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05/17/2013
Fear, isolation and discrimination common in Europe’s LGBT community
The EU’s largest LGBT hate crime and discrimination survey ever conducted (over 93,000) shows that many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people cannot be themselves in their daily lives. Many hide their identity and live in isolation or even fear. Others experience discrimination, and even violence, when being themselves.
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05/16/2013
Launch of Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs 2013
Irish students have been able to have an Erasmus year abroad for nearly 30 years. But did you know that young entrepreneurs who have recently set up a business have the same opportunity? An EU scheme is funding international business exchanges for go-ahead young people and for host businesses eager for new ideas.
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05/16/2013
Fewer dangerous products hitting EU shelves
An EU report out today (Thursday) reveals that 2,278 unsafe products were banned, withdrawn from the market or recalled in 2012 showing that the EU alert system is working well. Clothing, textiles and toys topped the list of offenders, making up more than half of all unsafe products reported to the EU’s rapid alert system for dangerous non-food consumer products – RAPEX. The figures show a 26% rise in alerts last year compared to 2011. Twenty-four products were notified by the Irish authorities, or 1% of the total, which is in line with our population figures.
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05/15/2013
10 benefits the EU brings to patients
A high level of health protection; the right to benefit from medical treatment; access to healthcare - preventive, diagnostic and curative treatment regardless of financial means, gender or nationality.
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05/14/2013
Research and innovation play a key role in delivering growth and jobs
Speaking at the Irish Presidency Conference on Researcher Careers and Mobility in Dublin Castle today, European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn said:
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05/14/2013
Small Change – the future of 1 and 2 euro cent coins
Those tiny 1 and 2 cent coins in your pocket actually cost more to produce than they will ever be worth in face-value. They disappear into coin jars and get lost very easily but if they were abolished, what would happen to prices?
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05/13/2013
Exploiting the potential of E-Health
"E-health. What's that?" It can mean mobile apps for your personal health and well-being, or older people staying independent longer, or getting different online health tools to work better together and so much more.
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05/09/2013
Statement by EC, ECB and IMF on the tenth review mission to Ireland
Staff teams from the European Commission (EC), European Central Bank (ECB), and International Monetary Fund (IMF) visited Dublin during April 23rd – May 2nd, 2013 for the tenth review of the government’s economic programme and met with a range of stakeholders. Ireland’s programme remains on track, the gradual recovery is continuing and there have been further improvements in market conditions for the sovereign and the banks. The authorities have made significant progress on financial sector repair and restoring sustainability to the public finances, yet remaining challenges require continuing policy efforts. Mission teams discussed policies for the tenth review, completion of which is subject to EU and IMF approval processes. Teams also discussed with the Irish authorities preparations for programme exit.
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05/08/2013
Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn addresses Seanad Éireann
Speaking to Seanad Éireann in Dublin today, EU Research, Innovation and Science Commissioner, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn told Senators that: "Since 2007 alone, Irish universities, research organisations, companies and SMEs have received 484 million Euro from the 7th Framework Programme for Research – or FP7 – and they are on course to draw down a total of over 600 million Euro by the time the programme finishes at the end of this year."
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05/08/2013
Commission push to boost EU citizens' rights
The EU Commission has today unveiled a new push to reinforce EU citizens’ rights and tackle many of the obstacles that Europeans still face in their day-to-day lives. The 2013 EU Citizenship Report sets out 12 practical proposals to help people make better use of their EU rights. This includes making it easier for people find a job or study in another EU country, cutting red tape for citizens moving around in the EU and getting rid of hurdles to cross-border shopping.
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05/08/2013
EU wants access to basic bank account for all
Today the EU Commission published its proposal for a no-frills EU bank account. This would mean people with limited incomes could use a bank to receive payments and pay bills without facing high charges and complicated fees.
