissions
Standards for Cars and Vans and the
revision of the Emissions Trading System
for Aviation and Maritime, which will be
progressed through the Environment
Council, this work will be critical for
maintaining the EU’s global leadership in
this area.
Similarly, the Irish Presidency will promote
the EU position and support outreach
efforts with third country partners at the
International Maritime Organization (IMO)
with a view to the positive adoption and
implementation of the IMO’s Net Zero
Framework.
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Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council
Delivering for Citizens
Delivering for citizens is a top transport
priority during the Irish Presidency, with
a strong focus on passenger rights and
digitalisation. Ensuring a balanced and
consistent approach to passenger rights
across all transport modes is vital to
maintaining a fair, reliable and consumer-
focussed transport system.
Strengthening cross-border passenger
rights is particularly important to support
seamless mobility throughout the EU, and
the Irish Presidency will place importance
on key regulations including those on Rail
Passenger Rights and Multimodal Passenger
Rights.
To simplify travel across the European Union,
the Irish Presidency will continue work on the
Rail Ticketing Regulation proposal for the rail
sector and the proposal for a Multimodal
Booking Regulation.
A Safe, Secure and Resilient Transport
Network
Safety must always remain a top priority for
transport in the EU. Under this theme, the
Irish Presidency will target an agreement
in inter-institutional negotiations on the
Roadworthiness Package, which comprises
the Periodic Technical Inspection, Roadside
Inspection and Vehicle Registration
Directives.
Recognising the need to effectively
maintain high levels of safety and continue
cooperation in the rail sector, the Irish
Presidency will introduce and progress the
proposed revisions to the European Union
Agency for Railways (ERA) Regulation and
the Train Drivers Certification Directive.
Recognising that technology has significant
potential to enhance transport safety,
particularly on our roads, the Presidency will
highlight the role of digital tools, automated
systems and emerging technologies,
including connected and autonomous
vehicles. In doing so, the Irish Presidency
will promote innovations that strengthen
the safety of our citizens while ensuring that
the EU remains at the forefront of transport
innovation.
Security has been a renewed area of focus
for the EU. Aligned with this focus, the Irish
Presidency will support progress on the
Regulation on Military Mobility, which aims
to streamline the movement of military
personnel and equipment rapidly in a crisis.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
In the area of telecoms, the Irish Presidency
will aim to progress partial compromise
texts and submit a substantial Progress
Report for the Digital Networks Act. This
proposes significant revision and reform
of the European telecommunications
regulatory framework. Its key objective is
to create a single market for connectivity
and enhance competitiveness through
greater simplification and investment
certainty. The Irish Presidency expects
to progress trilogue negotiations on the
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European Business Wallet proposal with the
European Parliament following agreement
of a Council general approach, with a view
to agreement on the proposal as set out in
the One Europe, One Market Roadmap. We
will also advocate for increasing investment
in subsea telecoms connectivity and will be
a strong supporter of the implementation
of actions at national and EU level which
will improve submarine cable security and
resilience.
The Irish Presidency will also aim to submit
a Progress Report on the Cloud and AI
Development Act, a central element of
the EU’s ambition to strengthen European
capacity in cloud computing and AI
infrastructure. The proposal is a key pillar
of the EU’s approach to digital sovereignty,
supporting Europe’s ability to develop
and deploy AI at scale while reducing
dependencies in critical areas.
The Irish Presidency will also progress
negotiations on the Mobile Satellite Services
Decision with a view to achieving a general
approach on this issue by the conclusion of
our Presidency.
In the international sphere, the Irish
Presidency will coordinate EU positions
at meetings of various international
fora, including the International
Telecommunications Union plenipotentiary
meeting.
