Dairy Industry Ireland (DII) said Ireland's EU presidency will provide an opportunity to showcase our dairy sector on the European stage.

Ireland will today (Wednesday, July 1) take over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the eighth time.

The Irish presidency comes at a crucial time as negotiations intensify on the next EU long-term budget, known as the Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF), and the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

The presidency is also expected to advance the EU-Mexico agreement and EU-US trade deal, along with navigating the provisional application of the EU- Mercosur trade agreement.

Dairy

DII said it stands alongside the Irish government and the European Dairy Association (EDA) to "secure the future of our rural economies and cement our reputation as global leaders in advanced nutrition".

Speaking ahead of the Presidency launch later, Conor Mulvihill, director of Dairy Industry Ireland, outlined the sector's strategic vision and the critical work ahead over the next six months.

"Under the EU Strategic Agenda 2024-2029, the Irish Presidency will steer the council's work around values, security, and competitiveness.

"These principles reflect the resilience and ambition of the Irish and wider EU dairy sectors.

"We processed a record 8.8 billion litres of milk last year and are on track for another record breaking year in 2026," he said.

Mulvihill said that the Farming for Water European Innovation Partnership (EIP) is "Europe's largest water improvement initiative".

"Nearly 6,000 farmers are already enrolled, with thousands more seeking access.

"Furthermore, we are well on our way to delivering the national genotyping program, making Ireland the first country on the planet to genotype its entire bovine population.

"This presidency gives us the opportunity to lay the future foundations for a profitable, sustainable, and state of the art industry, one that will continue to attract young suppliers and skilled workers for decades to come," he added.

EU presidency

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), EDA and DII have published a joint document outlining our shared ambitions for the Irish and European dairy processing sectors during the presidency.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon said that Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the EU "comes at a time of intense change across Europe".

"Within this shifting landscape, Ireland’s Presidency will demonstrate that the position of agriculture and fisheries cannot be taken for granted.

"Agriculture and fisheries play a central role in ensuring Europe's food security, supporting economic competitiveness, and sustaining rural and coastal communities, while contributing to the Union's climate and environmental objectives," he said.

The minister said a key priority for Ireland at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council will be "to advance as far as possible the negotiations on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy post-2027".

He said CAP reforms must "preserve the policy’s ability to contribute to food security, secure farm incomes, and support rural resilience with predictability and fairness".