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05/03/2013
Spring 2013 forecast: The EU economy – slowly recovering from a protracted recession
Following the recession that marked 2012, the EU economy is expected to stabilise in the first half of 2013. GDP growth is projected to turn positive gradually in the second half of the year before gaining some traction in 2014. As domestic demand is still constrained by a number of impediments that are typical of the aftermath of deep financial crises, external demand is set to be the main growth driver this year. The headwinds on private consumption and investment are expected to abate gradually, making way for a modest domestically sustained recovery next year. This forecast remains based on the assumption that continued policy implementation will prevent a renewed intensification of the sovereign-debt crisis.
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05/02/2013
Improving access to finance for SMEs: key to economic recovery
As the Informal Competitiveness Council takes place in Dublin today and tomorrow, the Commission has published a joint report with the EIB on access to finance for SMEs.
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05/02/2013
EU Commission to recover €1.9 million of CAP expenditure from Ireland
€1.9 million of EU agricultural policy funds, unduly spent by Ireland, is being claimed back by the European Commission today under the so-called clearance of accounts procedure. This money returns to the EU budget because of non-compliance with EU rules or inadequate control procedures on agricultural expenditure. Member States are responsible for paying out and checking expenditure under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and the Commission is required to ensure that Member States have made correct use of the funds.
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04/30/2013
EU 'Month of the Brain' - €150 million for brain research
Whether it’s Alzheimers, Parkinsons or trauma from an accident, one in three Europeans is likely to be affected by brain-related illness at some point in their lives.
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04/30/2013
Bees & Pesticides: EU Commission to proceed with plan to better protect bees
Today, EU Member States did not reach a qualified majority – either in favour or against - a Commission proposal to restrict the use of 3 neonicotinoid insecticides. It is now for the Commission to decide on the adoption of the proposed restriction.
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04/26/2013
Spotlight on Africa's life source – first Soil Atlas of Africa
Map enthusiasts and Africa watchers will love the EU Commission's first SOIL ATLAS OF AFRICA, published today.
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04/25/2013
EU Commission seeks feedback on commitments offered by Google to address competition concerns
The European Commission invites comments from interested parties on commitments offered by Google in relation to online search and search advertising. The Commission has concerns that Google may be abusing its dominant position in the markets for web search, online search advertising and online search advertising intermediation in the European Economic Area (EEA). Google has made proposals to try to address the Commission's four competition concerns. Interested parties can now submit their comments within one month. The Commission will take them into account in its analysis of Google's commitment proposals. If the Commission concludes that they address its four competition concerns, it may decide to make them legally binding on Google.
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04/25/2013
EU Commission calls on Ireland to comply with electricity internal market rules
Today the Commission sent an additional reasoned opinion to Ireland urging it again to fully transpose the Electricity Directive of the third energy package. This Directive should have been fully transposed already by 3 March 2011. If Ireland does not comply with its legal obligation within two months, the Commission may decide to refer the case to the European Court of Justice.
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04/25/2013
€1.5 million EU support for Bord Bia to promote Irish agricultural products
The European Commission has approved a three year programme to promote fresh Irish fruit and vegetables in Ireland and the UK. The programme will be run by Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board, and is worth more than €2.7 million of which almost €1.4 million will be paid from EU money. In addition Bord Bia is to get a second funding of around €150,000 to promote dairy products in Ireland.
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04/25/2013
European Court of Justice rules in favour of Waterford Glass workers
In a ruling published this morning, The European Court has said that Ireland has not fulfilled its obligations under an EU Directive designed to protect the pensions of workers in the event of the insolvency of their employer.
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04/23/2013
EU Commission statement on mortage directive agreement
Yesterday, discussions on EU mortgages rules between the Commission, the European Parliament and EU Members States government officials ("Trilogue") resulted in agreement.
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04/23/2013
Austerity and growth debate: What President Barroso actually said at the Brussels Think Tank Dialogue
European Commission President Barroso addressed the Brussels Think Tank Forum 'State of the Union 2013 – Federalism or Fragmentation: Spelling out Europe's F-Word' on 22 April.
