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Irish parents lay down the law on kids' internet activity
26 December 2008 - Irish parents are among the most protective in the EU when it comes to their kids using the internet. A survey conducted among parents of 6-17 year-olds across the EU found that Irish parents are the least likely to allow their children to give out personal information on the net, talk to strangers, visit chat rooms or use email or instant messaging. They are also more likely to limit the amount of time their children are allowed to spend online and to have rules to stop them from setting up a profile on an online community.
Martin Territt, Director of the European Commission Representation in Ireland said, "While the internet is a fantastic resource for children to learn and develop their communication skills, adult supervision is needed. One of the most positive findings of this survey is that Irish parents are amongst the most likely in the EU to talk to their children about what they do online. With 8 out of 10 Irish children regularly using the internet, they need to be aware of potential dangers."
The Eurobarometer survey conducted on behalf of the European Commission examines parents' views on the safety of the internet for children. Interviews were conducted across the EU during October among parents and guardians of 6-17 year-olds.
More than 8 out of 10 Irish parents won't allow their children to buy items over the internet. Just over half have rules on what websites their children can visit. However they are more lenient on the question of downloading or playing music, films or games – only 3 out of 10 have rules about this compared to 6 out of 10 German parents.
After the British, Irish parents are the most likely to have monitoring or filtering software installed on the computer their children use at home – almost three quarters have this type of software compared to just a fifth of Romanians. Of the minority who haven't opted for it, more than a third feel they don't need it as they trust their children and more than quarter don't know how to access it.
Compared to most other Europeans, Irish parents are also more likely to ask their children about their internet use on a regular basis. They are also more likely to stay closeby when their children are using the internet at home or actually sit with their children.
Less than half would check the computer afterwards to see which sites their child had visited or check to see whether their child has a profile on a social networking site. Less than quarter check their children's emails or IM service. These findings reflect averages across the EU.
Almost two thirds of Irish parents say they're worried that their kids might come across sexually explicit or violently explicit images on the internet. The French, the Portuguese and the Greeks are by far the most wary of this whereas Danish and Swedish parents tend to far less worried.
More than half of all Irish parents say they're worried that their children might get information about self-harm, suicide or anorexia either on the internet (55%) or that they might be bullied by other children on the internet (56%) or on their mobile (57%).
8 out of 10 Irish children use the internet and 6 out of 10 have their own mobile phone. 88% of those who use the internet do so at home although Irish children are the less likely to have their own computer. Only 9% of Irish kids have their own computer compared to 34% of children in other European countries. Danish children are most likely to have their own computers (67%).
Mobile phone ownership is far more common among Irish children - 61% of Irish kids have their own mobile. This is just slightly below the EU average of 64%. 88% of children in Lithuania and Estonia have their own mobiles compared to just 47% of Spanish children.
500 Irish parents of 6-17 year olds were surveyed by Gallup UK between 9 and 17 October 2008. The complete survey is available here.
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EU Commission adopts special measures to increase energy interconnection between Ireland and Britain
22 December 2008 - Today, the European Commission approved exemptions from rules on regulated pricing and access for two new electricity interconnectors between Ireland and Britain. The new high tension lines will allow for more than double the transfer capacity between the two countries.
"I welcome the building of these two new electric links, which will bring security of supply and more competition to both markets. The derogation granted today by the Commission will ensure the viability of the project while making sure that competition will be respected", said Energy Commissioner, Andris Piebalgs.
According to the directive on the liberalisation of the Energy Markets (2003/54/ EC), the Commission can grant temporary exceptions to the rules that guarantee third party access in order to make the project more attractive to investors. To ensure that the interconnectors have a positive effect on competition the Commission has requested that the Irish and British energy regulators include additional safeguards regarding future capacity allocation.
The Commission decision on the electricity interconnectors proposed by IMERA Limited shows our support for this project. New interconnection will integrate Ireland with the internal EU market in electricity and boost Europe's efforts to increase the share of energy consumption met from renewable sources, contributing to meeting our 2020 targets.
Ireland currently has only limited interconnection with other electricity systems in Europe. Increased competition as a result of new interconnection capacity will put downward pressure on prices in one of the most expensive countries for electricity in Europe. The IMERA interconnectors will also allow Irish wind generators to access the much larger British market.
IMERA applied for exemptions from the general rules of regulated third party access in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Exemption from these rules is provided for in EU legislation and allows major new infrastructure projects, which would otherwise not go ahead, to determine capacity allocation and tariffs more freely.
The safeguards to which the exemption is subject include both a capacity cap of 40% on dominant undertakings and ensuring that users of the interconnectors can participate in daily sessions of British and Irish markets.
IMERA proposes to include so called "Use it or Lose It" provisions when it sells capacity. By ensuring the full capacity is available to the market this should maximise the competitive benefits of the new interconnectors. The Commission has requested that OFGEM and CER review the effectiveness of these measures after one year.
In its assessment of the exemption, the Commission emphasised that the IMERA project will compete with the Irish transmission system operator's interconnector. This justifies granting exemptions from the normal regulatory rules because it removes the risk that the exempted infrastructure is a monopoly.
