"Representation in Ireland - Dublin Newsletter" Newsletter Issues

Irish farmers get €11 m aid package (21/07/2016)

The European Commission has agreed a new support package worth €500 million for European farmers. Ireland gets €11,086,327 financial grant for milk and other sectors. This comprehensive support package is further evidence of the Commission's continued commitment to the agricultural sector across the EU. The measures were presented to the Council of EU Agriculture Ministers by Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Phil Hogan: "Coming at a time of significant budgetary pressures, this package provides a further robust response, and means that the Commission has mobilised more than €1 billion in new money to support hard-pressed farmers. Our ultimate goal is to see the much needed recovery of prices paid to farmers, so that they may make a living from their work and continue to provide safe, high quality food for citizens, as well as their contribution to rural areas and rural jobs and the provision of public goods."

Hogan key to agreement on EU 2030 emissions targets (21/07/2016)

Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Phil Hogan was credited with getting the EU's 2030 emissions targets over the line by Vice President Šefčovič and Commissioners Cañete and Bulc. The 2030 emissions targets, broken down by Member State, were announced yesterday. The targets are expressed as a percentage reduction from 2005 emission levels and range from 0% to -40%. Ireland will have to cut emissions by 30%. Eleven other Member States have higher targets, mostly the wealthier countries of the EU. Ireland will have 4% one-off flexibility from emissions trading, at the highest end of the ranking, and 5.6% flexibility from land use. This is a substantially larger margin than any other Member State except Latvia.

Galway European 2020 Culture Capital (21/07/2016)

Galway is to be the European Capital of Culture in Ireland in 2020 Limerick and the Three Sisters (Waterford, Wexford and Kilkenny) are runners-up. The selection panel of independent experts responsible for assessing the Irish cities competing to be European Capital of Culture in 2020 has recommended that Galway should be awarded the title. Three cities had been short-listed after the initial pre-selection round in November 2015: Galway, Limerick and Waterford for the Three Sisters (Waterford, Kilkenny and Wexford). The formal designation of Galway by the relevant Irish authorities is expected to take place in the coming months.

GDP growth could slow down post-Brexit (21/07/2016)

The European Commission's Directorate General for Economic and Financial Affairs says that GDP growth in the euro area could slow from an expected 1.7% in 2016 to between 1.5% and 1.6% and from 1.7% in 2017 to between 1.3% and 1.5%. With regard to the UK, the analysis suggests that the UK's GDP growth rate is likely to be negatively affected by between 1% and 2.75% by 2017. Note that this is a study, not an economic forecast. The Commission is due to release its next economic forecast in November 2016.

Irish R&D dominated by foreign multi-nationals (21/07/2016)

The business R&D landscape in Ireland is dominated by foreign multinationals, which account for over two-thirds of the total Business Expenditure on R&D (BERD). So says the latest report from the European Commission's Research and Innovation Observatory (RIO), published this week. The report goes on to say that Irish R&D intensity (i.e. expenditure on R&D divided by sales) for 2014 is 1.52%, below the Europe2020 target of 2.0%. Business expenditure (BERD), at €2.107m in 2014, accounts for the lion's share, exceeding the threshold of 70% of GERD (Gross Domestic Expenditure on R&D).

2020 targets - Ireland performs well on employment, education and energy consumption (21/07/2016)

Eurostat this week published a new report showing EU progress towards its 2020 targets. It shows Ireland (68.8%) came very close to reaching its employment target of 69% in 2015. Ireland also met its target on primary energy consumption in 2011 and has remained within the limit of 13.9 Mtoe up until 2014 (latest figures available). The country also surpassed its 8% target of early school leavers achieving a rate of 6.9% in 2015. Although the share of tertiary graduates has increased steadily, Ireland (52.3% in 2015) remained at a distance from its 60% target. Ireland’s R&D expenditure as a share of GDP has been more or less stable since 2009 (1.52% in 2015), half a percentage point behind the national target of about 2%. The situation with regard to renewable energy is less positive. Ireland (8.6% in 2014) needs to double its share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption to meet its 16% 2020 target. Ireland is also behind on its greenhouse gas emissions target.