The revision of the Cybersecurity Act
(CSA) will be pivotal to ensuring that the
mandate of the European Union Agency for
Cybersecurity (ENISA) accurately reflects
the tasks assigned to it through the cyber
security legislative framework. It will also
be key to ensuring the EU’s cyber security
certification framework is refined to ensure
workability. This will also have a positive
impact on the Single Market by providing
for more harmonisation and will contribute
to higher levels of cyber security and cyber
resilience.
The Irish Presidency will also advance
discussions addressing ICT supply chains
security challenges, including non-technical
risk factors, as part of the revision of the
CSA. The aim of the Irish Presidency will be
to align the revised CSA with the supply
chain priorities of the European Internal
Security Strategy (ProtectEU), reflected
in the provisions of the NIS2 Directive, the
Directive on the resilience of critical entities
(CER), and the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA),
as well as the CSA, while also ensuring the
revised CSA acts as a complementary
framework and legislative measure that
avoids unnecessary duplication. Such
discussions will also build on the work being
done on coordinated risk assessments in
the telecommunications and electricity
sectors, 5G networks as well as the recently-
adopted risk assessment on connected and
automated vehicles.
The Digital Simplification Omnibus began
efforts to reduce regulatory complexity,
improve coherence across the EU data
acquis and digital legislation, and support
innovation and competitiveness in the
EU Single Market. This has extended into
cyber security through initiatives to simplify
and harmonise incident reporting via a
single entry point, which will help reduce
administrative burdens for businesses. In
line with the commitments set out in the
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One Europe, One Market Roadmap, we will
aim to reach agreement with the European
Parliament on the Digital Omnibus package
by the end of 2026. Simplification efforts in
the area of cyber will also continue to be
developed through the revisions of the CSA.
The establishment of the Cyber Blueprint
and subsequent exercises have
provided greater clarity on the roles and
responsibilities of entities at all levels of the
EU’s cyber eco-system. The Presidency will
continue to engage closely with ongoing
exercises such as Cyber Europe to ensure
new learnings and insights are captured
and shared. These can lead to practical
improvements to strengthen collective
preparedness, resilience and coordinated
response capabilities across Member States
and institutions, in addition to ensuring the
Cyber Blueprint works effectively in relation
to the broader EU crisis response approach
as well as other EU instruments such as the
Cyber Diplomacy Toolbox. The Presidency
also notes the interest in having the political
level closely involved with any ongoing
exercises and will explore how this can be
facilitated.
The Irish Presidency is also expected to
see the beginning of negotiations on a
comprehensive reform of postal services
through a new EU Delivery Act. The proposed
regulation will seek to ensure affordable
and accessible delivery across the EU,
fair competition, and stronger consumer
protection.
The Irish Presidency will advocate for
digital diplomacy in multilateral and
bilateral contexts, including supporting
the implementation of the International
Digital Strategy. We will work to promote
partnerships and cooperation in pursuit
of the EU’s digital goals, and advocate
for a secure, inclusive and rights-based
approach in the international digital
environment.
ENERGY
Twice in recent years have European
energy markets been shown to be directly
dependent on the actions of external forces
and twice have European citizens suffered
as a result. Only through unrelenting
deployment of indigenous renewable
energy and clean energy, supported by
robust grids and a common ambition
to electrify our societies, will European
countries, businesses and people finally
break free from this vicious cycle and build
true energy security.
Aligned with the Draghi report, AccelerateEU
and the Electrification Action Plan, and
reflecting the One Europe, One Market
Roadmap, the Irish Presidency will drive
the EU’s energy agenda forward to
deliver the European Grids Package and
progress the proposal on Energy Taxation
and Network Charges and the Energy
Security Framework. Electrification is key
to overcoming the critical challenge of
diversifying away from our reliance on
fossil fuels and achieving the 2050 Net
Zero target. The Irish Presidency will be
responsive to ongoing geopolitical conflict
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and its impacts on energy affordability
and security. The Presidency will therefore
remain flexible and adaptable in light of this
evolving geopolitical context.