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European travel becomes easier as Switzerland joins Schengen
19 December 2008 - On 12 December, land border controls between Switzerland and the 24 countries currently making up the Schengen area were lifted. For bona fide travellers, moving between the existing Schengen members and Switzerland will be faster and easier. Non-EU nationals will be able to travel carrying a single Schengen visa and will no longer need separate national visas.
Commission President, Mr José Manuel Barroso, welcomed the news by saying: "I would like to congratulate Switzerland, the European Presidency and all the Member States for their efforts to extend the Schengen area to include Switzerland as from today. My sincere congratulations to Switzerland. Schengen has been successful in dismantling obstacles to unity, peace and freedom in Europe, while also paving the way for enhanced security. Today, Switzerland has once again shown its commitment to cooperating as closely as possible with the European Union for the benefit of the Swiss people."
The Schengen area last expanded on 21 December 2007 to include nine new members (Estonia, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Hungary, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia). This facilitates the development of border regions and the expansion of tourism, and will have a beneficial impact on infrastructures.
Switzerland’s link-up to the Schengen Information System - which enables information to be shared on wanted and missing people, those refused entry, and lost and stolen property - was secured before its membership could be agreed. In November the Ministers for Justice and Home Affairs concluded that Switzerland met the criteria laid down in the Community acquis.
Currently Ireland and the UK are not members of Schengen however they do partake in some elements aspects of the agreement such as such as the Schengen Information System.
See here for more information on travel in the EU.
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Statement by Ambassador John Bruton on the Passing of Dr. Conor Cruise O’Brien
I have just learned with immense sadness of the death of Dr. Conor Cruise O’Brien.
Conor was one of the outstanding international diplomats, writers and historians of his generation. His clarity and depth of thought and of expression were without equal. He had remarkable moral courage born of deep reflection on the issues he addressed. His writing helped the people of varying heritage, who live in Ireland, to come to a better understanding of their history and of who they really are. This made a vital contribution to enabling all the people of Ireland to live in greater harmony with one another now, than at any time since the 16th century.
It was my privilege to serve with him in the government of Liam Cosgrave between 1973 and 1977. During that time, I witnessed the immense courage he and other members of that government displayed in confronting political lawlessness, and the errors that spawned it.
In more recent times, I have got to know both his wife Máire and himself on a personal as well as political basis. They were a devoted couple and I realise how much Máire will miss him now. To her and to his family, I extend heartfelt sympathy.
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Irish still see most benefits from EU membership
19 December 2008 - A new Europe-wide survey reveals that Irish people see the most benefits from membership of the European Union. Almost 8 out of 10 people – more than in any other EU country – feel that Ireland has benefited as a result of EU membership. However it is clear that the recent economic downturn has taken its toll on levels of optimism both in Ireland and across the EU.
Commenting on the results of the survey, Director of the European Commission Representation in Ireland, Martin Territt said, "There's no doubt that Irish people, like all Europeans, are very concerned by the economic crisis. The challenge for the EU is to follow through on the recovery plan recently promoted by the European Commission and approved by the European Council. I note that the Irish figures for support for EU membership and the perceived benefits of membership remain among the highest in the EU. This suggests that people see the EU as part of the solution."
The survey reveals that Irish people remain some of the most positive on the question of whether EU membership is a good thing (third highest after the Dutch and the Luxembourgish) and in their perception of the EU (second highest after Romania).
However only 17% of Irish people think that the current employment situation in Ireland is "good" (a drop of 55 percentage points since this time last year). The Irish assessment of the national and European economies is also gloomy – only 14% and 18% of those polled rated the situation as "good" (drops of 62 and 48 percentage points respectively since this time last year). Only 11% of Irish people view the current global economic situation as "good".
Although three quarters of those polled in Ireland expect the employment situation here to get worse over the next year, it seems that very few think that they will be affected personally. Only 16% expect their job situation to get worse within the next 12 months. Most Irish people think that their own personal job situation is good at the moment (55%) and think it will remain the same over the next year (61%). The majority of Irish people also think that the financial situation in their own household is good (63%) and most think it remain the same over the next year.
The survey also looked at attitudes towards the enlargement of the EU from 15 to 27 Member States since 2004. Citizens of the "new" Member States (i.e. the 12 that have joined since 2004) think that the recent enlargement has strengthened the EU whereas people from most of the older Member States tend to be less enthusiastic in comparison. Most people in Germany, Belgium, France, Austria and Luxembourg think that enlargement has weakened the EU. In Ireland 46% think it has made the EU stronger and 27% think it has made it weaker.
The Eurobarometer opinion poll was conducted across Europe during October and November. A total of 30.130 people were interviewed. The same survey is conducted twice each year – once in the Spring and once in the Autumn. In Ireland the research was conducted by TNS MRBI between 6 and 31 October. A total of 1000 Irish people participated.
See here for the complete survey.
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Disposal scheme for Irish pork agreed by EU Member States
18 December 2008 - EU Member States today backed a disposal scheme for animals blocked on farms that have used contaminated feed as well as for certain pigmeat stocks held in slaughterhouses or still owned by slaughterhouses. The EU will co-finance the purchases at an average rate of 50%.
