Welcome message from An Taoiseach Micheál Martin

Ireland is honoured to take up the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the eighth time this year.

We do so at a critical time for the EU, with greater uncertainty and unpredictability in the world.

We commit to doing a good job for the EU and its citizens, and we will work throughout our term to make the Union more prosperous and more secure, and to uphold our shared fundamental values.

Economic prosperity is what enables the European Union to achieve its policy goals.

To remain prosperous, we need to improve our ability to compete, including on the global stage.

President Costa has rightly identified 2026 as ‘the European year of competitiveness’.

In our term, we will work to deliver the ‘One Europe, One Market’ Roadmap which sets out the steps the EU urgently needs to take in areas such as:

• simplifying regulation for businesses and citizens

• deepening our single market

• championing fair and open trade

• reducing energy prices and decarbonising our economy, and

• driving the AI and digital transformation for the benefit of all.

This will be a real priority for the Irish Presidency, and we will work closely and cooperatively with Member States, the European Parliament and the Commission to make as much progress as we possibly can.

We will also work with others to make sure that Europe’s children are safe online.

We live in a time of increased threat and conflict. The European Union needs to work harder to protect our citizens, our democracies and our European way of life.

We will continue to offer unwavering support to Ukraine, whose people have shown such courage and determination in defending their country. They deserve a just and lasting peace.

We will support those countries that wish to join the European Union to advance on their path towards membership, helping to ensure greater prosperity and stability in our neighbourhood.

We will safeguard the core values on which the European Union is built – freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, and respect for human rights and dignity.

And we will work to ensure that the EU makes a meaningful contribution to global peace and security, including in the Middle East.

Delivering a successful Presidency relies on good cooperation among Member States and with the Union’s other institutions. We will rely on our partners to help us get things done.

As the Irish proverb says: ní neart go cur le chéile. There is strength with unity.

Working together, we can deliver for the 450 million people that call the European Union their home.