Preparations are well under way for Ireland taking over the presidency of the council of the European Union on July 1st, 2026. It is the eighth time the Republic will have held this responsibility, and the six months of the presidency will provide an opportunity for it not just to lead but to shape the work of the EU.
Over that period, Irish Ministers will chair dozens of formal meetings of the council in Brussels and Luxembourg, as well as informal meetings of EU ministers in Ireland. There will also be high profile meetings in Ireland of heads of government from across the union, including what has been billed as the largest international meeting at that level ever held here.
This all comes at a time of multiple complex challenges not only for the EU but in the wider global economic and political environment. There is a general recognition that maintaining the momentum to progress the busy legislative agenda will be challenging with the added complication of so many external trade and geopolitical factors currently in play. The skills and experience of the State’s diplomatic teams will be called on as never before to steer the presidency to a successful conclusion at the end of 2026.
In facing into the task, the Republic can take comfort from its success in previous terms; it first assumed the responsibility in 1975, just two years after accession to the much smaller EEC, as it was at the time. It held the role again in 1979, and in 1984, its third presidency achieved a notable agreement on increasing humanitarian aid to Africa.
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The highlight of the 1990 presidency was around smoothing the path to German unification and during special summit meetings in Ireland, a common approach was agreed among member states to allow for the smooth integration of the former East Germany into the EU.
Securing agreements around the single European currency, the euro, including the legal framework and new exchange-rate mechanism, was the focus of Ireland’s fifth presidency. Our last presidency, in 2004, coincided with the period of the largest single enlargement of the union, as 10 new member states joined.
Louise Kelly, global trade strategy and resilience lead at Deloitte Ireland, says the upcoming presidency will involve a difficult juggling act, but Ireland must be willing to challenge the status quo where necessary during this rare window of influence in order to build a lasting legacy that safeguards the union’s future.
“The EU is confronting numerous challenges: a war on its border, increasingly complex geopolitics, declining competitiveness and disrupted global trade norms. It would be easy for Ireland to become distracted by any one of these issues. However, a clear and focused approach will be essential to ensure progress across several priority areas.
“The EU is not typically known for rapid legislative or policy change; notably, only 11 per cent of the actions recommended in the 2024 Draghi report – which called for urgent reforms – have been implemented so far. Ireland’s success will depend on its ability to steer negotiations effectively and build consensus to deliver positive outcomes. Ireland has a unique opportunity to leverage its position as a bridge between the US and the EU to strengthen EU-US relations. However, it will need to carefully navigate the increased volatility in the US.”
Kelly says Ireland should focus on a number of key priorities, one of which is advancing the single market. While much attention has been given to US tariffs and diversifying beyond the US, significant internal barriers to trade within the EU remain. Addressing these obstacles will create new opportunities for businesses and individuals across the EU. Progressing the Savings and Investment Union, with Ireland positioning itself as a central hub for the long term, is also vital, she points out.
Enhancing competitiveness and driving innovation are other areas she advises Ireland’s presidency to focus on.
“The 2024 Draghi report identified several areas requiring urgent reform, warning that Europe risks falling behind unless bold structural changes are made to boost productivity and accelerate innovation. Notably, one-third of Europe’s unicorn companies relocate abroad due to better access to growth capital and more favourable regulatory environments. Accelerating efforts around simplification, appropriate regulation and innovation support is essential, as progress has been slow so far.”
The Republic’s EU membership and its success in attracting foreign investment have driven much of its economic and social transformation over the past 50 years and delivered significant quality-of-life improvements for the population, notes Tara Tibbs, general manager and senior vice-president of manufacturing at Lilly Ireland’s Kinsale site. With geopolitical changes and increasing economic uncertainty, the upcoming EU presidency is a timely opportunity to use our experience of transformation to lead efforts to improve the union’s competitiveness as a destination for global investment, she says.
“Ireland has a unique opportunity to act as a bridge between the United States and the European Union when it comes to ongoing dialogue on trade and economic matters. Given Ireland’s strong life sciences presence, the country can play a key role in shaping the EU life-sciences strategy to ensure that the full footprint of the industry is considered when bringing forward future legislation that impacts this critical sector.
“A whole-of-sector approach could open the door to increased global investment in Europe, with a continued drive towards regulatory simplification across several legislative packages. This strategy should also set ambitious goals for faster, larger-scale clinical trials across Europe, bringing medical innovations to Irish and all EU citizens, and Ireland can also help to progress that effort through the 2026 presidency.”