"This is another concrete example of how the European Union can help Irish farmers at this difficult time," said Mariann Fischer Boel, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development. "We hope that co-funding the destruction of affected meat will help bring this problem to a rapid conclusion and assist farmers who face financial difficulties."
The aim of this EU co-financed disposal scheme is to further contribute to the various measures already taken by the Irish authorities, and thus to remove the relevant animals and products from the market. The regulation on the disposal scheme provides that the financial compensation paid to the suppliers of the animals and of the pigmeat should be based on the market value of the products concerned.
The scheme was backed at a meeting of experts from the EU Member States who vote on management measures for agricultural markets – the so-called Management Committee.
Today's meeting also saw the committee back a private storage aid scheme for Northern Ireland like the one which was proposed for the Republic last week. Under this scheme, up to 15,000 tonnes of pigmeat can be stored for up to 6 months in Northern Ireland.
Last week the Commission introduced a private storage aid scheme for up to 30,000 tonnes of pigmeat. That EU-funded storage scheme, which was formally adopted by the Commission today, covers meat coming from pigs reared in Ireland on farms that have not used any contaminated feed.
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European Parliament agrees on the Irish pint
16 December 2008 - The European Parliament has today decided to extend the use of the pint in Ireland and the UK indefinitely. The agreement, which has been welcomed by the European Commission, also applies to the use of miles in the UK for speed indications, road distances and road signs. The decision is important for current trade relations with the United States as it will mean the use of supplementary indications next to metric units.
EU enterprise and industry Commissioner Günter Verheugen welcomed the agreement: “This is good news for people in Ireland and the UK as current practices will remain in place. Today's agreement will also ensure that imperial measurements can be indicated alongside metric – a measure that will lower costs for industry by allowing the same labelling for all their exports, whether in the EU or elsewhere in the world."
Today's agreement will allow Ireland and the UK to keep the current local practice of some Imperial units indefinitely:
- the pint for milk in returnable bottles and beer and cider on draught;
- the mile for road signs and speed indications (UK only as Ireland already uses kilometres);
- the troy ounce for transactions in precious metals.
Other Impreial units such as pounds and ounces can be used alongside metric units as supplementary indications.
In September 2007 the Commission made a proposal to extend the use of certain units of measurements based on the results of a public consultation in early 2007. The proposal was agreed by EU governments in June 2008 and today's adoption of the proposal by the European Parliament is the final formal step. It allows that both metric and other measurements such as pounds and ounces can continue to be used in the UK and Ireland, if so desired.
Background information:
Directive 80/181/EEC harmonises within the EU the legal units of measurement for expressing quantities, in accordance with the metric “International System of Units” (SI) adopted by the General Conference of Weights and Measures set up by the Metre Convention signed in Paris on 20 May 1875. The SI metric system is recognised under WTO/TBT as the international standard. The Directive ensures a common approach, removing the barriers to trade within the Internal Market due to units of measurement in line with the international standard.
The UK government had committed to going metric, but since 1980 had asked for, and been granted, several extensions to the transitional period. Today's agreement removes the need for any transitional periods. All information, including the replies to the public consultation is available here.
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Promoting EU agricultural produce outside EU
12 December 2008 - €17.8 million will be made available to promote European agricultural produce in Russia, Ukraine, China, Japan and North America over the next three years. A new funding scheme, approved by the European Commission today, will finance public relations and information campaigns on European fruit and vegetables, meat, dairy products and wines. 11 programmes have been accepted for the scheme, including one from An Bord Bia to promote Irish meat products.
"EU quality products are second to none,” said Mariann Fischer Boel, EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development. “Increasing their visibility on markets outside the EU is a major priority. I see enormous sales potential on overseas markets, where people appreciate the history behind these high quality foodstuffs and wines. By investing in promotion and information campaigns for our products outside the EU, the European Union is showing its determination to take up this challenge."
The EU will fund 50% of the total budget with the remainder coming from the participating Member States. The money will be used to highlight the benefits of European products in terms of quality, hygiene, food safety, nutrition, labelling, animal welfare or environment-friendliness.
The measures can also cover participation at events and fairs, information campaigns on the EU system of protected designations of origin (PDOs), protected geographical indications (PGIs) and traditional speciality guaranteed (TSGs) and of organic farming. The scheme could also cover information campaigns on the EU system of quality wines produced in specified regions (QWPSR).
Background
Detailed rules for applying the promotion and information measures are laid down by a Commission Regulation [Regulation (EC) No 501/2008 of 5 June 2008 ( OJ L147 of 6 June 2008)]. Each year Member States have to send the Commission the list of programmes they have selected and a copy of each programme before 30 June. Then the Commission evaluates the programmes and decides on their eligibility.
See here for further information.
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Welcome aid for Irish pork market proposed by European Commission
11 December 2008 - The European Commission has made an urgent proposal for a private storage aid scheme in an attempt to alleviate the difficulties experienced by the pigmeat market in Ireland. The matter is being discussed with representatives of the EU 27 Member States during a meeting of the Commission's Management Committee for the Single Common Market Organisation today. The scheme is expected to enter into force in the coming days.
