Matheson LLP hosts EU Summit in partnership with Trinity College Dublin
The Summit explored the increasing complexity of both EU and global regulation and its impact across a variety of sectors, and brought together leading experts from government, academia, industry, and legal practice to examine how businesses can thrive amid rapid regulatory change.
The keynote address was delivered by Michael McGrath, European Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, who said: “Ireland's legal and academic traditions represented so strongly by Matheson and Trinity are part of what makes Ireland such a trusted base for international business, and I thank you and the broad range of stakeholders here today for your valuable contribution. I am particularly pleased that you've chosen EU Competitiveness as the focal theme for this significant occasion. This topic couldn't be more timely or relevant.”
“Europe is going through a period of profound transformation. Geopolitical shocks, the climate crisis and rapid digital transformation are overturning many of the certainties we once took for granted. In this context the European Commission's central mission to reassert the EU's role on the global stage and at the heart of that mission is a clear priority, strengthening and securing Europe's competitiveness. This is not just about efficiency or growth. It is about creating the conditions for innovators to flourish, businesses to thrive and reassure Europeans citizens that people can feel safe, supported and confident about their future.”
Commissioner McGrath continued, “Competitiveness with purpose is how Europe wins trust at home and respect abroad. By meeting global economic and political challenges with confidence and grounding our policies in fairness we will make Europe not only a place where businesses thrive but also a union of communities where people have confidence in their future.”
Pictured L-R: Darren Maher, co-head of Corporate and incoming Managing Partner, Matheson LLP, Michael McGrath, European Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection and Linda Doyle, Provost and President, Trinity College Dublin.
Darren Maher, co-head of Corporate and incoming Managing Partner at Matheson, said that creating the competitive conditions to allow companies to innovate and thrive must be a priority during Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of European Union in 2026. “Ireland's presidency of the Council of the EU will represent an opportunity to shape the European regulatory agenda at a time when the Union faces unprecedented challenges and opportunities and will coincide with critical discussions about Europe's competitiveness, digital transformation, climate transition, and geopolitical positioning.”
Mr Maher also noted; “The regulatory landscape is increasingly interconnected - climate regulation affects financial services, digital regulation impacts competition law, and sustainability requirements influence corporate governance – and this interconnectedness demands sophisticated, multidisciplinary approaches to legal and business strategy. Ultimately the future belongs to those who can navigate complexity whilst identifying opportunity. In Matheson, our role extends beyond just giving regulatory interpretation to our clients. We are strategic advisors, helping Irish and international businesses to navigate complex issues while identifying emerging opportunities, and our responsibility encompasses providing guidance that empowers our clients to flourish within an evolving regulatory environment. We believe that facilitating discussions like today’s is a crucial aspect of that responsibility.”
Linda Doyle, Provost and President, Trinity College Dublin, said “The university sector has a huge role to play in driving the research and innovation that will ultimately underpin European competitiveness. Smarter regulation and simplification will also help, but we must do this in a way that is in keeping with our European values: values of diversity, inclusivity, and equality with a focus on a sustainable world. These values are under great threat today, but they are absolutely fundamental to the world we want to build."
Participating in a one-to-one discussion with Matheson partner Calum Warren, Professor Brigid Laffan of the European University Institute spoke about EU regulation in the global geopolitical context, noting that the EU has been a global regulatory power since its inception, but that “we live in a world of shifting tectonics and are now at an inflection point, where the old-world order involving the United States and EU is changing and this relationship is being redefined. By its nature, the EU likes stability and post Covid it has struggled, particularly in comparison to the US in relation to growth and productivity. As such, both competitiveness and performance are now a focus for the EU, and while there are challenges in terms of both conceptualising and enforcing regulation, the capacity of the EU should not be underestimated.”
Professor Laffan continued, “while a regulated and people-centred approach defines EU sovereignty, and protects democratic values, to cope with external shocks and increase competitiveness it must evolve. That includes better coordination among member states and simplified instruments that are more agile.”
The final panel, "Diverging Paths: Navigating the EU-US Sustainability Regulatory Divide” brought together Matheson partners, Susanne McMenamin and Orlaith Finan, with Weil New York partner Rebecca Grapsas, to examine the EU’s simplification of sustainable finance regulation contrasted with the US approach to sustainability and DEI along with international investor expectations. This panel drew on local and international insights to discuss how businesses can navigate the growing differences between European and US sustainability regulation requirements.
