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EU NEWS YOU CAN USE
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European Commission in Ireland
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In this issue
- 21 December
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Top News
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Irish most optimistic about the future of the EU
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Irish people are the most likely to be optimistic for the future of the European Union at 80%, ahead of Luxembourg at 72%, according to the newly released Standard Autumn Eurobarometer poll. On average 57% of Europeans were optimistic about the future of the EU with optimism levels lowest in the UK (44%) and Greece (37%). The survey also shows that Irish people were the most likely to have a positive image of the EU at 59% while people in Greece were the least (23%). The EU average was 40%.
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Article 50 negotiations with the United Kingdom
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Following the guidelines adopted by the European Council (Art 50) on 15 December, the European Commission this week sent a Recommendation to the Council (Art 50) to begin discussions on the next phase of the orderly withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union. The draft negotiating directives, which supplement the negotiating directives from May 2017, set out additional details on possible transitional arrangements. In line with the European Council's guidelines of 15 December, the General Affairs Council (Art 50) will adopt these additional negotiating directives on transitional arrangements in January 2018.
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EU funding for 6 Irish SMEs with big ideas
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The EU's scientific research fund has just announced funding for six small Irish companies with big ideas. The funding is being allocated under the Horizon 2020 SME Instrument. Four of the SMEs will receive Phase 2 funding, i.e. grants of up to €2.5 million to help bring their products to market plus 12 days of business coaching. The other two Irish SMEs will receive Phase 1 funding, i.e. a lump-sum of €50,000 to carry out a feasibility study plus three days of business coaching. The SMEs are located in Dublin, Limerick, Inverin and Westport.
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Commission acts to defend judicial independence in Poland
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Despite repeated efforts, for almost two years, to engage the Polish authorities in a constructive dialogue in the context of the Rule of Law Framework, the Commission this week concluded that there is a clear risk of a serious breach of the rule of law in Poland. Judicial reforms in Poland mean that the country's judiciary is now under the political control of the ruling majority. In the absence of judicial independence, serious questions are raised about the effective application of EU law, from the protection of investments to the mutual recognition of decisions in areas as diverse as child custody disputes or the execution of European Arrest Warrants. EU Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans said: "The rule of law is one of the values on which our Union is founded and which defines our Union."
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Commission approves Irish support scheme for SMEs
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The European Commission has approved under EU State aid rules an Irish scheme to reduce the taxation of employee share options for SMEs. Under the Irish support scheme, employees of small and medium-size companies (SMEs) will be relieved from paying income tax and social contributions when exercising their share options. The aim of the tax relief is to help SMEs attract and retain their employees by making their share options more attractive. The scheme will run for a period of 6 years.
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Other news
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Commission wants to improve transparency and predictability of working conditions
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The European Commission has proposed a new Directive on transparent and predictable working conditions across the EU. The directive sets out new rights for all workers and will serve in particular to combat cases of insufficient protection for workers in non-standard forms of employment. The Commission estimates that 2 to 3 million additional workers on atypical contracts will be covered by the proposed new legislation.
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EU agricultural outlook: higher global demand for livestock
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The European livestock sector is expected to benefit from world population and income growth, contributing to higher EU exports. However, growth will not benefit every sector of the market. While consumption of cheese and processed dairy products is expected to rise, for example, demand for fresh milk is expected to decline. These are among the predictions presented by the EU agricultural markets outlook report for 2017-2030, published this week.
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Commission wants more proportionate rules for investment firms
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The Commission wants to make life simpler for smaller investment firms. Under new proposals, the vast majority of investment firms in the EU would no longer be subject to rules originally designed for banks but the largest and most systemic investment firms would. EU Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said: "Smaller investment firms will benefit from simpler requirements which are more in line with their risk profile. At the same time, larger firms posing similar risks as banks should be regulated and supervised like banks."
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Commission wants to ban 7 new psychoactive substance
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The Commission wants to ban seven new psychoactive substances across the European Union. The seven new psychoactive substances, including those commonly known as "spice", "herbal incense" and "legal weed", belong to two categories: four are synthetic cannabinoids, with effects similar to cannabis but much more toxic, while the other three substances are synthetic opioids closely related to fentanyl. Over 170 deaths in the EU have already been associated with consumption of these substances.
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Irish people third highest users of peer-to-peer transport and accommodation services
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Over one in five Irish people (21%) have used online peer-to-peer accommodation services such as Airbnb this year, third highest in the EU where the average is 17%. People in the UK were the most likely to have used these services at 34% while those in the Czech Republic were least likely at 1%. The Eurostat figures show that Irish people were also third most likely at 17% to have used transport services such as Uber, over double the EU average of 8%. People in the UK were in top place at 27%.
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EU puts in place new trade defence rules
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The EU's new trade defence legislation entered into force this week. It introduces a new way of calculating whether dumping has occurred in imports into the EU from countries where the economy is distorted owing to state interference. The Commission also released the first country report envisaged by the new legislation. China was selected for the first report because the bulk of the EU's anti-dumping activity concerns imports from that country.