The EU-funded storage scheme will apply only to meat coming from pigs reared in Ireland on farms not affected by contaminated feed. Under the aid scheme, a maximum of 30,000 tonnes of pigmeat can be stored for a period of up to 6 months. The level of aid varies according to the cut of meat.
"We need to take practical action to help support the Irish pork sector at this difficult time," said Mariann Fischer Boel, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development. "Private Storage Aid allows producers to put their products in storage at the expense of the EU budget. Doing so helps to prop up the market. The meat can then be sold out of storage at a later date, when the market has recovered."
The Irish authorities have taken various precautionary measures to recall all pigmeat and pigmeat products produced from pigs slaughtered after 1 September 2008 in Ireland and temporarily suspend the marketing of pigmeat. This action follows the recent findings of elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in some pigmeat originating in Ireland, which has been attributed to the distribution of contaminated feed from a single manufacturer.
The Commission remains in close contact with the Irish authorities. Potential further measures remain under discussion.
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EU Member States unanimously back scheme to help Irish pork market
11 December 2008 - The Member States of the European Union today voted unanimously in favour of a proposal to introduce a specific private storage aid scheme for pigmeat produced in Ireland. The European Commission made the proposal because of the exceptional circumstances and the difficulties that faced by the Irish pigmeat market.
This EU-funded storage scheme was backed at a meeting of experts from the EU Member States who vote on management measures for agricultural markets – the so-called Management Committee. It will apply only to meat coming from pigs reared in Ireland on farms not affected by contaminated feed. Under the scheme, a maximum of 30,000 tonnes of pigmeat can be stored for a period of up to 6 months. The level of aid varies according to the cut of meat. The scheme should enter into force in the coming days.
"This is a piece of practical action to help support the Irish pork sector at this difficult time," said Mariann Fischer Boel, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development. "Private Storage Aid allows producers to put their products in storage at the expense of the EU budget. Doing so helps to prop up the market. The meat can then be sold out of storage at a later date, when the market has recovered."
The Irish authorities have taken various precautionary measures to recall from the market all pigmeat and pigmeat products produced from pigs slaughtered after 1 September 2008 in Ireland and temporarily suspend the marketing of pigmeat. This action follows the recent findings of elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in some pigmeat originating in Ireland, which has been attributed to the distribution of contaminated feed from a single manufacturer.
The Commission remains in close contact with the Irish authorities. Potential further measures remain under discussion.
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Report on application of EU directive on free movement and residence rights of EU citizens and their families
10 December 2008 - The European Commission has today published a report on the application of a 2004 directive on the right of EU citizens and their family members to move and reside freely within the EU. The report concludes that all 27 EU Member States have had difficulties transposing Directive 2004/38.
See here to read more about the content of the directive and today's report on its application.
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European Food Safety Authority statement on dioxins in Irish pork
10 December 2008 - The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has today published its statement in response to a request received from the European Commission on Monday for urgent scientific and technical assistance following the discovery of dioxin contamination in some Irish pork. The Commission asked EFSA to provide scientific assistance on the risks for human health related to the possible presence of dioxins in pork and products containing pork.
EFSA’s key conclusions are:
In the most likely scenario, if someone ate an average amount of Irish pork each day throughout the period of the incident (90 days), 10% of which was contaminated at the highest recorded concentration of dioxins [assuming the pork eaten is contaminated at the highest reported levels of 200 picograms dioxins per gram of fat], the body burden [the amounts of chemicals such as dioxins that accumulate and stay in the body over time] would increase by approximately 10%. EFSA considers this increase to be of no concern for this single event.
In a very extreme case, if someone ate a large amount of Irish pork each day throughout the period of the incident (90 days), 100% of which was contaminated at the highest recorded concentration of dioxins, EFSA concludes that the safety margin embedded in the tolerable weekly intake (TWI [14 picograms of dioxins per kilogram of body weight]) would be considerably undermined. Given that the TWI has a 10-fold built in safety margin, EFSA considers that this unlikely scenario would reduce protection, but not necessarily lead to adverse health effects.
EFSA has studied a limited data set provided by the Commission in relation to contamination levels and has taken into account the fat content of products containing pork, as well as consumption patterns across Europe. EFSA based its statement on the assumption that exposure at these high levels only began in September 2008 and that effective measures have now been taken to remove this excessive exposure from Irish pork and pork products.
The levels of dioxins in pork and pork products will depend on the fat content, because dioxins accumulate in the fat. The longer the exposure and the higher the fat content, the more dioxins accumulate and stay in the animal’s body. In humans, once exposure ends, the body burden begins to decrease.
EFSA has considered data on fat content and different contamination levels in products containing pork that have been withdrawn from sale such as sausages and pizzas. This analysis provides risk managers with a more detailed understanding of possible exposure levels.
See here for the full statement from EFSA.
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€55 million to make the internet safer for children
9 December 2008 - Between 2009 and 2013, the EU will spend €55 million to make the internet safer for children. The Safer Internet Programme will kick off on 1 January 2009. The idea is to protect children when they're using websites for social networking, blogging and instant messaging.
