From:Department of the Taoiseach

Taoiseach Micheál Martin is travelling to Brussels today (Thursday) for a meeting of the European Council. The European Council will continue tomorrow (Friday).

During the meeting, leaders will discuss continued support for Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East. Europe’s competitiveness in the face of global economic challenges and the EU’s next multiannual Budget (MFF) will also be discussed. Other issues on the agenda include European security and defence, migration, support for Moldova, elections in Armenia and work to stop the spread of Ebola in DRC and Uganda.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, the Taoiseach said:

“The European Council has a busy agenda to work through, with a focus on many areas that Ireland will be seeking to advance when we assume the Presidency of the EU Council in less than two weeks.

“There has been an increased focus on European competitiveness at the European Council, and leaders will return to ongoing efforts to strengthen our competitiveness in what continues to be a challenging geoeconomic context. I look forward to our strategic discussion on the EU’s global economic and trade relations, including with China.

“We will also take stock of the implementation of the ‘One Europe, One Market’ Roadmap. During our Presidency term, we will work to make decisive progress across its five strategic building blocks: promoting simplification; deepening the single market; championing fair and open trade; reducing energy prices while decarbonising our economies; and driving the digital and AI transformation.

“I will report to my fellow leaders on progress on the Roadmap under the Irish Presidency at the meetings of the European Council in the autumn.

“The EU’s ambitious agenda for the coming years will need a budget that is appropriate to this ambition. Advancing negotiations on the new Multiannual Financial Framework – the MFF – will be an important task for us as Presidency. The discussion at this meeting will be instructive for the Irish Presidency as we work with President Costa with a view to securing agreement by the end of the year, if at all possible.

“I look forward to our exchange with President Zelenskyy. Support for Ukraine will also be a priority for us during our Presidency. The people of Ukraine have endured more than four years of brutal Russian aggression. Actions to maintain political, financial, military and humanitarian support for Ukraine, while keeping pressure on Russia, including through sanctions, will be reflected in our work across a number of strands.

“I welcome the opening of Cluster 1 on Fundamentals with Ukraine and Moldova, and the Irish Presidency will aim to facilitate the opening of all remaining clusters. EU accession is a crucial element in securing Ukraine’s longer-term security and prosperity.

“The announcement that an agreement has been reached between the US and Iran to solidify the ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz is welcome.

“We hope there can now be a full engagement by all involved to implement this agreement and achieve peace and stability across the region. Re-opening the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping would bring much-needed relief to the global economy.

“However, the current situation across the Middle East remains grim, particularly in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon.

“At this meeting, I will push again for concrete EU action in response to egregious Israeli breaches of human rights and democratic principles. I wrote to President Costa last month reiterating our position on the EU’s approach and looking for an urgent discussion on this. We have always been clear that we prefer action at EU level, which would have greater impact, and I will continue to make that point.”