These initiatives will lead to a more
electrified, more resilient and more efficient
energy system that can lower prices for
citizens. The Irish Presidency stands ready to
lead on the delivery of these new measures.
Sustainable, Affordable and Secure
Energy Systems
The Irish Presidency will emphasise the
need for accelerated electrification and
deployment of renewable and clean energy,
to deliver decarbonised and affordable
power for citizens. Increased electrification
and availability of home-grown renewable
and clean energy reduces exposure to
volatile fossil fuel markets and strengthens
Europe’s strategic autonomy.
This transition must be enabled by modern,
flexible infrastructure. The European Grids
Package, comprising the revised TEN-E
Regulation and Permitting Directive, is
central to this effort. It will unlock the vast
renewable energy, onshore and offshore,
waiting to deploy across the continent. The
modernisation and upscaling of the EU’s
electricity grids and the streamlining of grid
permitting will be essential to achieving the
goals outlined in the Draghi report. The Irish
Presidency echoes the call of the European
Council for the co-legislators to agree
and adopt the European Grids Package in
2026, including the ambitious timeline for
conclusion of the Grids Package outlined in
the One Europe, One Market Roadmap.
Optimising the grid networks we have, and
the new grid we plan to build, is why the Irish
Presidency will also prioritise the Network
Charges and Taxation proposal. This will
also update the network tariff regime to
incentivise flexible and efficient energy use
and provide Member States the flexibility
they need to reduce electricity taxes, should
they wish to do so, in order to address
the ‘Spark Gap’ (the difference in the cost
between of a unit of energy from fossil fuels
and a unit of energy from electricity).
Resistance to external attack and to the
increasing effects of climate change is
now a core requirement of Europe’s energy
system. Therefore, progressing the Energy
Security Framework will be a core priority
for the Irish Presidency. After the 2021-2023
energy crisis, and in light of the ongoing
2026 geopolitical pressure on energy
supplies, our gas and electricity security
legislation will be updated to reflect new
challenges and needs. The Irish Presidency
will ensure that protection and resilience
of energy infrastructure, including subsea
cables, remains high on the agenda.
In particular, Russia’s war of aggression
against Ukraine and its campaign of hybrid
activity against Europe has underlined
the need for greater preparedness and
resilience. The Irish Presidency will continue
the work on the RePowerEU Roadmap to
phase out the remaining Russian energy
imports into the European market.
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Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council
The Irish Presidency will continue
negotiations on EU energy initiatives in
the context of the MFF, ensuring sufficient
resources for climate and energy priorities.
In this context, the CEF will also play a
critical role in funding cross-border energy
infrastructure, including interconnectors,
offshore grids and hydrogen networks
that enhance competitiveness, security of
supply, and market integration.
The Irish Presidency will aim to progress
two legislative proposals that will advance
the nuclear safety and decommissioning
of nuclear power plants. The Instrument
for Nuclear Safety Cooperation and
Decommissioning will improve nuclear
safety in Europe and third countries, and the
Ignalina Decommissioning Regulation will
assist in implementing a decommissioning
programme for the Ignalina nuclear power
plant, with specific emphasis on managing
radiological safety challenges.
The Presidency will also progress work
on the forthcoming Energy Products
Simplification Omnibus, which will seek to
simplify EU rules on the energy efficiency of
a wide range of products across different
pieces of EU legislation.
Sustainable, secure and affordable
energy is a strategic necessity for Europe.
It underpins society, supports economic
competitiveness, and enables the delivery of
the Union’s climate objectives. Achieving our
2030 climate goals requires fundamental
shifts in how we produce and use energy
while ensuring that energy systems remain
resilient, affordable, and supportive of
economic growth.
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The Agriculture and Fisheries Council
will work to support farming and fishing
families, protect their incomes, strengthen
competitiveness, sustain rural and coastal
communities, and strike the right balance
between the three pillars of sustainability –
economic, social, and environmental.