EU takes legal action against export restrictions on Chinese raw materials (21/07/2016)

The European Union has launched a third case against China's restrictions on export of raw materials essential for European industries. Following the successful legal actions in 2012 and 2014 on similar measures, this time the EU is focusing on restrictions concerning graphite, cobalt, copper, lead, chromium, magnesia, talcum, tantalum, tin, antimony and indium.

Antitrust: Commission fines truck producers € 2.93 billion for participating in a cartel (21/07/2016)

The European Commission has found that MAN, Volvo/Renault, Daimler, Iveco, and DAF broke EU antitrust rules. These truck makers colluded for 14 years on truck pricing and on passing on the costs of compliance with stricter emission rules. The Commission has imposed a record fine of € 2,926,499,000. MAN was not fined as it revealed the existence of the cartel to the Commission. All companies acknowledged their involvement and agreed to settle the case.

Annual Report on Monitoring the application of EU law (21/07/2016)

The 2015 Annual Report on Monitoring the Application of EU Law, which reviews EU Member States’ performance in key areas of the application of EU law, shows that new complaints against Ireland fell sharply in 2015. The number of new EU Pilot files held around the same level as the year before but open infringement cases dropped to a five-year low. In 2015, 35 infringement cases were opened against Ireland, 8th lowest in the EU. Fourteen of these were for late transposition of EU directives into Irish law while 21 were for incorrect transposition and/or bad application of EU laws.

Monday 1 August to Friday 26 August: ECO-UNESCO Exhibition (21/07/2016)

From Monday 1 to Friday 26 August, the European Commission Representation in Ireland will host an ECO-UNESCO exhibition of environmental action projects carried out by young people across Ireland. The 80 projects on display were short-listed from over 270 entries to ECO-UNESCO’s Young Environmentalist Awards programme, for which the Final and Awards ceremony took place in May.

Consultation on the preparation of legislation on monitoring / reporting of Heavy-Duty Vehicle fuel consumption and CO2 emissions (21/07/2016)

The European Commission is launching this consultation to collect the views of stakeholders and citizens with regard to the preparation of legislation on monitoring and reporting of Heavy-Duty Vehicle fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The Commission is open until 28 October 2016.

Public consultation on the Revision of Regulation (EU) No 443/2009 and Regulation (EU) No 510/2011 setting CO2 emission performance standards for light duty vehicles (21/07/2016)

The European Commission is launching this consultation to collect the views of stakeholders and citizens with regard to the revision of the EU regulations setting CO2 emission performance standards for new cars and vans (together referred to as light duty vehicles (LDVs)). The consultation is open until 28 October 2016.

Public consultation on the Evaluation of Youth Policy Cooperation in the EU (21/07/2016)

This consultation is about how EU countries work together on policy for young people. We want to find out how useful and effective you think EU youth policy is. We want to know if you know about the EU Youth Strategy (2010-2018) and the EU Council Recommendation on the mobility of young volunteers in the EU. We would also like to hear what you think about these initiatives, and how you think we can improve cooperation on youth policy. The consultation is open until 16 October 2016.

Applications now open for traineeships at the EU Commission (21/07/2016)

The European Commission offers paid traineeships of 5 months duration starting on either 1st March or 1st October. Registration is now open for the period starting 1st March 2017. Successful applicants receive a monthly grant of approx. €1,120 and reimbursement of travel expenses. Accident and health insurance may also be provided. They also get hands-on experience of working in an international and multicultural environment.

Irish SMEs top in EU for Innovation (14/07/2016)

Ireland's small and medium-sized enterprises are ranked best in the EU for innovation, according to an EU Commission scoreboard out today (14 July). Ireland is also characterised as a "Strong" innovator, the second highest category out of four (leader/ strong/ moderate / modest). Irish SMEs came out top out of 28 Member States because of their strong record of in-house innovation, the fast growth of jobs in the Irish innovation sector and the high growth in knowledge intensive industries. The Commission said: "Ireland is the leader for innovation in small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) - followed by Germany, Luxembourg, France, and Austria. These countries are characterised by high shares of SMEs involved in innovation activities: they introduce more innovative products and generate more new jobs in fast-growing young companies." These results come from the Commission's annual "innovation Scoreboard" out today.

