|
EU NEWS YOU CAN USE
|
European Commission in Ireland
|
|
|
![](https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/templates/generic-newsletter/images/shadow1.png) |
Top News
|
Michel Barnier on state of play of Article 50 negotiations with the UK
|
The European Commission's Chief Negotiator for Article 50 negotiations with the United Kingdom, Michel Barnier, said this week: "Our first day of negotiations, on 19 June, was useful to start off on the right foot. But the hard work starts now. We discussed EU citizens rights and there is a significant difference between our positions. Citizens' rights, the single financial settlement, the new borders, in particular in Ireland, are inseparable issues. We have published nine EU position papers so far on the different issues. The EU positions are clear. We now urgently need to know the UK's position on each of these issues in order to make progress."
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Commissioner Julian King on Security Union at the MacGill Summer School
|
EU Commissioner for Security Union, Julian King, will be at this year's McGill summer school for a town-hall style debate on the EU's latest moves to boost cooperation between Member States in the fight against cyber attacks and radicalisation. Europol, national security services and investment in technical solutions are all in the mix. This response to security threats against Europe and its citizens is known as the "Security Union." The event, which is free of charge, takes place from 4 pm to 5.30 pm - Highlands Hotel, Glenties Summer School, Co Donegal. Commissioner King will share the stage with Professor Ben Tonra, Jean Monnet Professor of European Foreign, Security and Defence Policy, UCD and Michael Murphy, Security Analyst. The moderator will be Lucinda Creighton, former Minister of State for European Affairs.
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Special Seanad committee report on Brexit presented to the Head of the European Commission in Ireland
|
Gerry Kiely, Head of the European Commission Representation in Ireland was presented with the official copy of the Special Seanad committee report "Brexit: Implications and Potential Solutions". Mr Kiely transmitted this report directly to the negotiating team in Brussels. In order to support its thinking and considerations, the Committee organised nine days of public hearings with former Taoisigh, former Ministers of Foreign Affairs, sectoral experts, representative organisations, local authorities, all-Island bodies and many more. The report can be downloaded at the link below.
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Ireland: highest birth rate and lowest death rate in the EU (2016)
|
Ireland had the highest birth rate in the EU in 2016 and the joint lowest death rate. There were 63,900 live births in Ireland in 2016, or 13.5 per 1,000 inhabitants, the highest birth rate in the EU and well above the average of 10 births per 1,000 inhabitants. At the same time, there were 30,400 deaths or 6.4 per 1,000 inhabitants, joint lowest rate in the EU with Cyprus. This led to a natural population change of +7.1 per 1,000 inhabitants, the largest natural rise in the EU. Cyprus (+4.7‰) saw the second largest natural growth in its population in 2016 followed by Luxembourg (+3.6‰), France (+3.0‰), Sweden and the United Kingdom (both +2.7‰) and Malta (+2.6‰). On an EU level, there was no natural change in the population in 2016 – 5.1 million babies were born and 5.1 million people died.
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Results of public consultation on the Common Agricultural Policy
|
Agricultural policy is best managed at the EU level, focusing on core issues of support for farmers and environmental protection - this is one of the key results from the recent public consultation on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy unveiled in Brussels last Friday (7 July). Speaking at "The CAP - have your say" event in Brussels this morning, Commissioner Phil Hogan identified what he said were four key takeaways from the process. He said: "We can see from the results that Europeans want high quality food; Europeans want farmers to do more to protect the environment; Europeans want more investment in rural areas, and, I am pleased to see, two-thirds of farmers are willing to do more for climate and the environment." The public consultation received more than 322,000 submissions from a wide range of stakeholders, including farmers, citizens, organisations and other interested parties
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Commission wants to clamp down on new synthetic opioid
|
The European Commission has said it wants to restrict sales of the new psychoactive substance furanylfentanyl (sometimes known as China White) across the European Union. The EU's Drug Agency, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), says that furanylfentanyl is a strong synthetic opioid which can cause severe harm to health. Most of the new drug is mass-produced in China and sold online. It produces effects like heroin but overdoses are much more complicated to treat as furanylfentaylt is adulterated with a variety of toxic substances.
