EU NEWS YOU CAN USE

Dear Readers, after 35 incredible years working for the European Commission, I will be retiring at the end of the year. Throughout my career, I was fortunate to work in many different parts of the Commission such as EU structural funds, Anti-discrimination, Higher Education and the Erasmus+ Programme as well as Fundamental Rights Policy. However, I have to say that serving as Head of the Commission Representation in my own country on two occasions was the most rewarding experience of all. I would also like to say that I am very proud of my team at the Representation and of all that we have achieved together over the past years. So it’s on to the next chapter where I plan to stay active and engaged in public affairs and EU-related matters. Beannachtaí na Nollag ó Ionadaíocht Choimisiún na hEorpa in Éirinn. Slán agus beannacht, Barbara.

The results of the Autumn 2024 Eurobarometer Report for Ireland (published this week) reveal that Irish people are feeling more attached to the EU (70%, up from 64% in Spring 2024). The results also show that Ireland remains very positive towards the EU, at 64%, second only to Portugal (68%). The EU average was 44%. Head of the European Commission Representation in Ireland, Barbara Nolan, said: "This report shows that after a year of renewal of the European institutions, Irish people have greater attachment to the European Union. I am confident that the new European Commission, which started its mandate in December, will go the extra mile to justify this trust and deliver on the promise of a competitive and prosperous European Union for the Irish people and all Europeans".

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is engaging with regional actors in the Middle East in view of the fall of the Assad dictatorship in Syria. This week she travelled to Türkiye and Jordan to exchange on the situation and lay out Europe's vision for the future of Syria. The President has repeatedly said that Europe stands ready to support Syria's national unity, and a Syrian state that respects all minorities: "The Syrian people deserve a peaceful transition. One that preserves their country's territorial integrity and sovereignty. One that upholds state institutions. And one that reflects the aspirations of the Syrian people in all their diversity".

The European Commission this week opened formal proceedings against TikTok for a suspected breach of the Digital Services Act (DSA) in relation to TikTok's obligation to properly assess and mitigate systemic risks linked to election integrity, notably in the context of the recent Romanian presidential elections on 24 November. The proceedings will focus on management of risks to elections or civic discourse, linked to TikTok's recommender systems, notably the risks linked to the coordinated inauthentic manipulation or automated exploitation of the service, and to TikTok's policies on political advertisements and paid-for political content.

The European Commission this week published further policy guidance to support EU countries preserve macroeconomic stability while promoting growth and improving their competitiveness. This is essential in helping the EU to tackle next year’s socio-economic challenges. The latest guidance includes euro area policies, the Alert Mechanism Report and Joint Employment Report for 2025.

The European Commission is to allocate €132 million to co-fund promotion activities for sustainable and high-quality EU agri-food products in the EU and worldwide in 2025. Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen said: "We can be proud of the way we produce food here in the EU. 'Enjoy, it’s from Europe' is our brand and we need to make sure it is recognised and understood across the globe, to get the best value for our farmers and producers". In January, the European Research Executive Agency (REA) will launch two calls for proposals – one for ‘simple' programmes and one for ‘multi' programmes.

The European Commission this week adopted a Regulation putting in place a Flight Emissions Label, which offers a clear and trustworthy methodology for calculating flight emissions. Airlines operating flights within the EU or departing from the EU will be able to voluntarily join this label which will be fully operational as of July 2025. By the beginning of next summer, passengers will have the possibility to view and compare the estimated greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions of their flights enabling them to make more informed purchasing decisions.

According to a new Eurobarometer on Gender Stereotypes, 64% of Irish people, joint 5th highest in the EU, think that men are treated better in politics than women, well above the EU average of 54%. However, only 11% of Irish people (down 5 percentage points on 2017 survey and 7th lowest in the EU) agree that women do not have the necessary qualities and skills to fill positions of responsibility in politics compared to an EU average of 19%. The survey also shows that 58% of Irish respondents (just above the EU average of 55%) agreed that temporary measures (e.g. quotas) are necessary to overcome the existing underrepresentation of women in politics.

The 2024 annual review of labour markets and wage developments in Europe, published this week by the European Commission, shows that the EU labour market remained strong in 2023, despite economic slowdown, with historically low unemployment and 5.5 million jobs created since 2019. Non-EU nationals, including Ukrainians, and older people between the ages of 55 and 64 years contributed to the bulk of this increase. The report also found that real wages started increasing again in 2023 and that lower-income households were better protected, largely due to significant increases in statutory minimum wages.

In 2023, 15.3% of Ireland's gross final energy consumption came from renewable sources, up by 2.2 percentage points compared with 2022, but 4th lowest in the EU and well below the EU average of 24.5%. Sweden at 66.4% had the highest share of energy from renewables in 2023 followed by Finland at 50.8% and Denmark at 44.9%. These high shares can be attributed to their use of solid biofuels and wind power, and in the case of Sweden and Finland, hydropower. Meanwhile Luxembourg (11.6%), Belgium (14.7%) and Malta (15.1%) recorded the lowest shares.

New Eurostat figures show that per capita Active Individual Consumption (AIC) in Ireland was at 99% of the EU average in 2023, up from 91% in 2021, the largest rise in the EU over that period. Nine EU countries recorded an AIC per capita above the EU average last year with Luxembourg (136%), the Netherlands and Germany (both 119%) recording the highest. The lowest levels of per capita AIC in 2023 were registered in Hungary and Bulgaria (both 70% of the EU average) and Latvia (74%). Actual individual consumption includes all goods and services that households consume and is used as a measure of the material welfare of households.

Eurostat has just released the 2024 interactive publication Migration and Asylum in Europe. The publication looks at topics such as people migrating to the EU, within the EU and from the EU, international protection and asylum, irregular migration, and the skills of migrants. It shows, for example, that Ireland had the 7th highest share of non-nationals (EU and non-EU citizens) in its population at 14.4% in 2023. Luxembourg had the highest at 47%. The EU average was 9%. Romania had the lowest at 1%.

We are excited to announce that the European Commission’s ‘Science is wonderful’ programme will come back to BTYS this January. Come and celebrate science! Meet leading researchers from across Europe and explore their ground-breaking work through interactive experiments, hands on activities, games and quizzes. Teachers can find out about the EU’s free resources to support learning in the classroom. Find out about joining the EU’s Blue School Programme –and bring oceans into the classroom. Learn how the European Parliament works and ask us about school visits to the new ‘Europe Experience’ – the recently opened interactive visitors centre in the heart of Dublin.

The new European Commission, which started on 1 December 2024, would like to hear from young Europeans (aged 18 to 30 years). As part of this initiative, Maria Luís Albuquerque, Commissioner for Financial Services and the Savings and Investments Union, will host a 2-hour conversation on 4 March 2025 with young people from the European Union on the future of finance. Applications are now open for young people who wish to take part in the dialogue. All they need to do is to submit a short video (details at the link below). Fifteen participants will be selected to meet Commissioner Albuquerque at the dialogue in Brussels. Travel and accommodation costs will be fully covered.