Reforms to Europe's Asylum System (14/07/2016)

The last package of measures to complete the reform of the EU's Common Asylum System has just been agreed at the European Commission level. The next stage is for governments and MEPs to agree on the proposals. More than 1.2 million people asked for asylum in the EU in the last year. The Commission has been urging more burden-sharing and better protection of refugees but political agreement across the Member States has been slow and difficult. Following up on its set of long-term reform proposals tabled on 4 May 2016, the European Commissioners today put forward three more legislative proposals.

26.3% Rise in Ireland's GDP (13/07/2016)

The Commission has taken note of the substantial revisions to 2015 GDP which Ireland's Central Statistics Office released on July 12. National accounts data prepared by the national statistics offices of Member States are validated by Eurostat before being used as a basis for the Commission's fiscal assessments. Eurostat will have to analyse the data in detail at the time of the submission of the 2015 GNI figures on 22 September. In principle, large revisions may occur in a situation where important economic operators relocate their operations either into or out of a small economy. The GDP series for Ireland in the past has been volatile and subject to strong revisions. Any increase in government spending in the coming years will depend mainly on the sustainability of the economic recovery. Prudent fiscal planning and respecting commonly agreed EU fiscal rules continues to be crucial.

EU-U.S. Privacy Shield: stronger protection for transatlantic data flows (12/07/2016)

The European Commission this week adopted the EU-US Privacy Shield. This new framework protects the fundamental rights of anyone in the EU whose personal data is transferred to the United States as well as bringing legal clarity for businesses relying on transatlantic data transfers. Věra Jourová, Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality said: "The EU-US Privacy Shield is a robust new system to protect the personal data of Europeans and ensure legal certainty for businesses. It brings stronger data protection standards that are better enforced, safeguards on government access, and easier redress for individuals in case of complaints. The new framework will restore the trust of consumers when their data is transferred across the Atlantic. We have worked together with the European data protection authorities, the European Parliament, the Member States and our U.S. counterparts to put in place an arrangement with the highest standards to protect Europeans' personal data".

EU Finance Ministers agree to trigger sanctions for Spain and Portugal (12/07/2016)

On 12 July 2016, EU Finance Ministers found that Portugal and Spain had not taken effective action in response to recommendations on measures to correct their excessive deficits. The Ecofin Council confirmed that the two countries will not reduce their deficits below 3% of GDP, the EU's reference value for government deficits, by the recommended deadline. And in both cases, it found the fiscal effort to fall significantly short of what was recommended. The Council's decisions will trigger sanctions under the excessive deficit procedure. They are based on article 126(8) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The Commission has 20 days to recommend further Council decisions imposing fines. Those fines should amount to 0.2% of GDP, though Portugal and Spain can submit reasoned requests within 10 days for a reduction of the fines. The Council will have 10 days to approve the fines.

Population of Ireland and the EU on the rise in 2015 (12/07/2016)

Eurostat estimates show the population of the EU reached just over 510 million on 1 January 2016, up almost 2 million on 1 January 2015. Although nearly 5.1 million babies were born in the EU in 2015, over 5.2 million people died, meaning that the EU recorded for the first time ever a negative natural change in its population. The rise in population was mainly due to net migration. Ireland also saw its population rise in 2015, by a rate of +6.4 per 1,000 residents, almost double the EU average rise of +3.5‰. In Ireland's case the rise was mainly due to our high birth rate - Ireland was the EU country with the biggest positive difference between births and deaths (+7.7‰) in 2015. Ireland's population is now estimated at 4.658 million or 0.9% of the EU total. Luxembourg (+23.3 per 1,000 residents), Austria (+14.4‰), and Germany (+11.8‰) had the largest rises in population in 2015. Germany (82.2 m), France (66.7 m), the UK (65.3 m) and Italy (60.7 m) had the biggest populations.