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Crack down on loot sales for terrorism
|
The European Commission has put forward new rules to clamp down on the illegal import and trafficking of cultural goods from outside the EU, often linked to terrorist financing and other criminal activity. First Vice President Frans Timmermans said: "Money is oxygen to terrorist organisations such as Daesh. We are taking action to cut off each of their sources of financing. This includes the trade of cultural goods, as terrorists derive funding from the looting of archaeological sites and the illegal sale of cultural objects. By preventing them from entering the EU, we can help dry up this source of income." The new rules include: a common EU definition for 'cultural goods' at importation; the introduction of a new licensing system; a more rigorous certification system; and, power to customs authorities to seize and retain goods.
|
Read more...
|
|
|
![](https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/templates/generic-newsletter/images/shadow2.png) |
|
![](https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/templates/generic-newsletter/images/shadow1.png) |
Other news
|
EU cross-border claims threshold increased
|
Irish consumers can now pursue cross-border claims of up to €5,000 through the European Small Claims Procedure.
The EU Commission has changed the rules to allow people to get refunds where faulty products have been bought online in a different country. Martina Nee of the European Consumer Centre said: "The procedure is quite simple and it applies only to cross-border cases. So, for example, you can make a claim in Ireland for a faulty product which you bought online from a trader based in another EU country. You just have to fill out the ESCP form, pay a small fee of €25, and lodge it with the Registrar in your local District Court office.”
|
Read more...
|
|
Ireland's South and East in EU's top 30 tourist destinations
|
Ireland's Southern and Eastern region was among the top 30 tourist destinations in the EU in 2015 with almost 23 million nights spent by residents and non-residents in tourist accommodation establishments. Spain, France and Italy each had six regions in the top 30. The Canary Islands remained the most popular tourist region in the EU in 2015, with 94.0 million overnight stays in 2015. EU residents spent almost 85% of their tourism nights within the EU in 2015. Nineteen per cent of nights spent in tourist accommodation by Irish tourists were outside the EU with the US being the main non-EU destination (as it was across the EU) Australia and Canada were the second and third most popular non-EU destinations for Irish travelers.
|
Read more...
|
|
Irish teachers in Brussels
|
Eighteen primary school teachers from around Ireland visited Brussels this week, meeting MEPs, Commission officials and Irish diplomats. Their visit was part of the Blue Star programme for primary schools which aims to introduce participants (pupils, teachers, parents and the wider community) to the EU; what it means and how it works. The programme also aims to foster a strong sense of awareness of the EU among its participants that reaches far beyond the school walls and out into the wider community. It's funded by the Irish government and is a joint venture with the EU offices in Ireland and European Movement Ireland.
For more information on the Blue Star programme and to find out how your school can participate, visit the Blue Star programme website on the link below, contact bluestar@europeanmovement.ie or telephone the EM Ireland office in Dublin on 01 662 5815.
|
Read more...
|
|
|
EU Finance Ministers tackle non-performing loans
|
EU Finance Ministers this week approved an action plan to address the problem of non-performing loans (NPLs) in the banking sector. The Plan has four work strands: supervisory policies; structural and legal reforms, including insolvency and law enforcement frameworks; the fostering of secondary markets for NPLs; and, support for restructuring of the banking sector.
|
Read more...
|
|
European research on homelessness
|
Researchers at University of Limerick are playing a key role in a major EU funded programme to tackle homelessness in Europe. Dr Ronni Greenwood and Dr Rachel Manning from UL's Department of Psychology are involved in the project, Homelessness as Unfairness (HOME_EU), which aims to understand EU citizens’ perceptions of homelessness and find solutions based on the ‘Housing First’ model. Dr Greenwood and Dr. Manning have been specifically tasked with working with service users to better understand the experiences of homeless people in different kinds of homeless services. Funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, the project will see twelve organisations and institutions from nine European countries involved. The initiative will gather opinions and testimonials from citizens, service users, providers and policy actors, to provide evidence to advocate for the integration of Housing First in European policies to tackle homelessness.
|
Read more...
