Ní neart go cur le chéile - Strength with unity.
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 our 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.
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.
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.
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.
