COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,update

 

Press material Monday, 06 July 2026

The ‘seanfhocal’ behind the slogan 06/07/2026 | Article The ‘seanfhocal’ behind the slogan The visual identity of Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union emphasises the interdependence and interconnectedness of all member states of the EU. Visit the website

● Eurogroup   06/07/2026 11:30 | Media advisory | Press briefing - Eurogroup meeting of 9 July 2026   The press briefing ahead of the Eurogroup meeting of 9 July 2026 will take place on Tuesday, 7 July at 15.30. The briefing will be "off the record" and will be given by Tuomas Saarenheimo, President of the Eurogroup Working Group. The press briefing will take place in a hybrid format: EU accredited journalists will be able to participate and ask questions either remotely or in person at the Justus Lipsius press room. If you haven't registered for one of the previous Eurogroup press events, please use the link below to do so and have the possibility to ask questions remotely. Deadline for registration: Tuesday, 7 July 2026 at 14.30 Further instructions will be sent to all registered participants shortly after the deadline. Registration page Media accreditation for journalists   Visit the website   ● General Secretariat of the Council   03/07/2026 18:04 | Press release | Forward look: 6 – 19 July 2026   Overview of the main topics and events at the Council of EU and European Council for the coming fortnight. Economic and Financial Affairs Council, 10 July 2026 Among other items, ministers will have a policy debate on the market integration and supervision package, a key element of the EU’s savings and investment union. The Irish presidency will present its work programme in the field of economic and financial affairs. Under the European semester, the Council will be invited to approve the integrated country-specific recommendations for each member state. Read more Agriculture and Fisheries Council, 13 July 2026 The Irish presidency will present their work programme and main priorities in the agriculture and fisheries sectors. Ministers will then exchange views on the Commission’s livestock strategy and protein plan, on trade-related agricultural issues and on women in agriculture. Read more Foreign Affairs Council, 13 July 2026 The Council will exchange views on Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East in light of the latest developments. Ministers will also discuss the Black Sea strategy. Read more General Affairs Council, 14 July 2026 Ministers responsible for European affairs will meet in Brussels to hear a presentation by the Irish presidency on its priorities for the second semester of 2026 with a focus on those specifically falling within the remit of the General Affairs Council. The Council will also hold an exchange of views on the state of play and future orientation of its work on simplification. Read more Other meetings Informal meeting of Employment and Social Affairs Ministers (Employment and Social), 5-6 July 2026 Eurogroup, 9 July 2026 Informal meeting of competitiveness ministers (Internal market and industry), 9-10 July 2026 Informal meeting of justice and home affairs ministers, 16-17 July 2026   Indicative calendar of meetings under the Irish presidency (1 July - 31 December 2026) Irish presidency   Visit the website ● European Council   06/07/2026 12:02 | Press release | President Costa travelling to Türkiye for the NATO summit and meeting with President Erdoğan   The President of the European Council, António Costa, will visit Ankara, Türkiye, on 7 and 8 July. On Tuesday, he will attend NATO Summit leaders’ dinner. On Wednesday, together with President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, he will meet President of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. NATO summit The NATO summit will focus on defence investment, industrial production, support for Ukraine, and broader regional issues. The European Union and its member states have been assuming greater responsibility for their own defence by: increased defence spending implementation of capability initiatives industrial reinforcement strong and sustained military support to Ukraine strengthened partnerships All these initiatives contribute to making both Europe and NATO stronger. “A stronger Europe means a stronger NATO. Higher defence investment translates into real capabilities, a more resilient defence industry, and greater readiness. As Europe steps up on defence, it strengthens the Alliance and our collective security. In today's increasingly challenging world, the EU-NATO partnership is more important than ever.” — António Costa, President of the European Council EU-NATO cooperation has been critical to enhancing Euro-Atlantic security. NATO remains the foundation of collective defence for its members, while a stronger and more capable European defence that complements NATO is essential.  Together, the EU and NATO represent over 1 billion people and some of the world's largest economies, providing significant political and military influence on the global stage. 23 out of 27 EU member states are also NATO members. EU-NATO cooperation has expanded significantly in recent years, building on three joint declarations (in 2023, 2018 and 2016), as well as the EU Strategic Compass and the NATO Strategic Concept adopted in 2022.  The European Union and NATO have long been close strategic partners and have numerous shared security interests. In light of Russia's war against Ukraine, both organizations have played key roles in supporting Ukraine's defence of its sovereignty, and are determined to continue to do so to achieve a just and lasting peace. In this regard, the EU's Ukraine Support Loan comes at a crucial time. Joint Declaration on EU-NATO Cooperation, 10 January 2023 EU-NATO cooperation (background information) Meeting with the President of Türkiye The meeting of Presidents Costa and von der Leyen with President Erdoğan will focus on EU-Türkiye bilateral relations.  The current geopolitical context calls for strengthened dialogue and cooperation, based on shared interests and pragmatic steps. The roadmap for this cooperation is set out in the Joint Communication on the state of play of EU-Türkiye political, economic and trade relations, adopted in November 2023. The Presidents will discuss the implementation Joint Communication. They will also discuss the regional situation, in particular the ongoing diplomatic efforts led by the United Nations Secretary General  to resolve the Cyprus dispute.   The EU and Türkiye are strategic partners. Their relationship is anchored in the 1963 Association Agreement, also known as the Ankara agreement. It provides the framework for closer political ties and economic integration.  The EU is Türkiye's top trading partner while Türkiye is the EU's 7th biggest trade partner. In 2022, the total trade between them amounted to €198.1 billion, representing 3.6% of the EU's total trade with the world. EU-Türkiye trade relations (background information)   Visit the website