When Ireland assumes the Presidency of the Council of the European Union from July 1 for the eighth time, we will have a central role in shaping decisions that affect the lives of every citizen across our Union. Our Presidency program is focused on delivering tangible improvements to European citizens’ daily lives.
We will work to make Europe’s economy more competitive, its citizens more secure, and we will defend the values on which the European Union is built – freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, and respect for human rights and dignity.
The first pillar, and at the heart of the Irish Presidency program, is a focus on enhancing Europe’s competitiveness. This means working to support businesses to grow and succeed, create quality jobs, and lower costs for consumers.
The Irish Presidency will prioritize the delivery of the European Union’s agreed “One Europe, One Market” roadmap, across each of its five strands: simplifying rules, a more integrated single market, championing strong trade, reducing energy prices and decarbonization, and driving the digital and AI transformation.
But what does this mean in practice? Efforts to deepen the single market and reduce regulatory complexity can remove barriers that currently increase the price of goods and services across Europe. Businesses – especially SMEs – benefit from simpler rules and easier cross-border trade, which in turn supports employment and local economic growth. More free trade agreements open up new markets for our businesses and investment opportunities.