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04/22/2013
Commission concludes ninth review of Irish programme
The European Commission has completed its ninth review of the EU-IMF financial assistance programme for Ireland and has published the associated technical report. The completion of the review enables a disbursement of EUR 1.6 billion from the European Financial Stability Facility, bringing total available disbursements from the EU, IMF and bilateral partners to EUR 60 billion. This represents just under 90% of the total international assistance of EUR 67.5 billion available under the programme. Through EFSF/EFSM, the EU contributes some 60% of this funding.
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04/18/2013
EU-US trade partnership: building a motor of recovery
"We have the prospect of expanding our economies over time by 0.5% of GDP, with gains of almost 200 billion euro in total. If the two largest trading powers take a decisive step towards opening their markets that will go a long way to reducing the risk of a protectionist spiral in response to the crisis. So that is what we are trying build here. A motor of recovery."
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04/18/2013
EU Commission: new CAP transition rules for 2014
The European Commission has today published proposals to provide transitional arrangements in 2014 for certain Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) rules, notably the system of Direct Payments.
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04/17/2013
Statement by VP Rehn on Cyprus in the European Parliament
In an address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg today, Commission Vice President Olli Rehn said: "We are about to finalise a support programme for Cyprus. It will enable Cyprus to avoid a disorderly default with all its dramatic ramifications for the Cypriot people. This marks the beginning of a joint effort to bring Cyprus onto the path of sustainable growth and job creation.
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04/16/2013
Ireland in the clear as Commission publishes horsemeat test results
Thousands of test results from across the EU released by the European Commission today show that Ireland is one of only five countries where no beef products tested positive for horse DNA. Launched last month in the wake of the horsemeat scandal, the EU-wide control programme was put in place to establish the degree to which beef products were contaminated by horsemeat.
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04/16/2013
Search for rare diseases therapies
The first conference of the International Rare Diseases Research Consortium (IRDiRC) is taking place in Dublin today 16th April and tomorrow 17th April 2013. The Consortium initiative was launched in 2011 by the European Commission and international partners, with the objective of delivering 200 new therapies for rare diseases and means to diagnose most rare diseases by the year 2020 and involves over 30 partners from 4 continents.
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04/16/2013
Calling all Women Innovators!
The European Commission has launched the second edition of the Women Innovators Prize to reward three women who have achieved outstanding innovations and brought them to market. The Prize aims to raise awareness of the need for more female entrepreneurs and to inspire other women to follow in their footsteps. The first prize is worth €100 000, the second prize €50 000 and third prize €25 000.
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04/15/2013
5 Tasks- 5 EU Countries- 6 days: Eurotrip Citizen X participants make it back to Dublin
On Friday April 12th, after six days of intense travelling and city hopping, the three teams of Eurotrip Citizen X participants made it back home to Irish soil after completing their final task in Brussels. While in Brussels, they also met Irish European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn.
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04/12/2013
Statement by the Eurogroup and Ecofin Ministers
The Eurogroup and Ecofin Ministers discussed today the state of play of the adjustment programmes in Ireland and in Portugal.
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04/12/2013
Olli Rehn welcomes extension of maturities for Ireland
European Commission Vice President Olli Rehn has welcomed the agreement reached on the extension of the EFSF loan maturities for Ireland and Portugal.
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04/12/2013
Dublin schoolgirl picks up top EU translation prize
Maeve Walsh of Loreto High School Beaufort in Dublin has collected her trophy as the Irish winner of the Commission's annual Juvenes Translatores contest for young translators. Maeve was one of 27 teenage winners in Brussels yesterday to receive their prestigious award from Androulla Vassiliou, EU Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth.
