Council of the EU : Environmental priorities of the Irish Presidency for the second half of 2026

Environmental priorities

The Irish Presidency announced a quick and effective progress on files related to "several legislative amendments and initiatives to climate change law and policy", proposed by the Commission in 2026. Among the key priorities :

• progression of the review of the ETS 1 Directive ;
• revision of CBAM ;
• agreement and finalisation of strengthened ETS1 and ETS2 safeguards.

• The discussions on the implementation package of the EU-wide 2040 emissions reduction target will begin later this year.

• The Irish Presidency wants to make progress on the proposed European Climate Resilience and Risk Management Integrated Framework and to support the implementation of the European Water Resilience Strategy.

• Regarding circular economy, the Irish Presidency is committed to develop, implement and advance effective policies "to achieve a circular economy and recognises the scale of this challenge". This also mean working "to build consensus among Member States as part of the EU’s engagement on the negotiations on an international plastics instrument, to support efforts to advance the adoption of a legally binding instrument".

• According to the policy program, the Presidency will "support the goals of the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability and the European Chemicals Industry Action Plan and will work to ensure that the European Chemicals Agency is equipped to carry out its remit into the future". It will lead the EU negotiations at the First International Conference of the UN Global Framework on Chemicals, that will take place in November.

• The Presidency will "continue to advance work on the Environmental Simplification Omnibus package, which aims to simplify rules on the circular economy, waste management, industrial emissions, and environmental assessments. It aims to reach an agreement with the Parliament by the end of 2026.

The Irish Presidency will strive "to support the continued development of high-integrity frameworks to support private investment in carbon removals and nature restoration".

Leadership and collaboration : "Urgent action by all global partners is needed"

"Urgent action by all global partners is needed if the goals of the Rio Conventions, the Paris Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework are to be achieved", recognises the Irish Presidency.

"Despite the tangible benefits of these commitments, multilateralism continues to face sustained challenges, and geopolitical uncertainty continues to make progress at the international level challenging".

Thereby, the Presidency will :

• seek to ensure that the EU remains a global leader in international climate, environment and water forums and negotiations, with a focus on strategic planning and considered engagement with international partners throughout the Presidency term.
• provide strong and coordinated leadership for the EU at key UN climate and environment negotiations. These include, among others :
  • the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP 31,
  • the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD) COP17,
  • the UN Convention to Combat Desertification COP17,
  • the UN Montreal Protocol MOP38,
  • the UNECE Air Convention EB46,
  • and the UN Global Framework on Chemicals IC1.
  • Preparations will also take place for the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction COP1.

Decarbonisation of transports, bioeconomy, energy : the other priorities of the Irish Presidency

• Regarding the decarbonisation of transports, the Presidency will "prioritise the advancement of discussions on Clean Corporate Vehicles, alongside the proposals relating to CO2 Emissions Standards for Cars and Vans and the revision of the ETS for aviation and maritime, which will be progressed through the Environment Council".

• The EU position will also be promoted regarding the adoption and implementation of the International Maritime Organization’s Net Zero Framework.

• On energy, the Irish Presidency will emphasise the need for accelerated electrification and deployment of renewable and clean energy; "a transition enabled by modern, flexible infrastructure".we will aim to reach agreement with the European Parliament on the Food and Feed Safety Simplification Omnibus package by the end of 2026.

• Regarding agriculture, the Irish Presidency will also focus on bioeconomy, and especially on "how innovation, knowledge and new technologies can:

• support the sustainable development of agri-food and seafood sectors,
• enhance plant health protection,
• strengthen competitiveness
• and create new economic opportunities for rural and coastal communities, while making the best use of our biological resources".

Finally, the Presidency will aim to reach agreement with the European Parliament on the Food and Feed Safety Simplification Omnibus package by the end of 2026".