Irish house price-rise almost double the EU average (12/07/2016)

House prices in Ireland rose by 7.4% in Ireland in the first quarter of 2016 compared with the same quarter of the previous year, the fifth highest rise in the EU. The largest rises were seen in Hungary (+15.2%), Austria (+13.4%) and Sweden (+12.5%), while Italy and Cyprus saw prices fall (both by -1.2%). Overall, prices were up by 3.0% in the euro area and by 4.0% in the EU during the same period.

Irish SME takes part in EU-funded project to promote sport among football fans (12/07/2016)

Dublin-based SME Pintail Ltd is part of an EU-funded research project that aims to make football fans healthier and more active and, in so doing, to reduce illnesses linked to a sedentary lifestyle such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. The Eurofit project, which has been granted EU funding of almost €6 million, is using fans' love of football and their favourite clubs to help bring about lifestyle changes. “It is really hard to make lifestyle changes. Even if people want to, they don’t know how to go about it,” said Sally Wike, EuroFIT coordinator and Interdisciplinary Professor of Health and Wellbeing at the University of Glasgow. So what we are doing is drawing on the love of football, the love of a football club that people have across Europe. It is a massive draw.” Pintail Ltd is involved in the management and dissemination aspects of the project.

New, simplified EU programme for fisheries data collection (13/07/2016)

The European Commission has adopted new, simpler rules for data collection in the fisheries sector for the period 2017-2020, making it easier for fishermen and Member States to comply with EU rules. The new streamlined rules will also pave the way for gathering more and better data to help close persistent gaps in our knowledge about fish stocks. They will give scientists and decision-makers a better idea of how fisheries are affecting marine and maritime ecosystems, while also providing more data on the Mediterranean and long distance fisheries. Reliable fisheries data are needed to assess the health of fish stocks and the marine environment and meet the EU's objective of ensuring sustainable fisheries by 2020 at the latest.

Commission adopts first EU list of invasive alien species (13/07/2016)

The European Commission has adopted a list of invasive alien species that require action across the EU. The list contains 37 species that cause damage on a scale that justifies dedicated measures across the Union. There are currently over 12,000 plants, animals, fungi and micro-organisms in the EU that are alien to their natural environment. Some 15% of these species are invasive, and their numbers are rapidly growing. By crowding out indigenous species, these invasive alien species are one of the biggest causes of biodiversity loss and have major economic consequences. Species on the list will now be subject to the restrictions and measures set out in the EU Regulation on invasive alien species. These include restrictions on keeping, importing, selling, breeding and growing. Member States will also be required to take measures for early detection and rapid eradication of these species, and to manage species that are already widely spread.

New Eurofound report - Going beyond the label: Exploring the diversity of NEETs (14/07/2016)

Eurofound’s new report ‘Exploring the diversity of NEETs’ emphasises the ongoing need to focus on the specific needs of different groups of young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEET). The report argues that a comprehensive effort is needed to understand the diversity of NEETs as the various subgroups within the NEET category have very different characteristics and needs. In 2015, 14.3% of young people aged 15-24 in Ireland were not in employment, education or training, compared to an EU average of 12%.

Commission takes further steps in investigations alleging Google's comparison shopping and advertising-related practices breach EU rules (14/07/2016)

The Commission has sent two Statements of Objections to Google. The Commission has reinforced, in a supplementary Statement of Objections, its preliminary conclusion that Google has abused its dominant position by systematically favouring its comparison shopping service in its search result pages. Separately, the Commission has also informed Google in a Statement of Objections of its preliminary view that the company has abused its dominant position by artificially restricting the possibility of third party websites to display search advertisements from Google's competitors. Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said: "Google has come up with many innovative products that have made a difference to our lives. But that doesn't give Google the right to deny other companies the chance to compete and innovate. Today, we have further strengthened our case that Google has unduly favoured its own comparison shopping service in its general search result pages."

