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EU NEWS YOU CAN USE
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European Commission in Ireland
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In this issue
- 13 October
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Top News
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Barnier: "No considerable progress"
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Commission negotiators will NOT recommend moving to the next stage of Brexit negotiations next week as sufficient progress has not been made. Speaking yesterday, Michel Barnier said that while some progress had been made on Ireland and citizens' rights, much remained to be clarified. However, on the financial settlement, there appears to be deadlock. "There has been no progress on financial settlement, we've reached …deadlock", he said. "On this basis, and as things stand at present, I am not able to recommend to the European Council next week to open discussions on the future relationship".
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Dublin, 19th October Citizens' Dialogue on the Future of Europe
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EU Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc and Brian Hayes MEP will host a Citizens' Dialogue on the Future of Europe on Thursday 19 October in Dublin. It's in the Royal Irish Academy, Dawson Street, Dublin 2. Registration is from 5.45 pm and we kick off at 6.15 pm. Join the debate and you'll have the chance to make your voice heard on important EU policies such as urban and clean transport, connected and automated mobility and passenger rights. This is a free public event, however advance registration is required.
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EU Commission wants completion of Banking Union by 2018
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The European Commission published this week a Communication (White Paper) calling for completion of Europe's Banking Union by 2018. Banking Union covers deposit guarantee schemes, common financial backstops so that taxpayers do not have to bailout bust banks, banking supervision, dealing with non-performing loans across Europe, getting banks to diversify their portfolios, and more. The next step is for these proposals to be agreed at the political level, i.e. the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers from each Member State.
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Phil Hogan: Safeguarding the Food Chain
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Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner Phil Hogan told a Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) conference in Dublin last Friday that: "In Europe we still treasure the family farm model and all it represents for our rural areas. The European Commission wants this principle to continue, distinguishing ourselves from other global players where a small number of large-scale operators dominate the agri-food sector. The CAP is an increasingly market-orientated policy which provides farmers with both opportunities and challenges".
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Other news
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Irish air passengers up 10.3% last year
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Latest figures from Eurostat show that air passenger numbers from Ireland went up by more than 10 % from 2015 to 2016. Most passengers travelling from Ireland were going to the UK. In all, 32 .6 million passengers were recorded leaving Irish airports in 2016.
Air passenger numbers are up all over Europe, with a record 1 billion passengers in 2016, up 54.4 million on 2015. In the EU overall, the busiest airports were London-Heathrow, followed by Amsterdam-Schipol and Paris-Charles de Gaulle.
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Irish NGO shortlisted for EU Health Award 2017
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Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre has been short-listed for this year's EU Health Award for its Community Awareness Programme on Vaccination. EU Health Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis said: "Vaccines are one of the safest and most cost-effective ways to ensure public health and avoid preventable disease. It is therefore my great honour to announce this shortlist of excellent initiatives. I will give the award for the three top prizes during the EU Health Policy Platform Meeting on 27 November 2017, but from my point of view, all of these 10 NGOs are already winners."
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Regions are growing, but not at the same pace: 7th EU Cohesion report
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The 7th EU Cohesion report shows that Europe's economy is bouncing back. GDP and employment have reached new highs and regional economic disparities have started shrinking again. But all is not well. Regions are growing, but not at the same pace. Less-developed regions are catching up but their employment rates remain low. Public investment remains low, especially in those countries and regions worst hit by the recent crisis, to the point that Cohesion Policy funds remain a lifeline for many of them.
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EU aid to help refugees in Serbia
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The European Commission is to give €4 million in humanitarian aid for Serbia to assist the thousands of refugees and asylum-seekers in the country. Since 2015, the EU has been the largest contributor of emergency aid to Serbia. The Commission's humanitarian aid now stands at €25 million, and has enabled the provision of emergency assistance (food, water, hygiene, essential items, health and protection) at transit and reception points, including borders and waiting areas. The EU has given €80 million to Serbia as migration related funding since 2015.
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EU to spend over half a billion Euro on cleaner and safer seas
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The European Commission announced over €550 million of EU-funded initiatives to tackle global oceans challenges, at last week's Our Ocean Conference 2017 in Malta. In total, over €6 billion was committed in Malta by the EU and other public and private actors from 112 countries. The resources will go towards fighting marine pollution and enlarging protected areas, reinforcing security of the oceans, fostering blue economy initiatives and sustainable fisheries and intensifying EU efforts against climate change.
