The European Commission expressed its “full confidence in the ability” of the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union “to achieve its objectives as Presidency, in complete independence and while defending the interests of the Union”, Commission chief spokesperson Paula Pinho said, in response to the letter published in the Financial Times by a group of 60 leading academics calling on the Irish Presidency to recuse itself from digital files (see EUROPE 13894/26).
The signatories point to Ireland’s “questionable track record” on protecting digital rights in the EU, as well as its tax dependence on major tech companies.
The Commission also confirmed that it had received a letter from Members of the European Parliament expressing their concerns and calling on the institution to act (see EUROPE 13905/22). “We will reply in due course”, Ms Pinho told Agence Europe.
Asked about the issue during the informal ‘Competitiveness’ ministerial meeting in Dublin, the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke, explained that “No matter what corporate tax comes into our country, the safety of our children and our people is the most important thing to the Irish government. Notwithstanding anything. That’s the most important thing”. (Original version in French by Ana Pisonero Hernandes with Camille-Cerise Gessant and Solenn Paulic)