Written answer
EU Meetings
The EU General Affairs Council meets in Luxembourg on 13 October to address rule of law, enlargement and the MFF, with Ireland seeking compromise.
45. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when the next meeting of the EU General Affairs Council will take place; and the likely agenda for the meeting. [69059/26]
Comment on this
The General Affairs Council (GAC) will next meet on 13 October in Luxembourg. The Minister for European Affairs and Defence, Thomas Byrne TD, will chair the meeting as Presidency. The October Council meeting will also build on progress made at both the informal GAC in Dublin on 3-4 September as well as the GAC in Brussels on 22 September.
Topics on the agenda in October include an update on the simplification agenda and the joint declaration on the legislative priorities for 2027 and the One Europe, One Market Roadmap. GAC Ministers will hold a discussion on the state of play on the rule of law in Hungary and are expected to approve Council conclusions on the importance of inclusive democratic participation. The GAC will also prepare the meeting of the EU leaders at the European Council (15-16 October) which will look at competitiveness, Ukraine, the Middle East, security and defence, the MFF and enlargement and reforms.
The Presidency will also host an event on the margins of the GAC in October to mark the accession of candidate countries to the European Centre for Democratic Resilience.
On the enlargement side, the Presidency would hope to hold a number of Intergovernmental Councils (IGCs) on the margins of this meeting to make progress on the accession process of candidate countries.
A key issue for the GAC in October will be the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028-2034. The Presidency continues to advance negotiations on the MFF so that Leaders can reach agreement on this vital long term budget by the end of the year. Ireland is aiming to deliver a revised negotiating box that represents a pragmatic and fair compromise that can be acceptable to all Member States. Ensuring that the Union is equipped with a budget that can provide for our citizens, communities and businesses is core objective for our Presidency.