The Irish Presidency will pay particular
attention to the issues of food security,
competitiveness, simplification, sustainability,
and generational renewal.
A Common Framework for Competitive
and Sustainable Agriculture
Work on the future framework for the
Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will be a
central focus of the Irish Presidency.
The Council will focus on the need for a
CAP that is common, stable, and fair. The
future CAP must be workable in practice
and simpler for farmers and other CAP
beneficiaries to engage with, reducing
unnecessary administrative burdens and
supporting effective implementation on the
ground through locally-led, collaborative
approaches that support rural communities.
Discussions will consider how the future
CAP can balance economic, social and
environmental sustainability. This will
include exchanges on ensuring the CAP
continues to underpin European food
security, supports economic and social
sustainability for our farming and rural
communities, facilitates generational
renewal, and supports the delivery of our
climate and environmental objectives.
Flexibility within a common framework will
be an important consideration, allowing
Member States to reflect regional realities
and sectoral needs.
The Irish Presidency will also advance
work on the EU’s simplification agenda,
including efforts to simplify rules for agri-
food producers, operators and national
authorities. In line with the commitments
set out in the One Europe, One Market
Roadmap, we will aim to reach agreement
with the European Parliament on the Food
and Feed Safety Simplification Omnibus
package by the end of 2026.
Agriculture and
Fisheries Council
Agriculture and fisheries play a central role in ensuring Europe’s food security,
supporting economic competitiveness and sustaining rural and coastal
communities, while contributing to the Union’s climate and environmental
objectives.
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Agriculture and Fisheries Council
The Role of Livestock in European
Agriculture
Livestock farming remains a central
component of European agriculture and
our rural communities, playing a vital
role in contributing to food security, land
management and the vitality of rural areas.
The Irish Presidency will consider issues
relating to livestock production, taking
account of the diversity of production
systems and regional conditions across the
Union.
Council discussions will consider how
livestock farming can contribute to
economic and social objectives, while
responding to environmental and climate-
related challenges.
Animal welfare in livestock systems will
remain central to these discussions,
reflecting societal expectations and
the need to maintain a high standard
across the Union. The Irish Presidency will
emphasise that animal welfare rules must
be firmly based on scientific and technical
knowledge, as well as drawing on the
experiences and good practices of Member
States.
Agricultural Market Stability and
Trade in a Changing Global Context
Well-functioning agricultural markets and
balanced trade relations are central to the
resilience and sustainability of the European
agri-food sector.
The market situation and trade related
issues will remain under regular
consideration by the Agriculture and
Fisheries Council during the Irish Presidency.
In relation to markets, discussions will focus
on price developments, input costs, and
pressures affecting sensitive sectors. In this
context, the Irish Presidency will take forward
discussions on the Fertiliser Action Plan.
On trade, discussions will reflect the
importance of open, rules-based trading
relationships, while underlining the need
to ensure a level playing field for European
farmers through close market monitoring
and the appropriate use of surveillance and
safeguard measures where risks of market
disturbances arise.
The Irish Presidency will work to advance
the Commission’s proposal and roadmap
to amend the framework for organic
production and labelling, with a focus
on regulatory clarity, legal certainty, and
workability for operators, including in
relation to certification and trade with third
countries.
Supporting Generational Renewal
and Participation in Agriculture and
Fisheries
Ensuring generational renewal is essential
to the long-term sustainability and
competitiveness of the European agriculture
and fisheries sectors. The Irish Presidency
will consider how policy frameworks and
measures can encourage new entrants and
facilitate succession in farming and fishing
across the Union. Particular attention will
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be given to the role of women in agriculture
and fisheries, during the International Year
of the Woman Farmer, including the need
to improve visibility, participation and
opportunities for women in rural and coastal
communities, recognising their contribution
to the economic and social fabric of Europe.
Innovation, Value Creation and the
Bioeconomy
The Irish Presidency will focus on the
bioeconomy, reflecting its potential to
support diversification, add value to primary
production and contribute to climate and
environmental sustainability.