Tuesday 19 July: Screening of documentary film 'Paper Heads' (12/07/2016)

On Tuesday 19 July, the European Commission Representation in Ireland will host a screening of the documentary "Paper Heads" by the Slovak Embassy in Ireland. The documentary examines the relationship between the citizen and power in a totalitarian regime.

Wednesday 20 July: Talk and screening of documentary “Italian Presence in Ireland” (12/07/2016)

Italian journalist and author Concetto La Malfa will give a brief talk on the history of the Italian community in Ireland followed by the screening of his documentary “ITALIAN PRESENCE IN IRELAND”. The 26 minute documentary features Italians who have left a mark on the history of Ireland as well as Italian emigration flows to this country from the beginning of the last century to the present day.

Tuesday 19 July 2016: Briefing on the Slovak Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Dublin (12/07/2016)

The European Movement Ireland is holding a briefing on the Slovak Presidency of the Council of the European Union on Tuesday 19 July. Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to Ireland, H.E. Dušan Matulay, and Minister of State for European Affairs, Data Protection and EU Digital Single Market, Dara Murphy TD will both speak at the event.

Monday 18 July: Foreign Affairs Council, Brussels (12/07/2016)

Foreign Affairs ministers will start with a breakfast with US Secretary of State John Kerry. They will discuss notably EU-US relations and regional issues such as Syria and Libya. The Council will then start with a discussion on Latin America, including some country specific issues: future relations with Cuba, the peace process in Colombia, Argentina and the situation in Venezuela. Ministers will also focus on China.

Monday 18 July: Agriculture and Fisheries Council, Brussels (12/07/2016)

The Slovak presidency is going to present its work programme. Later, the Council will discuss the latest developments in the main agricultural markets and a package of possible support measures, as announced by the Commission at the June Council meeting. Ministers will then be informed by the Commission about the review of greening after one year from its implementation and will have an exchange of views on proposed actions for a further simplification of the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) in this field.

Public Consultation on the programme “Prevention, Preparedness and Consequence Management of Terrorism and other Security related risks“ (CIPS) 2007-2013 (14/07/2016)

The aim of the consultation is to collect views and opinions on the results and impacts of actions co-financed by the CIPS programme during 2007-2013 and to assess their relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, coherence and and EU added value. The specific programme “Prevention, Preparedness and Consequence Management of Terrorism and other Security related risks“ (CIPS) was established for the period 2007 to 2013 by Decision No 2007/125/JHA as one of two programmes under the General programme on “Security and Safeguarding Liberties“. The consultation is open until 13 October 2016.

Public Consultation on the programme “Prevention of and fight against Crime“ (ISEC) 2007-2013 (14/07/2016)

The aim of the consultation is to collect views and opinions on the results and impacts of actions co-financed by the ISEC programme during 2007-2013 and to assess their relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, coherence and EU added value. The specific programme 'Prevention of and fight against Crime' (ISEC) was established for the period 2007 to 2013 by Decision No 2007/125/JHA as one of two programmes under the General programme on "Security and Safeguarding Liberties". The consultation is open until 13 October 2016.

Spain and Portugal will not correct their excessive deficits by the recommended deadline (07/07/2016)

The College of Commissioners confirmed today (7 July) that Portugal did not correct its excessive deficit by the deadline of 2015 and that Spain is off-track to correct its excessive deficit by the 2016 deadline. These deadlines were recommended by the Council on 21 June 2013. The College therefore adopted recommendations for a Council decision establishing the absence of effective action by Spain and Portugal in 2014 and 2015. This is a necessary step to give Spain and Portugal new deadlines for the correction of their excessive deficits, including updated fiscal adjustment paths. The Commission decision will now go to the Ecofin Council where it can only be overturned by a reverse qualified majority vote, with Spain and Portugal excluded.