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04/12/2013
ECJ: women and men must be equally treated when it comes to early retirement support to farmers
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) yesterday ruled that Member States must observe the principle of equal treatment between women and men when they grant early retirement support to elderly farmers. Therefore, they may not determine differently, depending on the gender or number of children of the applicant, the age from which that support may no longer be claimed
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04/11/2013
Ireland tops class in third-level education attainment
New figures out today from the EU's statistical office - Eurostat - show that Ireland has the highest proportion of young people who have successfully completed third-level education in the EU. With over half of 30 to 34 year olds (51.1 per cent) having completed third level, Ireland sits well above the EU target that at least 40 per cent of the population in this age group should have higher education qualifications (tertiary or equivalent) by 2020.
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04/11/2013
Eyes, ears and voice on the ground: three new EU Information Centres to inform citizens
The new generation of "Europe Direct Information Centres" in Ireland has been launched. This means that the network has been extended from seven to 10 centres, giving people easy access to practical information and advice on exercising their rights in the European Union.
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04/10/2013
Eurotrip: First tasks completed – more challenges to come!
On Monday the three Eurotrip teams successfully kicked off their trips across Europe and Ireland in Budapest and Belfast.
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04/10/2013
The "six pack" and "two pack"?? new EU economic governance explained
We've all heard about the new EU rules for Member States drawing up their budgets but it's hard to find all the information in one place. Yet countries are already putting these rules into practice, including in Ireland.
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04/10/2013
Commission reviews macroeconomic imbalances in 13 Member States
The Commission has today published the findings of the in-depth reviews carried out into 13 Member States identified in last November’s Alert Mechanism Report as showing signs of macroeconomic imbalances. This does not include Programme countries, such as Ireland.
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04/09/2013
EU Commission: Helping companies and consumers navigate the green maze
The European Commission is proposing EU-wide methods to measure the environmental performance of products and organisations, and encouraging Member States and the private sector to take them up.
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04/09/2013
EU Commission opens investigation into MasterCard inter-bank fees
The Commission has opened formal proceedings to investigate whether MasterCard may be hindering competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) with regard to payment cards, in breach of EU antitrust rules. The Commission has concerns that some of MasterCard's inter-bank fees and related practices may be anti-competitive. An opening of proceedings does not prejudge the outcome of the investigation.
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04/08/2013
EU Maritime Commissioner Damanaki in Dublin today
"Oceans and seas are of vital importance to the EU, its Member States and the European citizens. They are absolutely essential for trade and free commerce. Addressing the Maritime Security in a more effective manner will require quite a drastic change in the way we operate. In brief, we should add a security angle to the Integrated Maritime Policy. And reversely, we should offer an effective maritime dimension to the Common Security and Defence Policy." So said EU Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki in Dublin today. She was speaking at the Conference on Challenges and Opportunities in Maritime security and Surveillance for Effective Governance and Innovation in the EU's Maritime Domain.
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04/04/2013
TalkToEU announces participants in the 2013 Eurotrip Challenge
County Dublin duo Alexandra Webb and Ailbhe Kelly and Clare native Sarah Kearns and Limerick native Paul Tracey, and Meath and Dublin pairing James Mitchell and Aaron O'Connor are this year's participants in the “Talk To EU” Eurotrip Citizen X Challenge. Picked from a national competition, followed by an online public vote, the successful pairings had to demonstrate top notch social media skills and a can-do/no-fear attitude which will come in handy for dashing across the EU.
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04/03/2013
Galway to host debate on the future of Europe
A number of Connaught residents were amongst the audience of 200 citizens gathered in Dublin City Hall on 10 January last for the launch of the European Year of Citizens 2013 with the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso. The launch was followed by a Citizens’ Dialogue: an open and frank discussion between audience members and Vice-President of the European Commission, Viviane Reding and Minister of State for European Affairs, Lucinda Creighton TD.
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04/03/2013
Statement on Cyprus by Olli Rehn European Commission Vice-President and Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
The Cypriot authorities have put forward a multi-annual reform programme to address the economic challenges facing the country. Its goals are to stabilize the financial system and achieve fiscal sustainability in order to lay the foundations for a recovery of economic activity and the growth potential that will preserve the longer-term prosperity of the population.
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.jpg "Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn")
