According to the Winter 2022-2023 Eurobarometer, published today (Thursday), Irish people are the most likely to: have a positive image of the EU (74%, up 4 percentage points since summer 2022); be optimistic about the future of the EU (84%) and trust the EU (61%, up 3 points). The survey also shows that a large majority of Irish people support: welcoming Ukrainians fleeing the war into the EU (89%); the imposition of economic sanctions on the Russian government, companies and individuals (86%); and the EU’s financing and supply of military equipment to Ukraine (81%).

The European Commission this week presented a set of actions to make Gigabit connectivity available to all citizens and businesses across the EU by 2030. The actions include a proposal for a ‘Gigabit Infrastructure Act', a regulation that will put forward new rules to enable faster, cheaper and more effective rollout of Gigabit networks across the EU. Upon adoption of the Commission's proposal by the European Parliament and Council, the new rules will be directly applicable in all EU Member States. The Commission also published a draft Gigabit Recommendation to provide guidance to National Regulatory Authorities on the conditions of access to telecom networks of operators with significant market power.

The European Commission this week presented a package of measures to improve the sustainability and resilience of the EU's fisheries and aquaculture sector. The package consists of a Communication on the Energy Transition of the EU Fisheries and Aquaculture sector; an Action Plan to protect and restore marine ecosystems for sustainable and resilient fisheries; a Communication on the common fisheries policy today and tomorrow, and a Report on the Common Market Organisation for fishery and aquaculture products. Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius said: "We are proposing concrete actions to restore marine ecosystems and to reduce the impact of fishing activities on the marine environment."

At last weekend's Munich Security Conference, President von der Leyen and Prime Minister Sunak updated one another on their discussions with President Zelensky. They agreed on the importance of giving Ukraine the military momentum they need to secure victory against tyranny. They also had a positive discussion about the talks on the Ireland / Northern Ireland Protocol. They agreed that there had been very good progress to find solutions. Intensive work in the coming days is still needed at official and ministerial levels.

Emer Cooke, Executive Director of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) was last week honoured with European Movement Ireland's European of the Year award in recognition of her work at the forefront of the EU’s battle against Covid-19. The Award recognises individuals and/or organisations that have made an outstanding contribution to promoting and enhancing Ireland’s place in the EU. Since it was established in 1988, the title of European of the Year has been awarded to a distinguished list of individuals with backgrounds in art, business, politics and administration.

According to the European Commission's preliminary figures on road fatalities for 2022, around 20,600 people were killed on EU roads in 2022, a 3% increase on 2021 as traffic levels recovered after the pandemic. Compared with 2019, however, the number of road deaths in 2022 was down by 10%. Progress has been very uneven between Member States. Lithuania and Poland, for example, recorded decreases of over 30% in 2022 compared to 2019 while Ireland saw an 11% rise in road fatalities over the same period. In real terms, this translates to 31 road deaths for every million inhabitants in Ireland in 2022 compared to 29 in 2019. The Commission will, in the coming weeks, present a package of proposals tackling road safety from a range of angles.

To address the largest epidemic of avian flu observed in the EU so far, the European Commission is harmonising the rules on vaccination of animals against the most serious animal diseases. In the context of avian flu, specific rules for vaccination will be introduced when used as a measure to control or prevent the disease. This will allow safe movements of animals and products from establishments and zones where vaccination has taken place. The new rules were published this week in the Official Journal and will enter into force on 12 March.

The EU-New Zealand trade agreement has taken a big step towards ratification, with the Commission sending it to Council last Friday for signature. Once the Council gives its green light, the EU and New Zealand can sign the agreement and it can be sent to the European Parliament for its consent. Following approval, the deal can enter into force. The agreement is expected to deliver major gains for the EU. Bilateral trade is expected to grow by up to 30% thanks to this deal, with EU annual exports potentially growing by up to €4.5 billion.

Last Friday, a landmark new set of EU rules for a safer and more accountable online environment enters into force with the Digital Services Act (DSA). The DSA applies to all digital services that connect consumers to goods, services, or content. It creates comprehensive new obligations for online platforms to reduce harms and counter risks online, introduces strong protections for users' rights online, and places digital platforms under a unique new transparency and accountability framework.

European Maritime Day (EMD) 2023 will take place in Brest (France) from 24 to 25 May 2023. EMD In My Country 2023 events will also take place all over Europe from 1 April till 31 October 2023. If you are organising a Maritime Day event, you can apply to have it included on the EMD website. Applications must be submitted before 28 February 2023.

