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Taoiseach Enda Kenny to represent the EU Presidency at a meeting of Europe’s “Four Presidents”
The Taoiseach, Mr Enda Kenny TD, will represent the Presidency of the Council of the European Union at a meeting in Brussels of Europe’s “Four Presidents” today, Monday 4 February, 2013 to discuss the EU’s multiannual budget.
Negotiations on the budget will resume at the European Council later this week. The Taoiseach's meeting will focus on the EU’s multi-annual budget.
The four Presidents are the President of the European Council (Herman Van Rompuy), the President of the European Commission (José Manuel Barroso), the President of the European Parliament (Martin Schulz) and the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union (Ireland).
The European Council made good progress at its meeting in November, but did not manage to reach full agreement on the EU budget for the next seven years.
Those negotiations resume at European Council level in Brussels on 7 and 8 February, under the Chairmanship of President Van Rompuy.
As Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Ireland will have the responsibility of engaging with the European Parliament on agreeing the overall budget.
In partnership with the European Parliament, Ireland will also manage around 70 pieces of legislation implementing the budget across the EU’s many activities.