The rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union is held by pre-established groups of three member states, called ‘the Trio’, for a period of 18 months. These three member states work together to set the objectives and the agenda to be addressed by the Council for the shared eighteen-month period. This allows for continuity in the work of the Council.
The groups are put together on the basis of equal rotation amongst Member States, taking into account their diversity and geographical balance within the EU.
The Irish EU Presidency will be the first of a Trio also involving Lithuania (January to June 2027) and Greece (July to December 2027).
Working closely with the General Secretariat of the Council, these Trio partners have developed a Trio policy programme setting out a high-level agenda for the work of the Council during the Trio period.
The Trio Programme will be published in June 2026.