Weekly report
Ireland assumes the rotating Council presidency for the second half of 2026 · General Affairs Council meets on 14 July under the Irish presidency · Reserve lists published for Lawyer-Linguists / Legal Revisers (EPSO/AD/423/25) · AD7 Audit competition draws over 7,000 applicants; technical issues under review
Ireland took over the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU on 1 July for six months, setting out priorities around three pillars: competitiveness, values and security. Dublin has pledged to push to close the Omnibus simplification packages VII to X — on digital policy, environment, automotive, and food and feed safety — by the end of the year.
Council of the EU / EUbusinessThe General Affairs Council convened on 14 July, where the Irish presidency presented its 18-month and six-month work programme and prepared the ground for the autumn agenda, including simplification, enlargement follow-up and the multiannual budget debate.
Council of the EUOn 14 July, the European Parliament's Agriculture and Rural Development Committee (AGRI) adopted its position on proposed changes to EU rules on the production and labelling of organic products, setting up negotiations with the Council on simplification of the organic framework.
European ParliamentEU foreign ministers exchanged views on Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East. A Palestine Donor Group meeting showcased Palestinian Authority reforms and underlined the need for further financial support.
Council of the EU / EEASAgriculture ministers looked at the Commission's forthcoming livestock strategy and EU protein plan, part of the vision for agriculture and food, weighing competitiveness, sustainability and food-security objectives ahead of the CAP post-2027 debate.
Council of the EU (AGRIFISH)Members of the Parliament's Environment Committee (ENVI) held an exchange of views with Irish Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, as Ireland set out the presidency's environmental and agri-food priorities for the coming six months.
European ParliamentOn 17 July EPSO published the reserve lists for the Lawyer-Linguists and Legal Revisers competition EPSO/AD/423/25, covering eight language profiles. Institutions can now recruit successful candidates from the lists for the Court of Justice and other bodies.
EU CareersEPSO reported on 14 July that the AD7 Audit competition received more than 7,000 applications. Some applicants encountered technical issues during the application phase, which EPSO said it was reviewing before confirming next steps in the procedure.
EU CareersIn an update on 13 July, EPSO scheduled an additional testing session on 3 September 2026 for candidates in the Buildings competition EPSO/AD/425/25 who were unable to sit the April tests, to ensure equal treatment before the procedure advances.
EU CareersFollowing the split of the AD5 procedure (EPSO/AD/427/26) into two stages, EPSO confirmed that Part 1 — the reasoning tests — is expected in October/November 2026. Candidates who pass reasoning will be invited to the EU-knowledge MCQ, digital-skills test and EUFTE essay in the first half of 2027. The competition drew a record 174,727 applicants.
EU CareersEPSO's planning indicates that several selection procedures originally foreseen for 2026 — including IT experts (AD and AST), Data-management experts, Lawyer-Linguists for the Parliament/Council/Commission and Translators — are now most likely to be published in 2027, as the office manages the load under its new testing arrangements.
EU CareersWith no new open competitions on the eu-careers portal this week, CAST Permanent remains the standing route for contract-agent profiles: candidates can register at any time across administrative, financial, communication, IT and other function-group profiles, with recruiting services searching the database as needs arise.
EU CareersChancellor Friedrich Merz's CDU/CSU–SPD coalition agreed a package of 34 tax, labour and pension reforms aimed at reviving Europe's largest economy and countering the far right. The programme follows months of internal deadlock and is framed as a breakthrough ahead of critical eastern state elections in September.
Al JazeeraThe reform package centres on roughly €10 billion per year in income-tax relief targeted at lower and middle-income earners, taking effect from 1 January 2027. The measures aim to ease the burden on households and companies hit by high energy costs, Chinese competition and US tariff pressures.
BundesregierungBeyond tax relief, the package proposes an overhaul of the strained pension system, tougher rules on employees' sick leave and a broad reduction of bureaucracy. The government says the goal is to protect the welfare state while easing constraints on business investment.
BundesregierungThe far-right Alternative für Deutschland continues to top national voting-intention polls ahead of the governing CDU/CSU, with critical state elections in eastern Germany due in September. The polling pressure has driven the coalition's push to deliver visible reforms.
PolitProPoll averages compiled in mid-July show the AfD advancing while the CDU/CSU and SPD retreat. On the current trend five parties would enter the Bundestag — AfD, CDU/CSU, Grüne, SPD and Die Linke — with the AfD as the largest bloc.
Süddeutsche Zeitung / PolitProWith the coalition trailing in the polls, the reform measures now face parliamentary scrutiny under intense election-year pressure. Business groups broadly welcome the deregulation and tax elements, while unions and parts of the SPD base contest the changes to sick-leave and pensions.
Deutscher BundestagO boletim Focus divulgado em 13 de julho mostrou nova ligeira redução da mediana das projeções do mercado para a inflação de 2026, de 5,16% para 5,15%, consolidando a expectativa de desaceleração gradual dos preços após o ciclo de aperto do Banco Central. A projeção segue acima do teto da meta de 4,5%.
Banco Central / FocusA taxa básica de juros permanece em 14,25% ao ano, patamar definido pelo Comitê de Política Monetária em junho. A mediana das projeções do Focus vê a Selic em 14% no fim de 2026, sinalizando margem limitada para cortes enquanto a inflação não converge para a meta.
Banco Central / Agência BrasilContra a mediana de 14% do Focus, o Banco Safra projeta uma queda mais consistente da Selic, para 13,5% ao fim do ano, refletindo confiança na continuidade da desinflação. A divergência entre as casas ilustra a incerteza sobre o ritmo do afrouxamento monetário no segundo semestre.
Banco SafraO mercado volta as atenções para a próxima reunião do Comitê de Política Monetária, agendada para 4 e 5 de agosto. O debate central é se a autoridade monetária inicia cortes graduais ou mantém a Selic estável diante de um quadro fiscal ainda desafiador e expectativas de inflação desancoradas.
Banco CentralCom o IPCA projetado em 5,15% para 2026, a inflação continua acima do teto de tolerância da meta (4,5%). Analistas apontam desaceleração gradual à frente, mas o risco fiscal e o comportamento do câmbio permanecem como principais fatores de incerteza para a convergência à meta.
Agência BrasilCom a implementação do novo sistema (CBS federal e IBS de estados e municípios) iniciada em janeiro de 2026, o Congresso e a Fazenda seguem afinando a regulamentação da fase de transição. Setores de serviços continuam a pressionar por tratamento diferenciado enquanto avança o período de convivência entre os tributos antigos e novos.
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