8 out of 10 Irish children use the internet (above the EU average of 75%) and more than half of Irish parents are worried that their child might become a victim of online grooming (when an adult befriends a child with the intention of committing sexual abuse). The new Safer Internet Programme will fight grooming and online bullying by making online software and mobile technologies more sophisticated and secure.
"Children today dive into the world of internet and mobile technologies very early and often become fully-fledged technology-savvy, web-surfing teenagers. Because these technologies help them study and give them exciting new ways to socialise with others, they are often faster to use them than their parents. We need to make sure that whenever they use online or mobile services, they can recognise potential risks and deal with them," said Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner for Information Society and Media.
The Safer Internet Programme, for the period 2009-2013 was adopted today by the Council of Ministers and builds on the successes of its predecessor which covered the period 2005-2008.
The proposed new programme will co-fund projects to:
- Increase public awareness by advising young people, their parents and teachers on precautions to take when using the internet.
- Provide the public with a network of contact points for reporting illegal and harmful content and conduct, in particular on child sexual abuse material, grooming and cyber bullying.
- Foster self-regulatory initiatives in this field and involve children in creating a safer online environment.
- Establish a knowledge base on new trends in the use of online technologies and their consequences for children's lives by bringing together technical, psychological and sociological expertise at European level.
The € 55 million budget for the new Safer Internet Programme will be distributed as follows:
- 48% to raise public awareness,
- 34% to fight against illegal content and tackle harmful conduct online,
- 10% to promote a safer online environment,
- 8% to establish a knowledge base.
To find out more about the new Safer Internet Programme 2009-2013, see here.
For more about the current Safer Internet Programme 2005-2008, see here.
The new Eurobarometer survey "Towards a safer use of the Internet for children in the EU – a parents' perspective" is available here.
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New directive outlines EU standards on organ donation
8 December 2008 - The European Commission today put forward a proposal for a new Directive on basic standards of safety and quality for organ donation and transplants in the EU and a 6-year Action Plan for closer cooperation between EU Member States. If adopted, the directive will require EU countries to designate or set up national authorities to oversee compliance with EU standards. The Action Plan outlines ten ways to improve coordination between EU countries on organ donation and to make access to transplants more equal.
EU Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou said: "These measures are all about saving lives. We want to reassure citizens and patients across Europe that the EU and Member States are working together to maximise efforts to provide high quality and safe transplant systems."
There are currently 56,000 patients waiting for a suitable organ donor in the EU. It is estimated that every day 12 people die while waiting for transplants. The proposed Directive and the Action Plan address three key challenges: improving the quality and safety of organ transplants across Europe, increasing organ availability and making transplant systems more efficient and accessible.
The proposed Directive
According to the draft legislation, a national authority will be created or designated in each EU Member State to ensure compliance with EU quality and safety standards. These standards include establishing a traceability system for human organs and a system to report serious adverse reactions. Data collection on specific organ characteristics will be standardised and national quality programmes will ensure continuous monitoring of performance. The goal of the new Directive is to minimise the risk for the organ recipient, to improve the allocation of organs across the European Union and to provide transplant surgeons with key information.
The Action Plan
The Action Plan is a 6 year plan which will run from 2009 to 2015. It outlines 10 priorities for addressing the 3 key challenges in organ donation and transplants in Europe:
- Improving the quality and safety of organs across Europe,
- Increasing organ availability
- Making transplant systems more efficient and accessible.
The aim of the Action Plan is to facilitate coordination between Member States through the exchange of good practice or by drawing up EU-wide agreements on specific topics. For example, one priority area is improving the knowledge and communication skills of health professionals and patient support groups on organ donation. A second key area is the exchange of experiences on the use of Transplant Donor Coordinators to increase the number of available organs.
The Directive on quality and safety of organ donation and transplants and the Action Plan for closer cooperation between Member States can be found at: http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_threats/human_substance/organs_en.htm
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Contamination incident by dioxins and PCBs in pork meat from Ireland
8 December 2008 - The Commission follows closely the contamination incident to ensure public health protection. During routine monitoring by the Irish authorities of the food chain for a range of contaminants, elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were found in pork meat. As these PCB levels might be an indicator for unacceptable dioxin contamination, further investigations were immediately started to determine the dioxin content and to identify the possible source of contamination.
Yesterday, the analytical results confirmed the presence of very high levels of dioxins in pork meat, about 100 times the EU maximum level of 1 picogramme/gram fat for dioxins and 1.5 picogramme/gramme fat for the sum of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs.
Possible adverse human health effects are related to long term high level exposure to dioxins and PCBs. A short term peak exposure to dioxins and PCBs does not result in adverse health effects. However adequate measures have to be taken to remove highly contaminated products from the food chain to limit human exposure as much as possible.
The use of contaminated animal feed was identified to be the source. Preliminary evidence indicates that the contamination problem is likely to have started in September 2008. All possibly contaminated feed has been blocked.
