In November 2025, the Irish government announced the approval of the preparation of a General Scheme for the Maritime Area Planning (Marine Protected Areas) (Amendment) Bill. This will form the legal basis within Ireland for the expansion, alteration, designation and management of Marine Protected Areas. This Just the Facts provides an overview of Marine Protected Areas and how they might be the key to reaching Ireland’s contribution to…
On the 1 of January this year, Cyprus took over the Presidency of the Council of the EU. Cyprus will hold the presidency until 1 of July, when Ireland takes over for its six-month presidency. Lithuania will then take up the presidency in January 2027. Cyprus has taken up the presidency in the midst a difficult time for Europe. With the transatlantic relationship fraying, Russia’s ongoing war in…
The European Union has four key decision-making bodies: the European Commission, the European Parliament, Council of the European Union, and the European Council. The Council of the European Union is the voice of member state governments at the EU level, and alongside the European Parliament, is responsible for negotiating and adopting new EU legislation. This Just the Facts explains what the Council of the European Union is, how it interacts…
This past autumn Europe saw three elections held in Czechia, Moldova and the Netherlands. The Dutch and Czech elections saw a contest of anti and pro-EU parties vying to shape the future of their countries. The Moldovan election was fought by the governing pro-EU PAS attempting to hold on to their mandate in the face of increased Russian aggression at a time when the country is vying for EU…
Sunday 18 May 2025 was a major day for elections in the EU as voters headed to the polls in three Member States: Romania, Poland and Portugal. Romania has elected a new president, the liberal mayor of Bucharest, Nicușor Dan, who topped the exit polls ahead of the far-right nationalist, George Simion. Poland also held…