Minister McEntee to attend Foreign Affairs Council on Trade in Brussels

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee, is attending a meeting of EU Trade Ministers in Brussels today, the final such meeting before Ireland takes over the Presidency of the EU Council in July. At the end of the meeting, Cyprus will formally hand over the chair to Minister McEntee.

Ministers are expected to focus on Europe’s economic security and the short- and long-term impact of conflicts in the Middle East on trade and supply chains. Discussions will also cover efforts to reform the World Trade Organization (WTO) following the WTO Ministerial Conference in Cameroon earlier this year, which ended without a full agreement. Ministers will exchange views on ongoing EU trade negotiations with Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines and the United Arab Emirates, while also reflecting on the recent EU-US “Turnberry deal.” Minister McEntee is also holding bilateral meetings with several counterparts during the visit.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Minister McEntee said the recent agreement on the Turnberry deal was an important step for transatlantic trade relations. “Stability in the EU-US trade relationship benefits us all,” she said. “This will be a priority for me as Chair of the FAC Trade Council from July. Stable EU-US trade relations are good for both the European and US economies and help to deliver jobs and economic growth.”

The Minister said she remains “deeply concerned” about the conflicts in the Middle East and Gulf region and hopes current ceasefires will hold and lead to longer-term peace. She said ministers would discuss how the EU can strengthen economic resilience and reduce strategic risks linked to regional instability.

McEntee also strongly criticised the humanitarian situation in Gaza and violence in the West Bank. “The situation in Gaza and the West Bank is appalling,” she said. “We are seeing egregious breaches of human rights and international law by Israel on a daily basis.” She confirmed she will call for “an EU-level ban on trade with illegal settlements,” adding that the EU “must send a strong signal that this behaviour is unacceptable and must stop.”

The Minister also stressed the importance of expanding the EU’s network of free trade agreements to diversify supply chains and create new export opportunities for European businesses. “The EU’s ambitious suite of FTAs is integral as we look to diversify our critical supply chains and open up export markets for European companies,” she said. She added that trade will play a central role in the “One Europe, One Market” roadmap, which will help guide Ireland’s EU Presidency over the next six months.

ENDS

Press Office

22 May 2026