Exchanges will focus on how innovation,
knowledge and new technologies can
support the sustainable development of
agri-food and seafood sectors, enhance
plant health protection, strengthen
competitiveness, and create new economic
opportunities for rural and coastal
communities, while making the best use of
our biological resources.
A Sustainable and Resilient Future for
Fisheries and Aquaculture
The Irish Presidency will work towards the
timely conclusion of fishing opportunities
negotiations. Most EU fish stocks in the
North-East Atlantic are now shared with
other coastal states. The Irish Presidency
will seek to coordinate Member States’
positions in these negotiations, to provide
for the sustainable management of shared
stocks and a level playing field for EU fleets.
Securing agreement in respect of fishing
opportunities in the Baltic Sea, the Atlantic
and North Sea, and the Mediterranean and
Black Seas will provide certainty for EU fleets
in 2027.
Following publication of the Commission’s
Evaluation of the Common Fisheries
Policy Regulation, the Irish Presidency will
reflect on the outcomes of the evaluation
and next steps. Central to this work will
be consideration of how the Union can
sustainably develop its fisheries and
aquaculture sectors and ensure that
the important role of these sectors is
appropriately reflected in decisions taken
at a European level, including in the Vision
2040 for Fisheries and Aquaculture.
Competitive potential and economic
opportunity for European fishers and
aquaculture producers relies on clean,
resilient oceans and healthy seas.
Aligned with this, the Irish Presidency
will engage proactively in discussions
around the European Ocean Pact, to
ensure that the Union’s unified approach
to ocean governance continues to foster
competitiveness across the seafood sector.
Underpinning all this work is a focus on
supporting the long-term sustainability,
competitiveness and resilience of the EU
seafood sector.
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Agriculture and Fisheries Council
Rural Development
The European Union’s rural development
policy also has a strong focus on the
wider balanced development of rural
areas. This reflects the fact that while rural
areas represent around 20 per cent of the
European population, their economic output
is significantly below the European average.
Reflecting the goals of the EU Rural Action
Plan, promoting access to quality jobs,
delivering better infrastructure, developing
skills and diversification of economic
activities, the Irish Presidency will promote
the importance of a continued policy focus
and funding supports for rural communities
and rural development across the EU.
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The Irish Presidency is committed to
delivering on the EU’s ambitious agenda to
fight climate change and shift to a climate-
neutral economy by 2050.
The Irish Presidency will strive to develop
and implement policies and measures
which drive economic and social progress,
while improving and securing our natural
environment for the future through
greater policy integration to strengthen
resilience across biodiversity, climate
and water. Through initiatives such as the
Environmental Simplification Omnibus,
we aim to contribute to a reduction in the
administrative burden for businesses, while
maintaining the EU’s ambitious objectives to
protect the environment and human health.
This will involve: promoting environmental
awareness initiatives, supporting a just
transition and environmentally sustainable
behaviours, strengthening water resilience,
reversing biodiversity loss and progressing
towards a zero-pollution environment as
envisioned in the EU Zero Pollution Action
Plan.
We will aim to achieve this by providing
coherent, science-based decision-making
and solutions-focussed EU leadership.
This requires upholding rules-based,
multilateral decision-making, to address the
interconnected crises of climate change,
biodiversity loss and pollution, and to ensure
sustainable and equitable management
and protection of shared marine and
freshwater resources.
Accelerate Action for a Climate-
Neutral and Resilient Europe
The EU is a global leader in climate action
and the Irish Presidency is committed to
shaping a greener future for the people
of Europe, supporting the economy and
the long-term security of the EU through
driving policies which aid climate change
mitigation and adaption.
