EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said the investigation into Aughinish Alumina is “for Ireland to lead”, adding that the Government will set any timeframes.
The Limerick plant has been accused of supplying tens of thousands of tonnes of alumina – a key component in the manufacture of aluminium – to the Russian war effort.
Speaking in Cork at a joint press conference with Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Ms Von der Leyen said that the EU is waiting for the Government’s investigation to be completed.
“It’s for Ireland to lead this investigation and to set the timeframe,” she said.
The Taoiseach said he believes the investigation into Aughinish Alumina will be completed within weeks.
Von der Leyen: ‘It’s for Ireland to lead this investigation’
He said this investigation did not form part of the substantive discussions with EU officials today, but added that alumina has not been on any EU sanctions list so far.
During the press conference, the Taoiseach and the EU Commission President spoke largely about Ireland’s priorities for the Irish EU Presidency and the upcoming EU budget.
However, they were then pressed on issues surrounding the investigation into Aughinish Alumina, the EU’s response to illegal Israeli settlements and the EU’s trade relationship with China.
Ms Von der Leyen said the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank is “utterly unacceptable” and the “violence used to achieve this expansion is abhorrent”.
She said in the EU’s view, the two-state solution is the only viable path to lasting peace.
“The situation is clearly deteriorating,” she added.
She said the bloc has already agreed sanctions against exreme Israeli settlers and that the Commision will soon present an options paper.
Mr Martin said that he is looking forward to the commission’s presentation of options regarding trade with the illegal Israeli settlements.
EU must reduce dependency on China, says Von der Leyen
Meanwhile, Ms Von der Leyen said that the EU has to diversify supplies to reduce its dependency on China.
She said the EU’s general approach is “derisk, not decouple” regarding dialogue with China.
Ms Von der Leyen said key issues include the subsidised overcapacity of goods coming to the EU market and the lack of market access for EU companies in the Chinese market.
Ms Von der Leyen said the ambition to diversify is why the EU has reached four or five major trade deals this year, including Mexico, Mercosur and Australia.
The Taoiseach said that there are significant imbalances in the trade relationship between China and Europe, particularly in manufacturing.
He said he hopes that discussions can reach a landing zone between the two markets.
Govt holds ‘constructive’ meeting with EU Commission in Cork over presidency
The Taoiseach and the European Commission President and their respective cabinets held a meeting in Cork this morning.
The meeting lasted an hour and was described by the Irish side as “straight down to business”, with “very clear objectives and very constructive on the priorities and timelines” for Ireland’s EU Presidency.
Cabinet Ministers and the College of Commissioners discussed the EU budget and enlargement among other key priorities.
Government ministers and European commissioners have also been holding thematic clusters of meetings based around the Government’s presidency priorities, namely competitiveness, security and values.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee said today that she has been assured by the Commission that proposals for an EU-wide ban on goods and services from the Occupied Territories will be tabled ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on 13 July.
Meanwhile, a Ukrainian MP called for a transparent approach in relation to sanctions imposed on Russia, adding that loopholes to get around them should be closed.
Last night, the Taoiseach officially welcomed Ms Von der Leyen to his native city ahead of the meetings.
She was also greeted by Lord Mayor of Cork Damian Boylan and was presented with a vase etched with the slogan for Ireland’s presidency – “Ní neart go cur le chéile – Strength with unity”.
As she arrived in Cork, President von der Leyen posted on social media that Ireland had built one of the EU’s most dynamic and innovative economies, and had a talent for breaking frontiers and brokering deals.
She, and the other 26 EU commissioners, were given a tour of the Tyndall Institute, which is Ireland’s largest deep-tech research centre. They were shown the institute’s work on semiconductors, advanced materials and space.
EU looking at closing loopholes over sanctions on products that aid Russian war effort
Ireland’s EU Commissioner Michael McGrath has said the commission is prepared to refine and sharpen the EU’s efforts to close any loopholes when it comes to raw materials being used to supply the Russian war effort.
He said the commission was maintaining close contact with the Irish Government in advance of the completion of its report into Aughinish Alumina.
Mr McGrath, who attended this morning’s European Commission meeting with the Irish cabinet, said: “It’s important that we have a thorough analysis of this issue.
“Alumina has not been included in any of the 21 sanctions packages that we have so far, but we are always open to refining and sharpening our approach, so that we close any loopholes that can result in the Russian war machine being fed and getting the materials and the equipment that it needs to continue the bombardment of civilians in Ukraine.
“We will examine the investigation report with interest.
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“We will continue the dialogue with the Irish Government, and if there is a need to address any gaps or close any loopholes to ensure that the Russian war machine is not consistently being fed, then I think we will act together on that issue in the period ahead.”
Asked if the status quo, whereby the refinery continues to ship alumina to Russia, is sustainable, Mr McGrath said: “We need to see the evidence first. It is possible that alumina is going to many different destinations, including into legitimate manufacturing within the European Union, so we need to establish the facts, have the hard evidence, and certainly look with a clear eye at any prospect or any evidence that Illumina is ending up in the hands of Russia and is being fed into the war machine that is killing innocent civilians and indeed killing armed personnel of the Ukrainian armed forces.”
He said the fact that there had been so many sanctions packages against Russia – 21 so far – was evidence that the EU “learn[s] from each one”.
“Sometimes the evidence brings us in a new direction, and we unearth the evidence that shows how Russia is continuing this war.”