|
|
Ireland's Holocaust Education Trust awarded EU funding
|
Ireland's Holocaust Educational Trust has been awarded EU funding for its Crocus Project: remembering the Holocaust, learning lessons for contemporary Europe. The €100,000 grant was awarded under the European Remembrance strand of the Europe for Citizens programme. Under the Crocus Project, the Holocaust Education Trust provides children aged eleven years and older with yellow crocus bulbs to plant in memory of the 1.5 million Jewish children and thousands of other children who perished in the Holocaust. The bulbs are accompanied by a Teacher's Handbook and Information Pack. The yellow crocuses, which bloom at the end of January in time for International Holocaust Memorial Day, recall the yellow Stars of David most Jews were forced to wear under Nazi rule.
|
Read more...
|
|
12 new invasive alien species
|
Twelve new species have been added to the EU list of invasive alien species because of the environmental and economic damage (over €12 billion annually for the EU) they cause. They include the giant hogweed. the Egyptian goose, the raccoon dog, the muskrat and Japanese stiltweed.
Member States are required to prevent invasive alien species from being introduced, kept, sold, transported, reproduced or released. They also have to put in place appropriate measures to tackle new invasions or established populations of the listed species. Currently, in Europe there are around 1800 plants, animals, fungi and micro-organisms that are alien and invasive to their natural environment. Their numbers are rapidly growing. Invasive alien species are one of the major causes of biodiversity loss.
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Sentinel satellite captures birth of behemoth iceberg
|
Over the last few months, a chunk of Antarctica’s Larsen C ice shelf has been hanging on precariously as a deep crack cut across the ice. Witnessed by the Copernicus Sentinel-1mission, a lump of ice more than twice the size of Luxembourg has now broken off, spawning one of the largest icebergs on record and changing the outline of the Antarctic Peninsula forever. The fissure first appeared several years ago, but seemed relatively stable until January 2016, when it began to lengthen. A section of Larsen C – about 6000 sq km – has now broken away. The behemoth iceberg contains about the same amount of water as Lake Ontario in North America.
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Joint Research Centre opens its laboratories to wider scientific community
|
The European Commission's in-house science and knowledge service, the Joint Research Centre (JRC), is opening its scientific laboratories and facilities to scientists and researchers from the private and public sectors.
As early as December 2017, researchers will be able to use JRC research facilities located in Ispra (Italy), and thereafter in Geel (Belgium), Karlsruhe (Germany) and Petten (Netherlands), thus helping to maximise the benefits of these world-class infrastructures and laboratories.
|
Read more...
|
|
![](https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/templates/generic-newsletter/images/shadow2.png) |
|
![](https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/templates/generic-newsletter/images/shadow1.png) |
Agenda
|
Monday 17 July: Commissioner Julian King on Security Union at the MacGill Summer School, Glenties
|
EU Commissioner for Security Union, Julian King, will be at this year's McGill summer school for a town-hall style debate on the EU's latest moves to boost cooperation between Member States in the fight against cyber attacks and radicalisation. Europol, national security services and investment in technical solutions are all in the mix. The event, which is free of charge, takes place from 4 pm to 5.30 pm - Highlands Hotel, Glenties Summer School, Co Donegal.
|
Read more...
|
|
Monday 17 July: Foreign Affairs Council, Brussels
|
The agenda for this meeting will be available in due course at the link below.
|
Read more...
|
|
Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 July: Agriculture and Fisheries Council, Brussels
|
The agenda for this meeting will be available in due course at the link below.
|
Read more...
|
|
Tuesday 18 July: Training session on Horizon 2020 organised by The Wheel, Dublin
|
The Wheel is organising a training session on "Horizon 2020: The European Union’s Programme for Research and Innovation (Opportunities for Voluntary Organisations)" on Tuesday morning 18 July. The event takes place at the Carmelite Centre, 56 Aungier Street, Dublin 2, starting at 9.30 am. The training session aims to provide Irish civil society organisations with an overview of opportunities under Horizon 2020 and the proposal process. The facilitator is Sean McCarthy, one of Europe’s leading consultants on Horizon 2020.
|
Read more...
|
|
Friday 21 July: Creative Europe Mini-Showcase = What will the European Capital of Culture mean for Galway?, Galway
|
Galway’s hard work was rewarded last year when it was announced that it had won the bid for hosting the European Capital of Culture in 2020. Creative Europe is organising a special event during Galway International Arts Festival to showcase Ireland’s involvement in European culture projects. Representatives from three Irish projects will speak about their experiences of transnational culture projects, the joys, the pitfalls and why they do it. This mini-showcase will be followed by a panel discussion hosted by Benita Lipps of the DaVinci Institute followed by a networking reception.
