Ireland’s EU Council Presidency 2026: Agriculture and Fisheries Priorities examines and unpacks the agriculture and fisheries agenda facing Ireland during its six-month Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The paper explains the role of the rotating Presidency in convening Council discussions, it outlines the negotiations on the post-2027 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), including the proposed new EU funding architecture and the links between CAP reform and the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).

While also considering Ireland’s priorities on sustainable livestock systems, CAP simplification, generational renewal, rural development, the bioeconomy and agricultural trade. In fisheries, the paper sets out the wider discussions on the future of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).

This paper was written for policymakers, stakeholders and anyone seeking a clear introduction to these issues, this explainer maps the key decisions, institutional processes and political pressures.