![[Image: A square graphic with a dark blue background and text reading: “Communicating Europe. A series exploring rights, access, and Ireland’s EU Presidency for 2026. www.disabilityparticipation.ie. Disability Participation News Hub.” The logo of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is in the bottom left hand corner. An illustration of a black and white megaphone is next to a map of Europe with EU stars in the centre of the image.]](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!gbDF!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fab15cf63-0486-4217-a0c0-c468cda0f6cb_1200x1200.png "[Image: A square graphic with a dark blue background and text reading: “Communicating Europe. A series exploring rights, access, and Ireland’s EU Presidency for 2026. www.disabilityparticipation.ie. Disability Participation News Hub.” The logo of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is in the bottom left hand corner. An illustration of a black and white megaphone is next to a map of Europe with EU stars in the centre of the image.]")
[Image: A square graphic with a dark blue background and text reading: “Communicating Europe. A series exploring rights, access, and Ireland’s EU Presidency for 2026. www.disabilityparticipation.ie. Disability Participation News Hub.” The logo of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is in the bottom left hand corner. An illustration of a black and white megaphone is next to a map of Europe with EU stars in the centre of the image.]
Communicating Europe: A Series on Rights, Access, and Ireland’s EU Presidency for 2026
Dear Reader,
We are delighted to share that we will be launching a new, limited-edition newsletter series from July to December this year - Communicating Europe: A Series on Rights, Access, and Ireland’s EU Presidency for 2026.
This series aims to connect you with information about Ireland’s EU Presidency, disability rights and accessibility at EU level, and how to get involved and influence change.
Each month, our newsletter subscribers will receive a special edition of our Communication Europe series, featuring articles by Níamh Ní Hoireabhaird, as well as facts, resources, and interviews.
As part of this project we will also have new resources available to raise awareness about Ireland’s EU Presidency.
If you aren’t already signed up to our weekly newsletter, you can click this link to subscribe for weekly updates and our Communicating Europe Series.
To keep up to date with this project and others, head over to our website to learn more.
We’d also love to hear your thoughts!
Is there anything you’d like us to explore in this series?
Let us know by commenting below.
![[Image: A square graphic with a dark blue background. Large white text at the top reads: "Communicating Europe." A bright pink banner across the centre reads: "What is the EU Presidency and how does it work?" The Disability Participation News Hub logo appears in the top right corner. A QR code is displayed on the left-hand side, with the logo of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade beneath it. In the centre is a black and white illustrated megaphone with yellow lightning bolts. On the right is a blue map of Europe featuring yellow EU stars.]](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!wQJQ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F718b605e-217f-4d1a-a979-5264c48067bf_1200x1200.png "[Image: A square graphic with a dark blue background. Large white text at the top reads: \"Communicating Europe.\" A bright pink banner across the centre reads: \"What is the EU Presidency and how does it work?\" The Disability Participation News Hub logo appears in the top right corner. A QR code is displayed on the left-hand side, with the logo of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade beneath it. In the centre is a black and white illustrated megaphone with yellow lightning bolts. On the right is a blue map of Europe featuring yellow EU stars.]")
[Image: A square graphic with a dark blue background. Large white text at the top reads: "Communicating Europe." A bright pink banner across the centre reads: "What is the EU Presidency and how does it work?" The Disability Participation News Hub logo appears in the top right corner. A QR code is displayed on the left-hand side, with the logo of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade beneath it. In the centre is a black and white illustrated megaphone with yellow lightning bolts. On the right is a blue map of Europe featuring yellow EU stars.]
Communicating Europe Series: Edition #1
What is the EU Presidency, and how does it work?
Welcome to the first of our Communication Europe Series, where we explore rights, access and Ireland’s EU Presidency for 2026.
In this edition, we are beginning our journey in understanding what the EU Presidency is and how it works.
This edition features an article by Níamh Ní Hoireabhaird, facts, resources, news and upcoming events related to the presidency.
Link to Edition #1 of our Communicating Europe Series here.
What is the EU Presidency, and how does it work?
Article by Níamh Ní Hoireabhaird
From 1 July to December 2026, Ireland will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. This will be the eighth time Ireland has held the presidency, having occupied the position seven times previously, in 1975, 1979, 1984, 1990, 1996, 2004, and 2013.
What is it?
The Council of the European Union, sometimes referred to as the Council of Ministers, is where government ministers from each EU country meet to negotiate, amend and adopt legislation.
Unlike the roles of President of the Europe Parliament, the European Council and the European Commission, this is not an elected position. Instead, the Presidency has rotates between EU member states every six months. Currently, each of the 27 member states hold the role every 13.5 years.
The Presidency is responsible for leading the Council’s legislative work, and acting as a coordinator between the other EU member states.
When a country holds the presidency, it is responsible for tasks like: planning and chairing meetings of the Council and its preparatory bodies, and representing the Council in relations with other EU institutions, particularly the European Parliament and the Commission.
This means that the country holding the Presidency has an important role in deciding when Council meetings are held, how they run and what is discussed.
During a country’s Presidency, they must act neutrally and impartially.
How does it work?
Groups of three member states holding successive presidencies, known as a ‘trio’, work together to ensure consistency across their terms as President. Ireland is part of a trio with Lithuania and Greece, both of which will host their presidencies in 2027.
Ireland will be taking on the role of the rotating presidency from Cyprus, which held the Presidency from 1 January 2026 to 30 June 2026. Cyprus is last in a trio of presidencies with Poland and Denmark, which held their presidencies in 2025.
Before their term starts, a trio agrees on their shared priorities that the Council will focus on ahead of their combined 18-month Presidency - this is referred to as a ‘trio programme’. Each state then sets its own, more detailed 6-month agenda.
Ireland’s Presidency
The Presidency is an opportunity for Ireland to showcase its administrative abilities to other European governments.
If the Presidency goes well, it will demonstrate to other countries that Ireland is a trustworthy diplomatic partner.
During its Presidency, Ireland will host 22 Informal ministerial meetings as well as a meeting of the European Political Community and an informal meeting of the European Council, and over 250 other important meetings and conferences.
Ireland’s priorities for the Presidency are competitiveness, values and security.
In a speech about the country’s upcoming Presidency, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen Entee stated,
“Hosting the Presidency is a significant opportunity for Ireland…It is a chance to shape discussions on the issues that matter most to people and to showcase Ireland on the European stage.”
This series is supported by the Communicating Europe Initiative through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
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