News

Information on this meeting will be available at the link below.

The Council of the EU this week adopted a decision to extend the temporary protection until 4 March 2026 for the more than 4 million Ukrainians fleeing from Russia’s war of aggression. According to their national procedures member states may have to adopt additional implementation acts to formalise the prolongation. Temporary protection provides immediate and collective protection to a large group of displaced persons who arrive in the EU and who are not in a position to return to their country of origin. It reduces pressure on national asylum systems because applications do not have to be examined individually.

The European Commission has welcomed the adoption by the Council of the EU this week of a 14th package of sanctions against Russia. The new sanctions target high-value sectors of the Russian economy such as energy, finance and trade, and make it increasingly difficult to circumvent EU sanctions. In addition, political parties and foundations, and NGOs will no longer be allowed to accept funding from Russia, and 116 entities and individuals have been sanctioned.

68% of Irish people feel they benefit from trade according to a new Eurobarometer on Europeans' attitudes on trade and EU trade policy, above the EU average of 62%. The survey also showed that 85% or Irish respondents agreed that the EU is more effective at defending the trade interests of Member States' in the world than they are when acting alone - again well above the EU average of 74%. And 83% of Irish people, the second highest in the EU after Portugal at 87%, trust the EU to conduct its trade policy in an open and transparent manner. The EU average was 65%.

The European Union opened accessions negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova this week. Welcoming the news, President von der Leyen said: "The people of Ukraine and Moldova have demonstrated their unwavering commitment and determination to be a part of this project. Even in a time of war and turmoil they have started extensive reforms. They know, that their journey will be rigorous and demanding. The accession negotiations are designed to prepare the candidates for the responsibilities of membership. This is why there are no shortcuts. We embark on these negotiations in a strong spirit of openness, engagement, and commitment".

The European Union and Serbia have signed an agreement on operational cooperation in border management with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex). The agreement will allow Frontex to carry out joint operations and deploy the European Border and Coast Guard standing corps anywhere on the territory of Serbia, including its borders with neighbouring non-EU countries. Reinforcing border management along the whole migration route is essential to reduce irregular arrivals, also considering the evolving modus operandi of smugglers, and the risks of firearms trafficking and organised crime.

The European Commission this week informed Microsoft of its preliminary view that Microsoft has breached EU antitrust rules by tying its communication and collaboration product Teams to its popular productivity applications included in its suites for businesses Office 365 and Microsoft 365. Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager said: "We are concerned that Microsoft may be giving its own communication product Teams an undue advantage over competitors, by tying it to its popular productivity suites for businesses. And preserving competition for remote communication and collaboration tools is essential as it also fosters innovation on these markets. If confirmed, Microsoft’s conduct would be illegal under our competition rules".

Last Friday, the European Commission launched the European Solar Academy, the first in a series of EU Academies to be set up under the Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA). It is estimated that in the solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing sector alone, some 66,000 skilled workers will be needed by 2030 for the EU to meets its ambitious renewable energy targets while ensuring industrial competitiveness. The Solar Academy aims to train 100,000 workers in the solar photovoltaic value chain over the next three years.

On Friday 5 July at 1pm, Professor Tobias Lock will give a detailed examination of the constitutional and legal processes behind German reunification to highlight the substantial legal challenges that Irish unification would entail. Similar to German reunification, achieving Irish unity would necessitate negotiations at multiple levels: domestic, bilateral, and international, including with the EU. This process would involve integrating two distinct legal systems, addressing issues ranging from the routine to the contentious. Tobias Lock is a Professor of Law at Maynooth University and the founding director of the Maynooth Centre for European Law

On Monday afternoon 1 July, European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, will present the Global Gateway investment strategy at an IIEA hybrid event. In a time of geopolitical turmoil and subsequent global crises, which have hit the most vulnerable the hardest, Global Gateway is the European Union’s positive and holistic partnership offer to advance Sustainable Development Goals in partner countries. It reflects the new paradigm of development cooperation, stemming from the need to reset relations with the Global South and build mutually beneficial, equal partnerships to solve global challenges.

