Brussels

Ireland will assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union at a moment of profound consequence, as citizens across the world face escalating conflict, the climate crisis, geopolitical uncertainty and threats to democracy itself. The Presidency comes at a particularly important time as the EU advances negotiations on the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the future Global Europe instrument, the Tax Omnibus, implementation of the Migration Pact, the EU Humanitarian Communication, and key climate and digital policy files.  

This briefing sets out Oxfam’s recommendations for the Irish Presidency. It includes recommendations on key priorities under Ireland’s mandate while also addressing deeper structural challenges shaping the EU’s global role. 

New Oxfam, Fair Finance International and 11.11.11. report exposes how Europe’s banks and investors are blindly investing in mining companies linked to land grabs, pollution and human rights violations. This comes ahead of the EU’s Raw Materials Week.  

Today, Egala and Oxfam published a new report, “Brutal Barriers”, detailing the frightening and sometimes deadly journey of people trying to reach safety in Europe. Survivors’ testimonies reveal the violence inflicted by both Polish and Belarusian authorities on people seeking asylum as well as the treacherous conditions people face in crossing the swamplands of the primeval Białowieża forest.

This week, EU negotiators are hammering out the final details of the long-awaited EU migration pact.

Ahead of the trilogues, Stephanie Pope, Oxfam EU migration expert, said: “The deal is nothing but a house of cards incapable of fixing the EU’s broken asylum system. After years of negotiation, we are left with a pact that ushers in increased detention, more pushbacks, and dubious deals with non-EU countries.

The European Commission has launched an infringement procedure against Greece about how they treat people arriving in Europe to seek asylum and the asylum process. This could result in the Commission taking Greece to court. Oxfam has been advocating for this for years due to Greece's systematic breaches of EU asylum law. This includes launching a joint legal complaint with other human rights groups.

Today, the European Commission presented its Tax Omnibus proposal to simplify tax rules and reduce bureaucracy across the EU. In response, Oxfam Tax Policy Expert, Julien Desiderio said: “Simplification is the European Commission’s latest euphemism for deregulation. At a time of record corporate profits and exploding inequality, after decades of a race to the bottom on effective corporate tax rates, the obvious response would be to ensure those who have gained the most contribute more. 

Dear President von der Leyen,

Dear High Representative / Vice-President Kallas,

Dear Commissioner Šefčovič,

Dear Commissioners, 

We, the undersigned human rights and humanitarian organizations, are writing to urge you to propose a regulation to prohibit EU trade with Israel’s illegal settlements.

Amid growing calls from EU member states’ ministers of foreign affairs, the High Representative has repeatedly requested the Commission to prepare a proposal to restrict trade with Israel’s illegal settlements. As many of us raised in a joint letter in February 2025 we believe that the EU must ban such trade and should do so under article 207 TFEU, as a measure necessary to bring EU trade into compliance with international law, including as most authoritatively interpreted by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in its landmark advisory opinion of 19 July 2024.

Today, the European Parliament adopted its position on the next EU long-term budget, the Multiannual Financial Framework. Its position called for an increased overall MFF budget, including for its external action, and supported proposals for EU own resources. In response, Hanna Saarinen, Oxfam EU Development Finance Policy Lead, said: “Today’s vote sent a clear signal to EU governments: Europe needs a bigger budget and new funding streams to back it up. 

In reaction to the recent announcement that the EU will review the EU-Israel Association Agreement, Bushra Khalidi, Oxfam’s Policy lead in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Gaza: “Let’s be clear: it is a welcome step, but far too little and too late. For months upon months, the people of Gaza have endured unimaginable suffering. Entire families erased. Homes, hospitals and schools reduced to rubble.

The EU Commission presented its plans for the European Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive as part of the omnibus legislation.