Ireland takes over the EU Presidency

His programme for the Council Presidency is themed ‘Strength through Unity’. The focus is on strengthening European resilience, economic competitiveness and the further development of the single market. Ireland also wishes to tackle major challenges for the future, such as digitalisation, security and social cohesion, in close cooperation with all EU Member States.

Furthermore, negotiations on the EU’s next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) will take place during the Irish Presidency. Ireland therefore intends to drive the negotiations forward with a view to reaching a political agreement by the end of 2026, if possible. This is particularly relevant for youth policy, as this process will set the course for the future funding of European programmes such as Erasmus+ and other funding instruments important for youth policy.

No focus on youth policy – but the Youth Dialogue is getting involved nonetheless

Youth policy does not feature as a separate priority in the programme, nevertheless, there are important points of connection for the EU Youth Dialogue, which, in its 12th cycle, is addressing Youth Objective 4 – ‘Information and constructive dialogue’ – and thus also the digital realities of young people’s lives and their demands regarding the framework conditions for these.
Ireland’s priorities on digital transformation, strengthening democratic resilience and the responsible shaping of the digital world are cross-cutting issues – young people have views on these matters and many constructive ideas. This applies in particular to discussions on the protection and participation of children and young people in the digital space, the safe use of digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, as well as media literacy and trustworthy information spaces.

Specific initiatives planned by the Irish Presidency, such as effective digital proof of age and a digital minimum age, should and must be discussed with the involvement of young people themselves – the EU Youth Dialogue provides a structured framework for this.