The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) recently launched a recruitment competition for Administrators (AD7) in the field of Crisis management and Migration and internal security. On Wednesday morning 3 July, Ireland’s Permanent Representation to the EU will host a webinar on this competition starting at 11:00 am (Irish time). Attendees will hear from colleagues working in this policy area, as well as hearing from EPSO regarding the competition process. Anyone interested in attending this online event should register by 2 July 2024.

EU leaders will discuss the Strategic Agenda 2024-2029, the next institutional cycle, Ukraine, the Middle East, security and defence, competitiveness, and other items.

The European Commission welcomed the adoption of a set of recommendations on vaccine-preventable cancers at last Friday's Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council. Proposed by the Commission in January, the recommendations aim to increase the uptake of vaccination against viruses that can lead to cancers Human papillomaviruses (HPV) and Hepatitis B virus (HBV). By boosting vaccination uptake, Member States can prevent cancers caused by these viruses, save lives and reduce the pressures on health systems.

The European Commission has launched a call for expressions of interest in order to recruit DSA (Digital Services Act) Policy Officers (CA FG IV) in the Commission's Representations in the 27 Member States. Candidates must hold EU citizenship, have passed an EPSO CAST in the relevant Function Group for this position; and have a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies of at least three years attested by a diploma. If you are interested in applying, please click on the link below. The deadline for applications is 16 July 2024.

The European Commission has opened a call for proposals to fight agains migrant smuggling. This call, which has a budget of €12 million, will support Common Operational Partnership projects that enhance the prevention and fight against migrant smuggling and support cooperation between law enforcement, judicial authorities and other relevant services of the participating Member States and third countries. The application deadline is 4 September 2024.

Ireland's South East Energy Agency (SSEA) hosted the first European Climate Pact National Conference in Dublin this week. The aim of the Conference was to improve networking, engagement and collaboration between the Pact Community, the European Commission Representation in Ireland, and the country coordinator (SEEA), who are all working towards the shared goal of building a more sustainable Europe and helping the EU to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. The conference was addressed, among others, by Helen Kearns, Head of Communications at the Commission Representation, and by Paulo Caridi, Head of Unit in the Commission's Directorate General for Climate Action. They both welcomed Ireland's 18 new EU Climate Pact Ambassadors and commended them on the important role they are undertaking in their communities.

Avec le soutien de la Représentation de la Commission européenne au Luxembourg, le Pacte européen pour le climat Luxembourg accueille une militante européenne et une créatrice de contenu de propagande climatique autour d’une discussion ouverte sur une communication climatique qui inspire le changement et suscite des émotions.

The European Commission is inviting all interested parties to participate in a consultation process to help define the 2025-27 roadmap for the New European Bauhaus Facility. The NEB Facility is a unique EU funding tool that aims to revitalise neighbourhoods through design for sustainability and inclusion. The consultation launched today seeks to gather information on specific needs on the ground and as well as most cutting-edge ideas required for comprehensive transformation of neighbourhoods for the better. This will help the Commission develop the roadmap that will guide the facility's implementation in the 2025-27 period. The consultation is open until 17 September 2024.

The European Commission has identified 151 regions in the EU as Regional Innovation Valleys (RIVs), as part of the New European Innovation Agenda (NEIA). By bringing together a range of regions across Europe with different innovation levels and linking up their key innovation actors, RIVs aim to strengthen regional innovation ecosystems, bridge the innovation gap in Europe and improve Europe's overall innovation performance. The EU will support this initiative with €116 million. The three Irish regions are included in the 151 - the Northern and Western region, the Southern region and the Eastern and Midland region.

The European Commission has launched a consultation to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the common fisheries policy (CFP). The consultation aims to gather evidence and different perspectives on the CFP from a range of stakeholders, including individuals, the fisheries and the maritime sectors, non-governmental and other organisations, and national administrations from Member States. The consultation is open until 6 September 2024.