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An Taoiseach and Minister McEntee attending European Council

An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar and Minister for European Affairs, Helen McEntee travel to Brussels today for a meeting of the European Council.

The Taoiseach will join his fellow EU27 Heads of State and Government, as well as President of the European Council Donald Tusk, European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker and EU Chief Negotiator Michel Barnier to discuss Brexit and other significant matters.

As well as Brexit, the other important issues on the agenda for this week’s meeting of Leaders include:

  • the Multiannual Financial Framework, which is the EU’s budget for the period 2021-2027; 
  • implementation of the EU’s Strategic Agenda;
  • Climate Change, following the recent UN Summit in New York;
  • enlargement of the EU, including the possible opening of accession negotiations with Albania and the Republic of North Macedonia;
  • illegal Turkish drilling activity in Cypriot waters;
  • and the current political, humanitarian and refugee situation in Syria.    

President-elect of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has been invited to attend the meeting to discuss current challenges and on delivering on the EU’s priorities over the next five years.