Minister Canney attends EU Transport Council in Luxembourg ahead of Irish EU Presidency

Minister of State with responsibility for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports, Seán Canney, attended the EU Transport Council meeting in Luxembourg yesterday (8 June 2026), as Ireland prepares to take over the Presidency of the Council of the EU in three weeks’ time.

Minister Canney welcomed Council approval of Conclusions on the EU Maritime Industrial Strategy and EU Ports Strategy. The Maritime Industrial Strategy aims to safeguard and boost the maritime manufacturing and shipping industries, enhance their innovation capacity and protect their competitiveness. The EU Ports Strategy will significantly enhance the competitiveness, resilience, security and sustainability of Europe’s ports.

Other items at the Transport Council included a discussion among Ministers on progress on the proposed Clean Corporate Vehicles Regulation, and an exchange of views on the Decarbonisation of Transport post-2030.

This was the final Transport Council meeting under the Cyprus Presidency, ahead of Ireland taking on the Presidency of the Council of the EU from July to December 2026.

To close the Council session, Minister Canney, in his role as incoming chair, presented the Work Programme of Ireland’s Presidency, setting out Ireland’s key priorities in the transport area.

As part of Ireland’s preparations for the Presidency, Minister Canney held bilateral meetings with counterparts from Czechia, Estonia, Poland, Sweden, Austria, Finland and Hungary.