Cyprus is handing over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union to Ireland. The EU currently faces several long-term and immediate challenges: the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine, pressure to strengthen European defense, competitiveness, energy security, migration, and, last but not least, negotiations on the multiannual budget. Member states must now clearly formulate priorities and seek politically viable compromises. Ireland is taking over an agency that Cyprus may have advanced during its presidency, but is far from concluding.

Key takeaways:

• Cyprus moved forward negotiations on the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework for 2028-2034. The proposal revealed a deep rift between net contributors, net recipients, and the European Parliament.
• The Council of the EU reached preliminary agreements or negotiating positions on return policy, defense readiness, military mobility, and regulatory simplification.
• The Union opened the first negotiating cluster with Ukraine and Moldova; Montenegro closed two more chapters.
• Ireland’s main task will be to find compromise on the budget, security, competitiveness, migration, and the future functioning of an enlarged EU.

Analysis – Irena Krcháková

The analysis is in PDF under the link below.