The contaminated feed was provided to 10 pig farms which are producing about 10 % of the total supply of pigs in Ireland. Pigs from these farms were after slaughter processed by meat processing plants which are responsible for about 80 % of the total supply of pork meat and pork meat products from Ireland. Given the high levels found and that it is not possible to trace back the Irish pork meat and pork meat products to the farms affected by the dioxin contamination incident, the Irish authorities decided yesterday to recall from the market all pork products produced from pigs slaughtered in Ireland, even if not more than 10 % of the Irish pig meat production is affected by the contamination incident.
Distribution details of possibly contaminated pork meat and pork meat products to other Member States and third countries will be provided to the Rapid Alert System for Feed and Food (RASFF) later today. Besides pig farms, the contaminated feed was also delivered to some cattle farms, however no dairy farms are affected. The use of this contaminated feed in a cattle diet is much more limited than in a pig diet but, as a precautionary measure, the affected cattle farms are blocked and investigation are ongoing to determine if the bovine meat is contaminated at unacceptable levels.
The Commission is closely following up this contamination incident and the actions taken to withdraw any potentially contaminated pork meat and pork meat products from the market ensuring consumer health protection.
It will also organise within a very short notice a meeting with the competent authorities from the affected Member States to share information and to ensure a harmonised enforcement approach across the affected Member States to ensure a high level of human health protection.
Regular updates on developments in this contamination incident will be provided.
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10th Anniversary of UN Declaration of Human Rights Defenders marked with Frontline photo exhibition
 8 December 2008 - To mark the 10th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, "Front Line" has organised an exhibition of photographs showing the lives of human rights defenders on the frontline, “Defending Life with Life”. This event is being hosted by Miriam O'Callaghan and held at the European Commission Representation in Ireland, at 6pm this evening.
The photographs were taken by photographer Mark Condren to illustrate a series of five special features in The Sunday Tribune documenting the lives of human rights defenders at risk in Honduras, Western Sahara, North East India, Serbia and Kenya.
The exhibition will run in European Union House on Dawson Street, Dublin 2 from 8 to 23 December. Admission is free. The Sunday Tribune series ran from 7 September to 7 December.
Commenting on the event, Martin Territt Director, of the European Commission Representation in Ireland said: "Throughout the world the EU is working with non-governmental organisations to secure human rights and dignity. These brave groups are sometimes the only internal voice of dissent in authoritarian regimes, and face repression on an ongoing basis. The European Union was founded as an engine for peace both internally and externally, and must find ways of supporting Human Rights Defenders (HRD) who call for free speech, democracy and civil rights. We are very honoured to share today's celebrations with Frontline."
Front Line, the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, was established in 2001 to provide human rights defenders at risk with round-the-clock practical support so that they can continue their work safely.
Front Line provides a fast, flexible 24-hour emergency response that contributes to the protection of HRD at immediate risk. This response consists of direct interventions, international advocacy, grant support and emergency relocation. Front Line operates in English, French, Spanish, Arabic and Russian, and the organisation delivers regional and international training in personal security, risk assessment and IT security to help them manage their security. To date, Front Line has taken up the cases of more than 800 individual human rights defenders at risk, from more than 100 countries.
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Kicking off the online debate in Ireland – towards the Pan-European Citizens’ Consultation 2009
4 December 2008 - The 2009 European Citizens’ Consultations, a pan-European debate among citizens from every EU Member State was launched in Brussels on Wednesday, December 3, with websites in all 27 Member States going live this morning (Thursday).
The National Forum On Europe is to be the Irish partner and is inviting people to join the online debate which is focusing on what the EU can do to shape our economic and social future in a globalised world.
The websites dedicated to the debate in Ireland are: www.european-citizens-consultations.eu/ie or www.comhairliuchan-eorpach-do-shaoranaigh.eu
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Three new environment proposals from European Commission
3 December 2008 - The European Commission has today adopted three new measures on waste management and energy efficiency.
- A proposal to help low-income households to boost their energy efficiency.
- A public consultation on the management of biodegradable garden, kitchen and food waste.
- Proposals to revise two existing directives on the management of electronic and hazardous waste (including the WEEE Directive).
For more information see below.
Proposal to boost energy efficiency in low-income households
The European Commission adopted a proposal today for the EU to help finance national schemes for the installation of double-glazing, wall insulation and solar panels and the replacement of old boilers in low-income households. This is part of the Commission's Economic Recovery Plan for Europe which was announced last week.
The money will come from the European Regional Development Fund which is one of the EU Structural Funds. Under existing rules the ERDF can only be used for common parts of a building (or the entire building in the case of social housing) in deprived urban areas. Today's proposal would change this.
Commenting on the proposal, Danuta Hübner, Commissioner for regional policy, said: “This is a win-win measure. It will save energy, cut emissions, bring down fuel bills for the most vulnerable in society and help the construction industry and SMEs in particular. We hope that the Council and the European Parliament will adopt this proposal without delay and that Member States will move quickly to set up schemes to harness this investment."
Buildings alone are the source of 40% of greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union. Too much energy continues to be wasted in buildings because of inefficient heating and air-conditioning systems and lighting. Some EU studies conclude that an average EU householder could save between €200 and €1000 per year, depending on their energy consumption, by making their homes more energy efficient.