As we approach 2030, accelerated and
enhanced climate action is urgently
needed, whilst safeguarding Europe’s
competitiveness. In 2026, the Commission
will propose several legislative amendments
and initiatives to climate change law
and policy. The Irish Presidency will
progress work quickly and effectively on
these files, with a focus on delivering key,
timely objectives. Our key priorities are
the progression of the review of the ETS1
Environment Council
During the Irish Presidency, the Environment Council will work towards adopting
a whole-of-society effort to create a climate neutral, sustainable and resource-
efficient economy.
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Environment Council
Directive, the revision of CBAM, and the
agreement and finalisation of strengthened
ETS1 and ETS2 safeguards.
The Presidency will also commence
discussions on the implementation package
of the EU-wide 2040 emissions reduction
target later this year.
The Irish Presidency will promote deeper
integration of biodiversity, climate and
water policies to amplify cross-sectoral
benefits and strengthen EU resilience.
Effective adaptation requires an EU-wide
approach, and the Presidency will progress
work on this, including the proposed
European Climate Resilience and Risk
Management Integrated Framework.
Related to this ambition, the Irish Presidency
will work to strengthen freshwater
resilience across the EU, supporting the
implementation of the European Water
Resilience Strategy. Key areas of focus will be
on advancing the three main objectives of
the strategy, around restoring and protecting
the natural water cycle, building a water-
smart economy, and security of supply.
Protect and Enhance our Environment
and Improve the Circular and
Resource-Efficient Economy
By protecting, restoring and enhancing
biodiversity and the natural environment,
the Union can play its part in mitigating the
threat of climate change and protecting the
future wellbeing of the EU and its citizens.
It will also ensure that natural resources
are utilised and developed in a way that is
responsible, productive, and sustainable for
current and future generations.
The Circular Economy Act will build on
the second Circular Economy Action Plan,
reinforcing and broadening measures to
accelerate Europe’s shift to a resource-
efficient, low-waste, and climate-neutral
economy. The Irish Presidency is committed
to accelerating this transition towards
developing, implementing and advancing
effective and pragmatic policies necessary
to achieve a circular economy and
recognises the scale of this challenge.
The Irish Presidency will also work to build
consensus among Member States as part
of the EU’s engagement on the negotiations
on an international plastics instrument, to
support efforts to advance the adoption of a
legally binding instrument.
The EU has a strategic interest in protecting
our oceans, enabling the sustainable use
of marine resources, and improving ocean
health so it can continue to provide critical
benefits to people and the planet in the long
term. During the Irish Presidency, we will
work to translate the aims of the European
Ocean Pact into practical measures,
including strengthening marine spatial
planning, developing Marine Protected
Areas and nature restoration in our seas
and oceans.
The Irish Presidency will host the Global
Bioeconomy Summit in October 2026,
providing an opportunity to showcase
European progress and initiatives on a
global stage, and to support international
partnership for a sustainable bioeconomy.
This will highlight the growing importance of
the bioeconomy and the role it can play in
giving the EU a competitive advantage and
reducing dependence on third parties.
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The Irish Presidency will strive to support the
continued development of high-integrity
frameworks to support private investment in
carbon removals and nature restoration.
The Presidency will also continue to support
the goals of the Chemicals Strategy for
Sustainability and the European Chemicals
Industry Action Plan which will ensure that
the EU chemicals industry is environmentally
and economically sustainable into the
future. The Irish Presidency will also work
to ensure that the European Chemicals
Agency is equipped to carry out its remit
into the future.
The First International Conference of
the UN Global Framework on Chemicals
will take place in November, bringing
together governments, industry, and non-
governmental and intergovernmental
organisations. The Irish Presidency will
lead the EU negotiations at a crucial time
for this new global agreement which aims
to provide the essential building blocks
for a future in which humanity benefits
from chemicals in a safe and sustainable
manner, while avoiding their negative
impacts.
The Irish Presidency will also continue
to advance work on the Environmental
Simplification Omnibus package, which
aims to simplify rules on the circular
economy, waste management, industrial
emissions, and environmental assessments.
