EU NEWS YOU CAN USE

The EU is to allocate a further €50 million in humanitarian funding to support the people affected by Russia's war on Ukraine, including €45 million for humanitarian projects in Ukraine and €5 million for Moldova. The funding will be used to provide emergency medical services, access to safe drinking water and hygiene, shelter and protection, cash assistance, and support against gender-based violence. This funding is part of the €1 billion support package pledged by the European Commission at the global pledging event ‘Stand Up For Ukraine'.

The EU has announced €1 billion worth of commitments to protect the ocean. The commitments cover: marine protected areas; tackling marine pollution; confronting the ocean-climate crisis; creating sustainable blue economies; advancing sustainable small-scale fisheries and aquaculture; and achieving a safe, just and secure ocean. Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius, said: "The sum the EU is committing today is significant, but not as significant as the role that the ocean plays for our very existence. It provides us clean air, regulates the climate, hosts a large part of biodiversity on Earth and is key for our economy."

Irish writer Tadhg Mac Dhonnagáin is one of the 14 nominees for the 2022 EU Prize for Literature for his novel Madame Lazare. The novel tells the story of Levana and her frail grandmother Hana Lazare who, as a young Jewish refugee, had to flee her home in Estonia to avoid persecution and shifts in time and place between Paris, Brussels and the Aran Islands. The winner of the Prize will be announced on 22 April. The aim of the Prize, which is supported by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union, is to recognise the best emerging fiction writers in Europe.

The EU is working on making USB type-C the common charging standard for small electronic devices. This week MEPs meeting in the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee agreed on the USB Type-C port as the new standard for portable devices. Once the European Parliament as a whole has approved this draft negotiating position at the May plenary session, MEPs will be ready to start talks with EU governments on the final shape of the legislation.

Soaring food prices caused by Russia's war in Ukraine are adding further strain to the compounding crises in Lebanon, which imports 96% of its wheat from Russia and Ukraine. To support the most vulnerable segments of the population in Lebanon, the EU this week allocated an additional €20 million in humanitarian aid to respond to rising food insecurity and other needs. This funding will target the vulnerable Lebanese people, as well as refugees living in the country.

A new thematic story in the Atlas of Demography shows the regional distribution of the Ukrainian diaspora in the EU. The mapping can be used to indicate where displaced persons from Ukraine are most likely to seek refuge. In the context of the current displacement crisis, the presence of large Ukrainian communities within a Member State can be a good indication of where the Ukrainian refugees are likely to seek refuge.

Former German minister and lawyer and specialist in EU law, Peter Altmaier will address an IIEA webinar on "Europe at a time of crisis and transformation" on Friday lunchtime, 22 April. The EU is facing a number of unprecedented crises and challenges at once: the ongoing Russian war against Ukraine, the economic consequences of both the war and the COVID-19 pandemic, and the geographical and technological transformations required in order to meet the ambitious goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. In his address, Peter Altmaier will discuss how Europe can emerge stronger from this challenge, provided the necessary strategic choices and decision are made in due time.

To celebrate Europe Day 2020 and to mark the French Presidency of the Council of the EU, singer Jeanette Byrne will be performing a selection of songs by legendary French chanteuse Edith Piaf at Blanchardstown Library on Monday 9 May at 6.30pm. This event is organised by the Europe Direct Blanchardstown. It is free to attend but places are limited and advance registration is required.

Europe Direct Blanchardstown Library is hosting a workshop on sustainable fashion on Tuesday evening, 10 May. Participants will learn how to recycle and repurpose old clothes using visible mending and patch making. The event is free to attend but places are limited and advance registration is required.

The 10th edition of the European Social Innovation Competition – the challenge prize - was recently launched. The prize recognises social innovation projects that shape the local innovation ecosystem and promote game-changing innovation. It is open to social innovators from EU Member States and countries associated to Horizon Europe. The deadline to apply is 17 May 2022.

The European Commission has launched a public consultation on ecodesign requirements for vacuum cleaners. This initiative will assess whether battery-operated and robot vacuum cleaners which were initially excluded from Regulation 666/2013, which sets minimum energy efficient requirements for vacuum cleaners, can be included under its scope. Moreover, it will consider setting requirements for materials and evaluate the lifetime of vacuum cleaners. The consultation is open until 30 June 2022.

Ireland’s membership of the European Union has had a huge impact on all of our lives. The updated county reports, published by the European Commission Representation in Ireland, take a look at some of the communities, businesses, farmers, schools, universities and cultural organisations who have benefited from EU support across Ireland on a county level.