merrion street

The Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne T.D., will represent Ireland at the informal General Affairs Council meeting hosted by the Portuguese Presidency today in Portugal.  At the meeting, Ministers will discuss the outermost regions of the EU. The EU Foresight Network at Ministerial level will also be launched during the meeting. Following the launch, the first meeting of the “Ministers for the Future” will be held, with an exchange of views on resilience and open strategic autonomy.

In parallel to the Informal Council meeting, there will be a High-Level Conference on the Rule of Law. Speaking ahead of the meeting, Minister Byrne said:

The theme for this meeting will be the Future. This is very fitting as on Friday I launched the Conference on the Future of Europe in Ireland. The Conference will address many issues our citizens are concerned about, such as recovery from the current crisis, and meeting the shared challenges of the green and digital transitions. I warmly welcome the launch of the EU Foresight Network at Ministerial level. Now, more than ever, it is important to come together to find innovative solutions and build a stronger and more resilient Europe for the future. I also welcome the High-Level Conference on the Rule of Law. The Rule of Law is a fundamental principle for all EU Member States and Ireland welcomes the priority that is being given to this subject by the Portuguese Presidency and the Commission.