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4th successful European Citizens' Initiative
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A total of 1,070,865 statements of support have to date been received from 22 Member States for the 'Stop Glyphosate' European Citizens' Initiative. The European Commission will now invite the organisers within the next 3 months to present their ideas in more depth. A European Citizens' Initiative requires at least 1 million signatories from at least 7 EU Member States.
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Commission confirms unannounced inspections concerning access to bank account information
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The European Commission confirmed that on 3 October 2017 its officials carried out unannounced inspections in a few Member States concerning online access to bank account information by competing service providers. The Commission has concerns that the companies involved and/or the associations representing them may have engaged in anti-competitive practices in breach of EU antitrust rules that prohibit cartels and restrictive business practices and/or abuse of dominant market positions.
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Agenda
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Tuesday 3 to Thursday 19 October: Time to Move campaign events in Ireland
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A number of events are taking place around Ireland this October as part of the "Time to Move" campaign. The events are organised by Léargas/Eurodesk Ireland, in cooperation with Youth Work Ireland, Crosscare and Europe Direct and aim to promote international mobility opportunities for young people (13-30) and those who work with them. The events are taking place in Blanchardstown Library (3 October), Ballykisteen Hotel & Golf Resort, Tipperary (10 October), Ballinsaloe Library (17 October) and Letterkenny Library (19 October).
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Saturday 7 to Sunday 22 October: EU Code Week
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There are a number of events taking place at locations all around Ireland for European Code Week which runs from 7 to 22 October. Click on the link below for details of events in Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Mayo and Offaly. Europe Code Week is a grassroots initiative which aims to bring coding and digital literacy to everybody in a fun and engaging way.
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Thursday 12 and Friday 13 October: Justice and Home Affairs Council, Luxembourg
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Information on this meeting will be available in due course at the link below.
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Monday 16 October: Foreign Affairs Council, Luxembourg
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The agenda for this meeting will be available in due course at the link below.
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Tuesday 17 October: General Affairs Council (Art. 50), Luxembourg
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The agenda for this meeting will be available in due course at the link below.
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Tuesday 17 October: General Affairs Council, Luxembourg
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The agenda for this meeting will be available in due course at the link below.
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Thursday 19 October: Citizens' Dialogue on the Future of Europe, Dublin
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EU Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc and Brian Hayes MEP will be the keynote speakers at a Citizens' Dialogue on the Future of Europe in Dublin on Thursday 19 October.
The event will be moderated by Audrey Carville from RTE's Morning Ireland. It will take place at the Royal Irish Academy, 19 Dawson Street, Dublin 2 starting at 17.45.
This is a free public event, however advance registration is required. Please email RSVP@europeanmovement.ie to register your interest.
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Thursday 19 and Friday 20 October: European Council, Brussels
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EU leaders will look at a number of the most pressing issues, including migration, defence, foreign affairs and digitalisation. More information on the agenda is available at the link below.
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Tuesday 24 October: The Digitalisation Agenda Conference - Re-thinking the role of Qualifications and Skills, Dublin
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Digitalisation is changing how we work and learn. This high-level international conference will explore the implications of digitalisation on the demand, delivery and recognition of skills and qualifications. The conference, which is organised by the Irish Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition, takes place in the Radisson Blu Hotel, Dublin 8. It will be moderated by Ingrid Miley. Attendance at the conference is free. However, early registration is advised as places are limited.
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Public consultations
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Residence and identity documents
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The aim of the public consultation is to gather the views and concerns of all interested citizens, organisations and businesses on (a) improving the security of EU citizens’ ID cards and residence documents and those of their family members and (b) facilitating the exercise of EU citizens’ free movement rights and the rights of their family members to accompany them. The consultation is open until 5 December 2017.
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EU Emergency Travel Document
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This consultation aims at gathering the views and concerns of all interested citizens, organisations and businesses on how the current EU legislation on the EU Emergency Travel Document (EU ETD) works and on possible options to modernise them to make sure that EU citizens who find themselves without a passport outside the EU, and with no embassy or consulate of their own to help them, can get effective help to travel home. The consultation is open until 5 December 2017.
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Competitions
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Europe Direct Annual Soapbox competition
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Ireland's ten Europe Direct Information Centres are holding their annual soapbox competitions this month. The topic this year is ‘Brexit: Ireland’s Opportunity’. Participants are invited to speak for 3 minutes for or against the motion. There are two categories: 18 and under; and, 19 and over. The winners of each Europe Direct Centre's competitions (both categories) will go forward to the National final in Dublin in November with a chance of winning €1000 and a trip to Brussels for 2 people. Find details of each Centre's competition on their website at the link below.
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This is the Newsletter of the Representation of the European Commission in Ireland.
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