The Member States and the Parliament will have to adopt this Commission’s proposal, in accordance with the co-decision procedure.
See here for the overall contribution of Cohesion Policy to the European Economic Recovery Plan.
For more information on regional policy: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/index_en.htm
Biodegradable household waste
Biodegradable garden, kitchen and food waste is the topic under discussion in a Green Paper published by the European Commission today. The Commission is seeking the views of the public and stakeholders on how this "bio-waste" can be managed.
Each year the EU is estimated to produce between 75 and 100 million tonnes of food and garden waste. The main threat from bio-waste is the methane generated in landfill sites. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas which is 23 times more potent than carbon dioxide and a major contributor to climate change.
There may be room for improvement in existing EU legislation on bio-waste. Today's Green Paper explores different options. It includes an overview of the current practices in the EU, and looks at the benefits and drawbacks of these methods. It also considers the need for new legislation which could help direct more bio-waste towards recycling and energy recovery.
The views of all stakeholders, including the public, are invited. The consultation will remain open until 15th March 2009. To participate in the consultation and for further details visit: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/compost/index.htm
The next step will be an impact assessment of a possible legislative proposal, which will be carried out in 2009. A legislative proposal, if justified by the impact assessment, could be adopted in 2010.
Revision of two waste management directives
Today the Commission has also made proposals to revise two existing EU directives on waste management – the so-called WEEE Directive (on the collection and recycling of electrical and electronic equipment) and another directive on the restriction of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (known as the RoHS directive).
Both have been in force since 2004 but there is room for further improvement and simplification. The proposed new directives set higher but more flexible targets on the collection and recycling of electrical and electronic equipment and introduce greater coherence with other EU legislation.
Four years after their implementation, only about a third of electrical and electronic waste is reported to be treated in line with these laws and the other two thirds is going to landfill and potentially to sub-standard treatment sites in or outside the EU. Apart from losing out on valuable secondary raw materials, this is especially worrying since inadequately treated products pose major environmental and health risks. Illegal trade to non-EU countries is widespread. Moreover many electrical and electronic products not complying with the substance restrictions have been found in the EU.
For more information see the European Commission webpage on electrical and electronic equipment.
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EU Commission proposes changes to Common European Asylum System
3 December 2008 - Today the European Commission agreed on a proposal to amend three of the existing legislative instruments of the Common European Asylum System.
These are:
- The Directive on reception conditions for asylum-seekers;
- The Dublin Regulation which determines the Member State responsible for an asylum application;
- The Eurodac Regulation, a data base containing the fingerprints of asylum seekers, which supports the operation of the Dublin Regulation.
These amendments are the first concrete proposals presented by the Commission to implement the Policy Plan on Asylum and the Pact on Immigration and Asylum. Their aim is to ensure that all asylum-seekers are treated in a fair and equal way wherever they make their request for asylum in the EU, and to enhance the efficiency of the EU asylum system.
Commission Vice-President Jacques Barrot, the Commissioner responsible for Freedom, Security and Justice, stated, "Our aim is to put the asylum seekers at the heart of a human and fair procedure. We need to ensure higher standards of protection, a more equal level playing field and higher efficiency for the system".
He added that, "By amending the Reception Condition Directive we improve the living conditions of asylum seekers, restrict their detention to limited and justified grounds, and prohibit it in the case of minors, and properly address the needs of vulnerable persons, such as victims of torture. By amending the Dublin and Eurodac Regulations I want to ensure increased efficiency and fairness of the European asylum system."
Reception Conditions Directive
In particular the proposal aims to:
- ensure that detention is used only in exceptional cases and provides for legal safeguards in order to ensure that detention is not arbitrary, and guarantees that children are not to be detained unless it is in their own interest (and unaccompanied minors shall never be detained);
- ensure that mechanisms are established at national level with a view to identifying early in the asylum procedure persons with special needs and to guarantee that appropriate treatment is available;
- facilitate access to the labor market and ensure that further restrictions applied by Member States do not hinder actual access to employment.
Dublin Regulation
The proposal:
- establishes a mechanism of suspension of Dublin transfers in limited circumstances in order to prevent that Member States experiencing particular pressure on their asylum systems are not further overburdened because of Dublin transfers;
- ensures that asylum-seekers are not sent to Member States who cannot offer them an adequate standard of protection in particular in terms of reception conditions and access to the asylum procedure;
- clarifies the circumstances and procedures for applying certain rules, such as those allowing Member States to take responsibility for an asylum seeker for humanitarian and compassionate reasons;
- Introduces additional guarantees concerning the right to appeal against a transfer decision, in order to ensure that the right to remedy is effective;
- facilitates the right to family reunification, in particular as concerns the reunification of an applicant with relatives between whom there is a dependency link and with beneficiaries of subsidiary protection;
- better defines the rules applicable to unaccompanied minors in order to protect their best interests.