New Eurostat figures show a sharp rise in excess mortality in the EU in December 2022. In Ireland, there were 25.4% more deaths in December 2022 than the average number of deaths for the same period in 2016-2019, i.e. pre-Covid. This is a sharp increase from November, when excess mortality reached +15.5% in Ireland and was the highest since April 2020 when it was +38%. Across the EU, the excess mortality rate reached +19% in December 2022, the highest recorded value in 2022, and up from +8% in November. Germany (+37%) recorded the highest share of excess deaths in December while Romania and Bulgaria (both -6%) recorded values lower than the national monthly average for 2016-19.

New Eurostat figures show that the median age of Ireland's population is rising, although it is still the 2nd youngest in the EU. The median age in Ireland was 38.8 years in 2022, up from 35 years in 2012, and from 26.6 years in 1982. This means that half of Ireland's population was aged above 38.8 years in 2022 while half was aged below. The median age across the EU has also increased, from 41.9 years in 2012 to 44.4 years in 2022. Italy had the highest median age at 48.0 years in 2022 while Cyprus had the lowest at 38.3 years. The Eurostat figures also show that the old age dependency ratio is increasing in Ireland (from 17.9% in 2012 to 23.1% in 2022) and in the EU (from 27.1% in 2012 to 33% in 2022).

Ahead of International Women’s Day, the European Commission Representation in Ireland is hosting a panel discussion on how the EU has advanced equality in Ireland, the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality and how these will be progressed in the coming months and years. This event will take the format of a panel discussion followed by a Q&A session with attendees. Speakers include: Roderic O’Gorman TD, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; Ivana Bacik TD, Leader of the Labour Party and Cathaoirleach of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality; and Dr Catherine Day, Chair of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality and former Secretary-General of the European Commission. The event will be moderated by Barbara Nolan, Head of the European Commission Representation in Ireland.

On Thursday 2 March, documentarian and activist Evgeny Afineevsky will speak at a hybrid event hosted by the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) about his documentary Freedom on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom which covers Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and Ukrainian efforts to defend their country. The documentary takes a sweeping look at a humanitarian crisis in Ukraine using footage taken during the invasion and exclusive interviews with both those who have fled the conflict as well as those who stayed in Ukraine. The opening and closing remarks at this event will be delivered by Larysa Gerasko, Ambassador of Ukraine to Ireland, and Claire Cronin, Ambassador of the United States to Ireland.

In September 2022 the EU opened its new office in San Francisco, California, headed by Gerard de Graaf, the new Senior Envoy for Digital to the U.S. and Silicon Valley. In his address to the IIEA, Mr de Graaf will discuss the importance of digital policy diplomacy and how the EU can engage with the U.S. and with leading digital technology companies in order to identify and address common challenges. Mr de Graaf will particularly focus on how these relationships can help contribute to the success of the EU’s Digital Services and Digital Markets Acts. This online event takes place at 5pm on Tuesday 7 March.

The European Commission Representation in Ireland is hosting a panel discussion on the revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, which is part of the Commission's “Fit for 55” proposals to deliver on the European Green Deal and the European Climate Law, with leading experts in the field. This discussion will focus on the challenges to achieve the 2030 and 2050 decarbonisation objectives, and how these may be addressed at national and EU level. This will be a hybrid event, hosted at TU Dublin’s Tallaght campus, on Thursday 9 March from 17.00 – 18.45. The event is free and anyone wishing to attend in person or virtually must register via the link, which will be available soon. All attendees both online and in person will have the opportunity to take part in a Q&A session with the panellists after the discussion. Full details will be available shortly on our website.

On Wednesday, 29 March, the European Commission will hold a public information event in Ireland to outline the main components of TRAD23 - the new call for tenders to provide translation services for the European Commission. This event will take place at Europe House, 12-14 Lower Mount Street, Dublin, D02 W710. This event will take place in person, but it will also be possible to follow it virtually (Webex). For full details, click on the link below.

The European Commission this week launched a public consultation on the revision of the legislative framework for tobacco control. Interested parties are invited to contribute before 16 May 2023. In line with Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, the Commission wants a tobacco-free generation where less than 5% of people use tobacco by 2040.

Applications are open for the 2025 European Green Capital and Leaf Awards. The goal of the EU Green Capital and Green Leaf Awards is to recognise and reward European cities for their efforts and dedication to improving the quality of life for residents, and tackling the triple crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss. The contest is open to cities with a population of 100,000 or more for the Green Capital Award and 20,000 to 99,999 habitants for the Green Leaf Award. To date, two Irish cities have won a European Green Leaf Award: Galway in 2017 and Limerick in 2020. The closing date to apply is 30 April 2023.