A new study from the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, published earlier this month, investigates present and projected future excess mortality caused by temperature change in the EU27, Norway, Switzerland, and the UK. According to the study, some 363,500 people currently die every year in Europe from cold while 43,700 die from excessive heat. In a 3°C warming scenario, projections show there could be a threefold increase in heat-related mortality with southern European regions most affected. In northern Europe, summers are expected to become warmer, but not lethal. However, these regions will be more vulnerable to extreme heat due to an ageing population.

The European Commission has welcomed Ireland's decision to opt-in to seven legal acts under the Pact on Migration and Asylum. They are: the Reception Conditions Directive; the Qualification Regulation; the Asylum Procedure Regulation; the Union Resettlement Framework Regulation; the Asylum and Migration Management Regulation; the Eurodac Regulation; and the Crisis and Force Majeure Regulation. EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said: "By opting into the Pact, Ireland is joining forces to better manage migration in Europe. To better protect our borders and protect vulnerable people, to return those who don’t have the right to stay. By opting in, Ireland shows solidarity with Member States under pressure – and can count on EU support in time of need".

A new Eurobarometer survey (published end July) reveals that 68% of Irish people are optimistic about the future of the EU, 7th highest in the EU and well above the EU average of 58%. Respondents in Lithuania (74%) were most likely to be optimistic while those in France (41%) were the least. When asked what they considered to be the main strengths of the EU, Irish people were most likely to select the economic, industrial, and trading power of the EU (39%), the EU's respect for democracy, human rights and the rule of law (37%) and the good relationships and solidarity between the EU's Member States (36%). When asked what they considered to be the top 3 challenges currently facing the EU, Irish people were most likely to select: the war in Ukraine (52%); the cost of living (51%); and irregular migration (45%). The fieldwork for the survey, in which 1,005 Irish people were interviewed, was carried out between 25 June and 1 July 2024.

The Directive on common rules promoting the repair of goods entered into force on 30 July 2024. EU Member States have to transpose it into national rules and apply it from 31 July 2026. The Directive aims at encouraging consumers to use their goods for longer. It also establishes a number of measures to promote repair including an obligation on manufacturers of products such as fridges or smartphones, that are subject to reparability requirements in EU law, to repair those products within a reasonable time and for a reasonable price.

The European Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act), the world's first comprehensive regulation on artificial intelligence, entered into on 1 August. The AI Act is designed to ensure that AI developed and used in the EU is trustworthy, with safeguards to protect people's fundamental rights. The regulation aims to establish a harmonised internal market for AI in the EU, encouraging the uptake of this technology and creating a supportive environment for innovation and investment.

The European Commission has made TikTok's commitments to permanently withdraw TikTok Lite Rewards programme from the EU binding. These commitments have been submitted by TikTok to address the concerns raised by the Commission in the formal proceedings opened against TikTok on 22 April and ensure compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA). Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager said: "The safety and well-being of social media users need to be a number one priority. Design features on platforms with addictive effects put the well-being of their users at risk. That’s why we have made TikTok’s commitments under the DSA legally binding. We will carefully monitor TikTok’s compliance".

The revised Mercury Regulation entered into force at the end of July. The new rules prohibit the use and export of dental amalgam by 1 January 2025. Member States requiring more time to adapt their national healthcare systems get a limited and temporary derogation for the use, manufacture, and import of dental amalgam (until 30 June 2026). Member States will also have to stop manufacturing, importing and exporting certain categories of mercury-containing lamps (as of 31 December 2025 or 31 December 2026, depending on the lamp category).

Recent data from Eurostat show that only 0.7% of the EU's potato crop was grown in Ireland in 2023. The main producers of potatoes were: Germany (24% of the EU total), followed by France (17.9%) and the Netherlands (13.4%). Together, these 3 EU countries accounted for 55.4% of the harvested production of potatoes in the EU in 2023. In total, 48.3 million tonnes of potatoes (including 336,000 from Ireland) were harvested in the EU in 2023, down from 53 million in 2020.

European Mobility Week 2024 takes place from Monday 16 to Sunday 22 September under the theme: "Shared public space". European Mobility Week is the European Commission’s flagship awareness-raising campaign on sustainable urban mobility. It promotes behavioural change in favour of active mobility, public transport, and other clean, intelligent transport solutions. The main events take place from 16-22 September each year, culminating in the popular Car-Free Day. Five Irish towns have, to date, registered to participate: Cork, Dublin, Fingal, Limerick and Waterford.

Léonie de Jonge, Assistant Professor in European Politics and Society at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, will address an online IIEA event on the Rise and Normalisation of the Far Right in the Netherlands. In her address, Dr de Jonge will try to make sense of the meteoric rise of the far right in the Netherlands, and what this might mean for that country, the wider Benelux region, and for Europe.

The European Union will be back at the Ploughing this year with a revamped tent (Block 2 Row 13 Stand 222) packed with information and entertainment to promote EU opportunities. The big focus this year is on raising awareness about an EU quality mark that can benefit traditional, authentic quality Irish food and drink producers. The EU tent team will also have information on a wide range of EU topics- from CAP funding opportunities, to studying, volunteering and working abroad, as well as EU science and innovation programmes that support sustainable farming and food.

On Wednesday lunchtime 18 September Jiří Šedivý, Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency, will address an online IIEA event. Dr Šedivý is a former Defence Minister of the Czech Republic and former NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Policy and Planning.

As part of Culture Night on Friday, 20 September, the European Commission and Languages Connect will provide free 20-minute taster classes 'in person' in Chinese, Czech, German, Japanese, Korean, Maltese, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, and Spanish. This event takes place at Europe House, 12-14 Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2. You are of course encouraged to try more than one language and refreshments will be provided on the night for anybody wanting to take a break between sessions.

The European Parliament Liaison Office is partnering with German-Irish Lawyers’ and Business Association in hosting GILBA’s annual conference, taking place in Kilkenny on 21 September. The conference will deal with topics including climate, environment and law, gender equality and citizen participation. Speakers include Cynthia Ní Mhurchú MEP, the Hon. Mr. Justice Brian Murray of the Supreme Court, expert lawyers, academics, members of civil society and a representatives of the German Bundestag. Programme. Registrations are now open at the link below.

On Wednesday lunchtime George Barros, Russia Team & Geospatial Intelligence Team Lead on the Russia and Ukraine at the Institute for the Study of War, will address an online IIEA seminar on "Open-Source Intelligence and the War in Ukraine". In his address to the IIEA, George Barros will discuss the growing importance of Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT), how OSINT may change the future of intelligence gathering, and provide his assessment on the ongoing war in Ukraine.

A number of talks, demonstrations, tours, activities and much more are taking place across Dublin for European Researchers' Night on Friday 27 September organised by START, the Irish branch of the European Researchers' Night. This includes a number of schools events.

The European Innovation Council (EIC) and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) have launched a new call for applications for the 2025 European prize for women innovators. The prize celebrates the outstanding achievements of women entrepreneurs across the EU and countries associated to Horizon Europe driving positive change for people and the planet through their innovative ventures. Applications will close on 25 September 2024, at 4pm Irish time.

The EU is seeking professionals in the fields of financial management, accounting and treasury and public procurement. Successful candidates will be recruited at the assistant grade AST 3. Applicants must be EU nationals and have a thorough knowledge of one official EU language and a satisfactory knowledge of a different official EU language. They must also fulfil certain educational and experience criteria. The deadline to apply is 11 am (Irish time) on 3 September 2024.