The event takes place on Friday evening 21 July from 4 to 6 pm at Galway City Museum, Spanish Parade, Galway. Anyone interested in attending is asked to register in advance via the link below.
|
Read more...
|
|
![](https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/templates/generic-newsletter/images/shadow2.png) |
|
![](https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/templates/generic-newsletter/images/shadow1.png) |
Competitions
|
Altiero Spinelli Prize for Outreach: Spreading Knowledge about Europe
|
The European Commission has launched an EU-wide contest for the "Altiero Spinelli Prize for Outreach: Spreading Knowledge about Europe". This Prize will reward outstanding contributions that communicate the founding values, history, action and key benefits of the EU to citizens. Eligible participants include, for example, scholars, researchers, scientists, writers, journalists and artists who can contribute to articulating what Europe stands for today and tomorrow. The Prize will award six first prizes of €50,000; six second prizes of €30,000 and ten third prizes of €17,000.
|
Read more...
|
|
|
Focus on bees: Photo competition
|
The European Food Safety Authority has launched a photo competition to raise awareness of the dangers facing bees and other pollinators. The closing deadline is 30 September.
|
Read more...
|
|
![](https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/templates/generic-newsletter/images/shadow2.png) |
|
![](https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/templates/generic-newsletter/images/shadow1.png) |
Public consultations
|
Publication consultation on EU consumer law
|
The European Commission has launched a public consultation to gather opinions from consumers, businesses and associations on how to improve EU consumer law. The consultation will provide valuable information to the Commission on the areas that require changes. This includes the rights that apply for online marketplaces and "free" online services where consumers provide their personal data instead of paying, the way consumers can seek redress or remedies when harmed by unfair commercial practices. It also explores the introduction of penalties, in case of consumer law breaches, and how these penalties could be made more effective. All citizens and organisations are welcome to respond by 8 October 2017.
|
Read more...
|
|
Public consultation on the implementation of the Atlantic action plan
|
The aim of this consultation is to gather input for the mid-term review of the Atlantic action plan and to seek views on the issues that may need to be reviewed. The consultation is open until 22 September 2017. The Atlantic action plan provides a guiding framework on how Member States, coastal regions and the Commission can support sustainable growth and drive the blue economy forward, whilst preserving the environmental and ecological stability of the Atlantic.
|
Read more...
|
|
Public consultation on fishing opportunities for 2018
|
The aim of the public consultation is to allow all European citizens to express an opinion on the way in which levels of fishing effort and quotas are set according to the new common fisheries policy and in relation to scientific advice about sustainable fishing. The consultation is open until 15 September 2017,
|
Read more...
|
|
Public consultation on the development of secondary markets for non-performing loans and distressed assets and protection of secured creditors from borrowers’ default
|
The Commission seeks feed-back from stakeholders via a public consultation in order to inform its work on legislative measures with the aim to remove or reduce impediments of secondary markets for non-performing loans and thereby facilitate their development. Moreover the Commission seeks feedback regarding a possible legislative initiative to strengthen the ability of creditors to recover value from secured loans to corporates and entrepreneurs. More specifically, the Commission seek stakeholders' views on an EU new security right called "accelerated loan security". The consultation is open until 20 October 2017.
|
Read more...
|
|
Public consultation on potential measures for regulating the environmental impact of enterprise servers and data storage products
|
This open public consultation is launched with the aim of collecting stakeholders' views on issues such as the expected effect of potential legislative measures on businesses and on energy consumption in the sector of servers and data storage products. The consultation is open until 23 October 2017.
|
|
![](https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/templates/generic-newsletter/images/shadow2.png) |
|
This is the Newsletter of the Representation of the European Commission in Ireland.
If this Newsletter was forwarded to you and you would like to receive it directly you can subscribe here.
You can unsubscribe from this newsletter from your profile or by contacting us at this address: Functionnal mailbox.
|
|