Our Priorities - 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.
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.
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.