Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 22 to 30, inclusive, together.

I attended the meeting of the European Council on 23 and 24 March in Brussels. We discussed Ukraine, competitiveness, the Single Market, the economy, energy issues and external relations. Leaders met with United Nations Secretary General António Guterres. In our meeting with him, we discussed the impact on global food security of the Russian blockade of Ukrainian ports. We also discussed climate action and the need to restore momentum towards achieving the sustainable development goals.

The European Council was joined by video for part of our meeting proper by the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Leaders reiterated our unwavering solidarity with Ukraine. In particular, we called for the accountability of perpetrators, respect for international humanitarian law with particular regard to prisoners of war, and the safe return of Ukrainians, particularly children, removed to Russia illegally. We also discussed our ongoing political, military, humanitarian and financial assistance to Ukraine.

Leaders returned to our discussion of economic issues in follow-up to our previous meeting on 9 February. We marked the 30th anniversary of the Single Market and discussed how best to ensure the EU’s longer-term competitiveness and productivity. The European Commission has rightly identified the further reduction of barriers, especially for services, as essential for the Single Market to stay the main driver of the EU's competitiveness. I emphasised the importance of safeguarding the level playing field between the member states on which it is built. Leaders agreed the importance to future investment of an EU framework that encourages access to private capital, research and innovation, education and skills, and a growth-enhancing regulatory environment.

The European Council held a strategic discussion on the geopolitical aspects of trade and underlined the contribution of trade policy to the EU’s competitiveness. The European Council also called for work to be taken forward on the proposals for a net zero industry Act and a European critical raw materials Act. We also met in Euro Summit format where we were briefed on economic and financial developments by Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank, and by Paschal Donohoe, President of the Eurogroup.

We had short discussions on energy, where we took stock of recent developments, and migration, with the Council presidency and the Commission updating us on progress since our meeting in February.

We also discussed external relations issues, including February’s terrible earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, the political situation in Belarus, Serbia-Kosovo relations, and we also took the opportunity to welcome the EU-UK agreement on the Windsor Framework.

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