‘High expectations’ for Irish EU Presidency amid turbulent geopolitical conditions

There are “high expectations” for Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, an EU Commissioner has said, as Dublin takes up responsibility for chairing negotiations on key tech and competitiveness policies.

The Presidency tasks Ireland with chairing EU Council meetings and negotiations for the rest of the year as well as representing the Council in discussions with the European Parliament and European Commission.

It comes at a tense time between Europe and the US, with president Donald Trump threatening to slap a 100 per cent import tariff on several European countries over potential digital services taxes and the Commission suggesting Microsoft and Amazon should be considered gatekeepers under the Digital Markets Act for their cloud computing services.

Trump has also been highly critical of the EU Digital Services Act which he says could negatively impact US tech companies – many of which hold headquarters in Ireland and contribute billions in corporation tax.

Former Minister of State for European Affairs Lucinda Creighton has said that the “unstable transatlantic relationship” will see Ireland experience friction and pressure from the US and Brussels during the presidency, with EU regulations setting off “alarm bells” in Washington.

The European Commission recently presented what it calls the “European Technological Sovereignty Package” which aims to strengthen the bloc’s capacity in terms of semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), cloud and open source.

It comes amid a view that Europe is too heavily dependent on others for technology that keeps vital infrastructure running and that it should increase competitiveness through building a stronger research and industrial base.

Writing for the Center for European Policy Analysis, where she is a senior fellow, Creighton notes the significant US investment in the country and and said Ireland is aiming to “avoid taking sides” and preserve a “workable transatlantic tech framework”.

She said Ireland has insisted it will be an “honest broker, neutral between member states, not leaning on its US ties to shape outcomes”.

However, she added: “Honest brokering and passivity are not the same. Ireland’s relationships with US tech gives it a special responsibility to help navigate turbulent waters.”

Ireland has hosted a range of informal meetings of EU policy makers in the first month of its Presidency, including a gathering of research and innovation ministers at Dublin Castle on Tuesday.

EU Startups, Research and Innovation Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva joined Further Education Minister James Lawless at a press conference, where she told reporters there are “high expectations” for the Irish presidency.

Asked how the EU can trust Ireland to set aside its national interests when chairing meetings during the Presidency, she said: “My experience working with Ireland, it’s really very positive.

“They are one of the more pro-European countries, and we are very glad that Ireland is taking the Presidency in such a decisive moment so I have no doubts at all that they will be an honest and they will help all of us to deliver fast to our stakeholders.

“Because something that is really key is not only to propose these acts and initiatives and strategies, but also those acts to reach stakeholders as fast as possible – because speed is of essence.”

Asked about the comments on speedy progress, Lawless said: “It is normal that every member state puts aside their own domestic issues and concerns during the course of their presidency.

“You become an honest broker when you take the chair, and that’s something that, again, is not new to politicians of any hue.

“It is what we normally do when we take on a neutral role, as we are doing for the Council of Europe right now.”

He added: “It’s in everyone’s interest, and very much Ireland’s, that we have a strong research and innovation system in Europe.

“We are investing heavily, and also in terms of technology sovereignty, things like the AI antenna, gigafactories, EU quantum pact, high-performance computing.

“Just looking at some of the more advanced technological developments in recent times that we are very much signed up to all of and collaborating strong with other member states.

“So, I think actually at a time of geopolitical turbulence, as you referenced in your question, it’s all the more important that the team Europe stands strong, stands together.”