On 11th March 2024, Ministers at the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) confirmed the provisional agreement reached on 8 February 2024 between the Council’s presidency and the European Parliament’s negotiators on the Directive. Ireland supported the proposal for agreement.
The text of the agreement must now be formally adopted by both institutions. After the formal steps of the adoption have been completed, Member States will have two years to incorporate the provisions of the Directive into their national legislation. DETE will now consider what are the next steps in order to transpose the Directive in Ireland and whether primary legislation will be required.