Eurodac Regulation
The proposal:
- establishes rules to ensure truly prompt transmission of fingerprints to the Central Unit of EURODAC in order to ensure that the Member State responsible under the Dublin Regulation for examining the application is correctly identified;
- establishes technical rules to ensure that Member States delete data which is no longer necessary for the purpose for which they were collected and to ensure that the Commission can better monitor the respect of the data protection principles;
- clarifies the provisions ensuring effective monitoring by the Commission and the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) of access to data in EURODAC by national authorities
For further information:
Questions and Answers on the Commission Proposal to amend the Dublin Regulation
Questions and Answers on the Commission Proposal to amend the EURODAC Regulation
Questions and Answers on the Commission Proposal to amend the Reception Conditions Directive
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New duty-free rules come into force today
1 December 2008 - The European Commission has changed the rules on duty-free imports from countries outside the European Union. From today, 1 December, people travelling from countries outside the European Union will be able to bring goods (other than alcohol, tobacco and fuel) up to a value of €430 into the EU in their luggage. Until now the limit for these goods (electronics, perfume, toys etc.) was €175.
The new rules which came into force today also:
• abolish the limits on the quantity of perfume, eau de toilette, coffee and tea;
• increase the limit for still wine from 2 to 4 litres;
• introduce a limit of 16 litres for beer imports;
• give Member States the option of reducing the quantitative limits on tobacco products (e.g. 40 cigarettes instead of 200). Ireland has opted for the higher limits - see table below.
EU Taxation Commissioner László Kovács said: "The new thresholds in duty-free allowances are good news for European travellers. Many of the previous rules, which have been in place since 1969, were no longer relevant to today's world. From today, citizens will benefit from a nearly doubled monetary threshold and more generously calculated limits for certain beverages when importing goods in their personal luggage into the European Union. At the same time, due to the increased monetary thresholds Member States will avoid administrative costs currently involved in collecting small amounts of import duties and taxes."
In theory someone who flies to Ireland from a country outside the EU can import 200 cigarettes, 1 litre of spirits, 4 litres of wine, 16 litres of beer and €430 of other goods (toys, perfume, electronic items etc.) duty-free. Taxes and customs duties will be applied to the value of goods exceeding those limits. However, the value of an individual item may not be split up between passengers.
The same rules apply to passengers travelling from territories where EU rules on VAT and excise do not apply, such as the Canary Islands, the Channel Islands, the French overseas departments, the Aland Islands and Gibraltar. The €430 limit applies to air and sea travel – for those crossing land borders or travelling by inland waterway the limit is €300.
Summary:
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First option
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Second Option
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Tobacco products (depending on the Member State)
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200 cigarettes or
100 cigarillos or
50 cigars or
250 grams of tobacco
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40 cigarettes or
20 cigarillos or
10 cigars or
50 grams of tobacco
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Alcoholic drinks
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- A total of 1 litre of alcohol and alcoholic beverages of an alcoholic strength exceeding 22 % vol, or undenatured ethyl alcohol of 80 % vol and over, or
- A total of 2 litres of alcohol and alcoholic beverages of an alcoholic strength not exceeding 22 % vol.
- Additionally, a total of 4 litres of still wine and up to
16 litres of beer (only for VAT and excise duty).
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Fuel
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In any one means of motor transport, the fuel contained in the standard tank and a quantity of fuel not exceeding 10 litres contained in a portable container.
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Any other goods including perfume, coffee or tea
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Up to a value of €430 for air and sea travellers
Up to a value of €300 for other travellers
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Background
EU legislation concerning allowances for travellers is covered by article 45 of Regulation 918/83, as far as customs duties are concerned, and by Directive 2007/74/EC, as far as VAT and excise duties are concerned.
See here for background information on traveller's allowances.
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European Commission provides €6 million in humanitarian aid to Central African Republic
1 December 2008 - The European Commission has announced today that it is allocating €6 million in humanitarian aid to the Central African Republic (CAR). This aid is targeted at supporting over 200,000 displaced people in the north of the country.
Despite some recent political progress, the situation in the north of the country has not allowed for a significant improvement in the past year. In addition to the nearly 200,000 people internally displaced, some 98,000 have sought refuge in neighbouring countries (Chad, Cameroon and Sudan). There are also around 2,600 refugees from Darfur located in the north-east of the CAR.
Commenting on the package, Louis Michel, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, said, "The European Commission continues to provide humanitarian assistance to around 200,000 vulnerable people in the Central African Republic to limit the terrible suffering of so many uprooted families. However, both the Commission and the Government of the Central African Republic are aware that the solution to the problems lies not in emergency humanitarian aid but in securing a negotiated peace, better governance and long-term development."
Relief assistance will be provided to respond to the most urgent humanitarian needs. However, interventions will, as far as possible, focus on areas and sectors earmarked for future reconstruction and development under the European Development Fund.
In 2007, the Commission provided humanitarian aid worth €8m to vulnerable people in the CAR. All humanitarian funds are channelled through the Commission's Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO). The projects are implemented by non-governmental relief organisations, specialised UN agencies and the Red Cross/Red Crescent movement. ECHO recently set up a field office in Bangui to closely follow developments in the humanitarian situation, to play an active role in the local coordination of relief efforts and to monitor the use of the Commission's relief funds.
See here for further information.
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