H.E. Mr. Ion de la Riva:

I mentioned it.

Deputy Robert Troy:Yes, but not in the session of questions and answers. I refer to the prioritisation of this file during the Presidency to ensure we bring about much-needed regulation. Artificial intelligence technology is very destructive. It can be very beneficial to society and business but can have very negative consequences if not regulated adequately. Sometimes I feel the EU is behind the curve in this regard. We have adopted the Digital Services Act and the Digital Market Act but we are following the market and advances in technology when we sometimes need to be out in front. The file in this regard is critical. I would like to hear the ambassador's views on this.

The other area concerns the environment and ensuring each country is living up to its obligations and commitments. A file that has been adopted but not fully implemented across member states concerns the non-financial reporting directive, which is to ensure large companies report annually on what they are doing from a non-financial perspective in the areas of sustainability and carbon-emissions reduction. This fell down the pecking order in recent years, unfortunately. It needs to be prioritised and focused upon.

The ambassador mentioned Mercosur. Ireland, with its small open economy, is very supportive of it because of the trade that EU membership affords but also because of the ability to utilise the trade deals and potential trade deals the EU has secured to support economic development. The ambassador referred to our own independent economic assessment of the Mercosur deal and how it might benefit the Irish economy. However, there is concern in some countries that have signed up to the deal. Given Spain's historical links to South America, it can use its good relationships with the countries in question to influence the changes that may be needed to help to advance Mercosur and get agreement over the line.

Everyone has mentioned migration, including the ambassador. Previous speakers have alluded to threats to the EU from people on the far right and far left. One of the biggest issues being exploited is that of migration. Migration is being blamed for all the challenges facing our countries. We need to work collectively on this. In this regard, Deputy Haughey mentioned the recent agreement by European Council's justice ministers. In recognising our humanitarian obligations, we need to be stronger – how shall I put it sensitively? – on those who are not genuinely seeking asylum or fleeing war or persecution and may be economic migrants. To ensure that we retain the middle ground and social cohesion across all member states, we need to be vigilant in this regard and have robust systems to ensure those who need protection are protected and that there are consequences for those exploiting the system.

H.E. Mr. Ion de la Riva:I thank the Deputy. There are several very important issues, and that is why I also mentioned artificial intelligence.

One of the tasks of Spain's EU Presidency is to get a regulation on artificial intelligence. We are not lagging behind; we are at the forefront. No other country in the world, including the US, is now addressing the issue in the way the European Union is. During the Spanish Presidency, we hope to achieve a regulation for artificial intelligence. It figures prominently in our dossiers and is one of the things we should attain, and we will be happy do so, during our Presidency.

I am glad the Deputy brought up the issue of artificial intelligence. Europe does not want to lag behind superpowers, mainly China and the US, and is doing the right thing, which is to find a regulation for this technology. As has been said, artificial intelligence has huge potential but it also comes with risks. Nothing in life comes without a price. If we want to be at the forefront of this technological revolution, we will have to make sure the negative aspects of artificial intelligence are tackled and addressed. I am glad to say this is happening and we hope to achieve it in a regulation during the Spanish Presidency.

The Deputy's reference to the environment and Mercosur gives me an opportunity to say we should all move, as we are doing with the Fit for 55 and Next Generation EU funds, to a green and digital economy, or the circular economy. Renewables are essential. We need to move away from fossil fuels. Ireland is still very dependent on fossil fuels but it has now understood that maritime-aeolic energy could be a solution for Europe. Spain was at the forefront of tapping the electrical market. In the beginning, it was considered just an Iberian solution for Portugal and Spain. We have now convinced the rest of Europe that we need to address the reform of the energy market and to promote renewables. This is an aspect in which Ireland and Spain could be great partners, as we are quite good at renewables. Spain has considerable experience and is one of the most ecological economies in Europe. We should abandon dependency on fossil fuels and bet on renewables.

There is also a risk in this. Citizens and a communication strategy to bring them closer to Europe were mentioned. Many citizens still do not understand that if we do not achieve the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energies fast enough, we may pay a price. There may be a temptation to go back to a carbon economy, or even a nuclear economy, which is not what we want or should have. Rest assured that for Spain these environmental concerns are essential.

We should also have sustainable agriculture. When it comes to agriculture, stock and farmers, we should also understand that there are sacrifices to be made because they also produce emissions. When we talk about Fit for 55, agriculture and stocks will have to be addressed if we want to have the sustainability we talk about.

In the case of Latin America, thank God Brazil is back on the scene and is doing its best to tackle environmental concerns and agricultural issues after a long time in which the deforestation of the Amazon was in every newspaper headline. We have to give support to Brazil, make it an ally and understand Brazilian concerns as much as they should understand our concerns. This is what an alliance is about.

On migration, I thank the Deputy for mentioning it. The Swedes have done a great job of putting on the table the agreement to which some countries have objected. Let us not forget that this is not an overall migration and asylum agreement and that we are more ambitious in our concern to encompass other aspects. These include rescue operations to avoid humanitarian catastrophes but also, as the Deputy noted when raising this very interesting topic, economic migrants. Unless we ensure our markets and economies are able to integrate these migrants, there is always a risk that populists will use the issue as a banner against the European Union, as a form of imposition. We have to make our citizens understand what demography and an ageing Europe mean but we also have to distinguish people who come here for economic reasons and who may or may not be good immigration applicants. Some countries have systems of quotas in which the market decides who comes in. This is just one option but we have to make sure that real asylum seekers get justice. Others, especially those who are working in collaboration with human traffickers, should not get into Europe. Even more important, we also have to make sure that we do not get any risky migrants who may be, in reality, terrorists working for jihadist groups or for other purposes.

This is a very different world from the one we had before the pandemic and the attacks on the Twin Towers. We have to make sure migrants get fair treatment and our economies, markets and societies are capable of integrating them well. This is the Achilles heel of the European Union. We are where we are; we are in the world. We are surrounded by threats from the east but also from the south, which is where most migrants come from. In the case of Spain, we believe that Latin Americans have integrated very well in our economy. We know Ireland has a lot of people from Brazil here, as well as other Latin Americans, and for various reasons they tend to integrate better in our societies. We share some values with them historically and therefore their integration is easier. That does not mean we should not pay attention to people who suffer most, those who come from Africa, the Middle East, war-torn zones and regions dramatically affected by climate change, with a lack of water and scarcities of all sorts. I agree with the Deputy that we should make sure migrants are also selected to avoid people who are, with good reason, looking for a better future but may not be good applicants for asylum or for quotas, but also people who may come here to disrupt our system through private agendas. It has happened in Spain. We have suffered great terrorist attacks, as have France, Britain and Belgium, and we strongly believe we should avoid cases like this because our population is very sensitive to the risks presented by some of these supposed migrants.

If members would like more information on what is happening on the artificial intelligence front, or on migration, I would be happy to send them all the information we have tomorrow.