Ireland prepares to lead EU Council presidency, emphasizing competitiveness and security

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola visited Dublin to meet Irish President Catherine Connolly, Taoiseach Micheál Martin and senior ministers as Ireland readies to assume the rotating Council of the European Union presidency on 1 July. The talks highlighted the Irish agenda, which centres on three pillars: boosting EU competitiveness through the “One Europe, One Market” roadmap, defending core EU values and democratic rights, and strengthening security.

Key priorities include simplifying regulations for businesses, advancing trade deals, cutting energy costs, accelerating digital and AI transformation, and supporting online safety for children. Ireland also pledges continued political, economic and military backing for Ukraine, as well as wider efforts on energy security and cyber‑defence. The programme will be presented to the European Parliament in early July and will guide inter‑parliamentary meetings throughout the six‑month term.