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Integration of refugees: Commission joins forces with social and economic partners
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The European Commission and the EU Social and Economic partners have signed a 'European Partnership for Integration'. The Partnership for Integration lays down key principles for the integration of refugees into the labour market, including providing support as early as possible, ensuring that integration benefits refugees as well as the economy and society at large and ensuring a multi-stakeholder approach.
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Insurance Distribution Directive: Commission wants to put back application date
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The Commission this week proposed, exceptionally, to push back the application date of the Insurance Distribution Directive (IDD) by seven months to 1 October 2018 following a request by the European Parliament and 16 Member States. Some smaller insurance distributors are not yet fully ready for the new rules. The Insurance Distribution Directive regulates the way insurance products are sold, including across borders. Member States are still required to transpose IDD into national law by the original date of 23 February 2018.
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EU-wide track and trace system for illegal cigarettes
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A new EU-wide track and trace system for cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco is set to come into place by 20 May 2019. All other tobacco products (such as cigars, cigarillos and smokeless tobacco products) will come under the new system by May 2024. Smoking continues to be the biggest cause of preventable death in the EU.
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17% increase in organ transplants thanks to EU Action Plan
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A new report shows a sharp increase in organ donation and transplantation in the EU during the course of the 2009-2015 Action Plan. The surge in donation rates led to 4,600 additional transplant operations, a 17% increase. Kidney transplants account for 60% of the increase, livers for 24% and hearts for 11%. EU Health Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis said: "Credit for this achievement goes primarily to donors themselves, but also to national health authorities and healthcare professionals."
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Agenda
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Wednesday 10 to Saturday 13 January: EU Stand at the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition, RDS, Dublin
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There’s so much to see and do at the European Union stand this year! Dr How’s Science Wows Needs You – Fun, interactive science with Dr. How’s Science Wows; check out a wide range of science experiments from making mini fire extinguishers to inflating balloons and making your own slime. Hands-on, educational and imaginative science. Want to learn about growing food in space? We invite you to discover the ground-breaking EDEN ISS project, which is developing food production for on-board the International Space Station (ISS) and for future human space exploration vehicles and planetary outposts. The stand includes a scaled down replica of the mission test lab.
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Monday 22 January: Eurogroup meeting, Brussels
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The agenda for this meeting will be available in due course on the link below.
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Tuesday 23 January: Economic and Financial Affairs Council, Brussels
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The agenda for this meeting will be available in due course at the link below.
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Monday 29 January: Agriculture and Fisheries Council, Brussels
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The agenda for this meeting will be available in due course at the link below.
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Competitions
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€5 million prize for innovations that use blockchain technology for social good
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The European Commission will award 5 prizes of €1 million each to social innovations as part of the Horizon Prize on "Blockchains for Social Good". The prizes will be awarded to innovators that use blockchain technology to bring about positive social change, including for support of fair trade, allowing transparency in production processes, decentralising data governance and enhancing privacy, enabling accountability and contributing to financial inclusion. Detailed rules of contest will be available in February 2018, and the deadline for applications is 25 June 2019.
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Public consultations
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Strengthened cooperation against vaccine preventable diseases
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In mid-2018, the European Commission will adopt a proposal for a Council Recommendation on Strengthened Cooperation against Vaccine Preventable Diseases. The objective of this public consultation is to collect the views and input of citizens, administrations, associations and other relevant organisations to feed into the process of drafting a proposal for the Council Recommendation. The consultation runs until 5 March 2018.
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Reducing litter from single-use plastic items and fishing gear
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to gather views on possible actions to reducing litter from single-use plastic items and fishing gear. Single-use plastics are items that are usually thrown away after one brief use. These items are rarely recycled and often end up as litter in the environment. The consultation is open until 12 February 2018.
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Access to public markets for SMEs
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The public consultation will focus on three broad categories of issues. It will seek to identify how the 'SME Growth Market' concept, created by MiFID II, can be further improved (1.). The aim of the consultation is also to identify areas where the administrative burden placed on listed SMEs can be lightened (2) and where some targeted regulatory changes could help (re)build the local ecosystems surrounding SME-dedicated exchanges (3). The consultation is open until 26 February 2018.
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Calls for Tender/Proposals
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Call for innovative projects: up to €100 million of EU funds made available to cities
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Cities are invited to apply until April 2018 to get EU funding under the 3rd "Urban Innovative Actions" call for projects. Up to €100 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) will help finance creative projects in the following areas: adaptation to climate change, air quality, housing and jobs and skills for the local economy, in line with the objectives of the Urban Agenda for the EU. A series of seminars will be organised in the Member States to help applicants submit solid proposals and increase their chances of getting funding.
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This is the Newsletter of the Representation of the European Commission in Ireland.
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