Ireland takes over EU Council Presidency

Ireland will hold the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of 2026. Under the motto 'strength with unity', the Presidency will focused on the core themes of competitiveness, values and security.

According to the Irish Presidency programme, the government will push to advance negotiations on the EU’s next Research and Innovation Framework Programme, FP10. The aim is to ensure that research remains central to EU policymaking and continues to support economic growth, technological leadership and strategic autonomy.

A major focus will also be the proposed European Innovation Act, designed to improve Europe’s innovation performance and help startups and scaleups grow more effectively across the Single Market. Ireland argues that reducing barriers for innovative companies is crucial if Europe wants to compete globally in high-impact sectors.

The programme highlights investment in key strategic technologies, including artificial intelligence, semiconductors, biotechnology, cloud computing and new digital infrastructure. Ireland plans to convene an AI Summit to bring together governments and stakeholders on how to harness AI opportunities while ensuring responsible governance.

In health and life sciences, the Presidency will prioritise legislation on biotechnology, medical devices and digital health, underlining the role of health innovation in strengthening Europe’s industrial base and public resilience. It will also support implementation of the European Health Data Space, seen as an important enabler for research, interoperability and safe AI in healthcare.

Space research and innovation also feature prominently. Ireland wants to strengthen the competitiveness of the European space sector by fostering innovation, supporting SMEs and progressing the EU Space Act.

Research ministers will meet for an informal meeting in Dublin on 20-21 July 2026. A formal COMPET (Research) Council will take place on 4 December in Brussels. ERAC will meet in Dublin on 12–13 October 2026.

For more information:

Website of the Irish EU Presidency

IE Programme

Trio Programme (Ireland - Lithuania - Greece)