In line with the commitments set out in the
One Europe, One Market Roadmap, we will
aim to reach agreement with the European
Parliament on this package by the end of
2026.
Advance our Climate and
Environment Objectives through
Effective Leadership, Engagement and
Collaboration
The Irish Presidency recognises that urgent
action by all global partners is needed if
the goals of the Rio Conventions, the Paris
Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal
Global Biodiversity Framework are to be
achieved. Despite the tangible benefits
of these commitments, multilateralism
continues to face sustained challenges,
and geopolitical uncertainty continues to
make progress at the international level
challenging.
The Irish Presidency will seek to ensure
that the EU remains a global leader in
international climate, environment and
water forums and negotiations, with a
focus on strategic planning and considered
engagement with international partners
throughout the Presidency term.
The Presidency will provide strong and
coordinated leadership for the EU at key
UN climate and environment negotiations.
These include, among others, the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) COP 31, the UN Convention on
Biological Diversity (UNCBD) COP17, the
UN Convention to Combat Desertification
COP17, the UN Montreal Protocol MOP38,
the UNECE Air Convention EB46, and the
UN Global Framework on Chemicals IC1.
Preparations will also take place for the
Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of
Areas beyond National Jurisdiction COP1.
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Environment Council
In preparation for UNFCCC COP31 the Irish
Presidency will steer the development of
the Environment Council’s COP31 Council
Conclusions, setting out the EU’s negotiation
mandate for the COP. In an increasingly
complex negotiation environment, the Irish
Presidency will strive to ensure the EU is
an ambitious, pragmatic and constructive
leader on climate action at COP31. The
conference offers a unique opportunity for
the EU and its Member States to continue
to set the global benchmark on climate
integrity, long-term ambition and policy
coherence across the decarbonisation
agenda. Ensuring progress on mitigation
while upholding the core EU objectives of
safeguarding human rights, gender equality,
and the rights of Indigenous Peoples in
global climate action, will remain a key
focus of the Irish Presidency.
Also, in advance of UN CBD COP 17, the Irish
Presidency will lead on the preparation
of the Council Conclusions setting out
the EU’s negotiating mandate to ensure
a strong, coherent and nature positive
position at the meetings in October. UN
CBD COP 17 will include a Global Review
of the Implementation of the Kunming-
Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and
is an important milestone for accelerating
implementation and continued ambition to
halt biodiversity loss in the lead-up to 2030.
In order to bridge the biodiversity finance
gap, a key focus of the Irish Presidency will
also be shaping the debate on biodiversity
credits, developing principles relating to
ecological integrity, additionality, social
safeguards, and permanence to prevent
greenwashing.
The Irish Presidency will also steer
preparations for Council Conclusions
ahead of the UN Water Conference. The
conference will aim to build on the work over
the past ten years on the implementation
of Sustainable Development Goal 6 on
Clean Water and Sanitation and will look to
accelerate delivery of tangible outcomes
during the remaining years of the 2030
agenda.
The Presidency will further ensure that
sustainable development is a priority
objective for the EU’s internal and external
policies, recognising that consideration
of economic, social, environmental, and
governance dimensions is central to the
long-term security and competitiveness
of the European Union while protecting the
future wellbeing of the EU and its citizens.
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EDUCATION
Against the backdrop of rapid societal and
technological change, the Irish Presidency
will emphasise the central role that
education and training across the life cycle
play in delivering on our priority themes
of safeguarding EU values and enhancing
the competitiveness of the EU economy.
It will focus on supporting learners to be
mobile and engaged, and to develop
the knowledge, collaboration, skills and
competences they require to embrace
change for a more resilient, inclusive and
prosperous Union.
The Irish Presidency will stand ready to
progress the next phase of negotiations on
the Erasmus+ Regulation on behalf of the
Council and will strive to ensure that the
programme continues to foster inclusive,
high-quality mobility and partnership, with
a strong focus on widening participation for
learners from disadvantaged backgrounds.
We will propose Council Conclusions on
STEM education to promote enhanced
STEM learning in all levels and types of
education and training, and to support the
green and digital transitions. We will also
propose Council Conclusions on skills and
competences for the era of AI, to promote
high-quality, flexible learning that supports
educators and facilitates the inclusion of all
EU learners.
Education, Youth, Culture
and Sport Council
Through the work of the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council, the Irish
Presidency will emphasise the role of education and training across the life cycle
in safeguarding the Union’s values and enhancing Europe’s competitiveness,
including through addressing skills and competences for the AI era. In youth
policy, we will focus on the themes of information and constructive dialogue.
We will emphasise the intrinsic value of our culture and our sporting heritage,
and their essential contribution to European society, taking forward work on EU
investment in cultural initiatives and on the Union’s future work plan for culture.
We will place a particular focus on measures to strengthen the safety of children
online, and we will ensure that the voices of children are heard in developing
online safety measures.
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Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council
We will discuss barriers to inclusion,
retention and participation in education,
highlighting the valuable roles of research
and the student voice, and the pivotal role
that high-quality early childhood education
and care plays in addressing social
inequalities and in supporting children’s
early learning and well-being.
We will showcase good practice and
facilitate dialogue on anticipated policy
developments in education, training and
innovation, including a package focused on
basic skills, progress in strengthening digital
skills, and the future direction of vocational
education and training.
YOUTH
In the area of youth, the Irish Presidency will
lead the 12th cycle of the EU Youth Dialogue
that will focus on Youth Goal 4: Information
and Constructive Dialogue. The Presidency
will host the EU Youth Conference on this
theme. The EU Youth Conference will also
provide an opportunity for delegates to
contribute to the EU Youth Goals in the next
EU Youth Strategy.
The Presidency will propose two sets of
Council Conclusions, one on the theme of
Information and Constructive Dialogue, and
the second on promoting safe spaces for
young people in Europe.
CULTURE, AUDIOVISUAL AND
MEDIA
The Irish Presidency will progress work on
the AgoraEU Regulation as part of the MFF,
the European Capitals of Culture Legal
Framework, and the European Heritage
Label Legal Framework. The Presidency will
also seek agreement at the Council on the
next EU Work Plan for Culture, as the current
work plan ends on 31 December 2026. The
Work Plan for Culture will be influenced by
the Commission’s new Culture Compass for
Europe.
Online safety, particularly for children, will
be a central priority for the Irish Presidency.
In the area of media, the Presidency will
work towards strengthening online safety
for children, including advocating for
reaching a decision at EU level on the
digital age of majority. As part of this, we
will highlight the importance of supporting
the advancement of robust, privacy-
preserving age-verification mechanisms
across the European Union. This focus on
online safety will include policy discussions
at EU level. It will also include the convening
of a Youth Forum to listen directly to the
views of children and young people on
their experiences online, and a high-level
Presidency Conference on Online Safety,
which will bring together policymakers,
industry, academia, non-government
representatives and children and young
people to discuss key matters and topical
issues related to online safety. The Irish
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Presidency will also be ready to commence
negotiations on any proposal for the revision
of the Audiovisual and Media Services
Directive (AVMSD), which may be published
by the Commission with the statutory
evaluation of the AVMSD.
SPORT
In the area of sport, the Irish Presidency will
celebrate Europe’s traditional sports and
games, highlighting the importance of our
sporting heritage as a vehicle to build and
maintain open and resilient communities.
The Presidency will propose Council
Conclusions on traditional sports and
games.
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Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council
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Our Priorities
Table of contents
General Affairs Council
Foreign Affairs Council
Economic and Financial Affairs Council
Justice and Home Affairs Council
Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council
Competitiveness Council
Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council
Agriculture and Fisheries Council
Environment Council
Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council
16.06.2026
Datei
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