Tax transparency and tax abuse (07/07/2016)

The Commission has set out the next steps in its campaign to boost tax transparency in order to fight tax evasion and avoidance in the EU, taking into account recent media leaks known as the Panama Papers. Important progress has already been made at EU level to tackle such practices, including new rules to block artificial tax arrangements and transparency requirements for financial accounts, tax rulings and multinationals' activities. However, there are still gaps in the tax framework. Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs, Pierre Moscovici said: "The recent leaks exposed loopholes that still allow tax evaders to hide funds offshore. These loopholes must be closed and our measures to stamp out tax abuse must be intensified."

EU-Canada trade deal goes to "mixed" agreement process (07/07/2016)

The European Commission has now proposed the signature of a free trade agreement between the EU and Canada, known as the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, or CETA, to Council. According to EU trade Commissioner Cecila Malmström "CETA is a milestone in European trade policy. It will help to generate much-needed growth and jobs while fully upholding Europe's high standards in areas like food safety, environmental protection and people's rights at work." Although from a strict legal standpoint, the Commission considers this agreement to fall under exclusive EU competence, Commissioner Malmström explained that the Commission has decided to propose CETA for signature as a mixed agreement which requires the consent of the European Parliament, and of all Member States through the relevant national ratification procedures.

Cork, Kerry and Sligo projects win EU funding (07/07/2016)

Four innovative Irish SMEs, based in Cork, Kerry and Sligo, are to receive EU grants under the latest round of Horizon 2020 SME Instrument funding announced this week. The funding is for innovative small firms to get ideas from the lab to the market and help generate growth and jobs in Europe. Iris Advanced Engineering Ltd of Listowel, Co Kerry, will receive Phase 2 funding worth between €0.5 and €2.5 million. It can also get 12 days of free business coaching. Three other companies have been selected for Phase 1 funding. TIC (Brugger) Ltd of Co Cork, Episcan Ltd of Co Sligo and Eveara Ltd of Cobh, Co Cork, will receive €50,000 each to finance feasibility studies for new products that can disrupt the market. They can also get three days of free business coaching.

EU Migration chief visits Dublin (07/07/2016)

The Director General for Migration and Home Affairs at the European Commission, Matthias Ruete, was in Dublin this week where he spoke to the IIEA about the European Agenda on Migration. He said: "There is no one-country solution to flows of refugees or to irregular migration. We need to move away from a system which allows for and even encourages uncontrolled and irregular migration flows to a fairer system, providing safe pathways to the EU for people in need of protection." Europol reports that desperate people are paying three times as much as before to smugglers. The EU needs to break this business model.

New European Border and Coast Guard approved (06/07/2016)

First Vice-President Frans Timmermans and Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Dimitris Avramopoulos welcomed this week's endorsement by the European Parliament of the Commission's proposal to establish a European Border and Coast Guard saying: "The European Border and Coast Guard will ensure a truly collective European management of our borders, based on the principle that security of our common EU external borders is a responsibility shared amongst all EU countries." Next step is for the Council to adopt the final text of the proposal.

PPP on cybersecurity and cyber-threats (06/07/2016)

The Commission this week launched a new public-private partnership on cybersecurity that is expected to trigger €1.8 billion of investment by 2020. The EU will invest €450 million in this partnership, under its research and innovation programme Horizon 2020. Cybersecurity market players, represented by the European Cyber Security Organisation (ECSO), are expected to invest three times more. This partnership will also include members from national, regional and local public administrations, research centres and academia. The aim of the partnership is to foster cooperation at early stages of the research and innovation process and to build cybersecurity solutions for various sectors, such as energy, health, transport and finance.

World Chocolate Day - what's in EU Chocolate? (07/07/2016)

Today (7 July) is World Chocolate Day! Thanks to EU food rules, European chocolate really is chocolate. It must have at least 35% dry cocoa solids. So-called "milk" chocolate gets a special derogation for use in the UK and Ireland, but even this must have minimum 25% cocoa solids). Irish people are the third highest consumers of chocolate in the EU with per capita consumption of 7.5 kg per year. Only Germany and Austria have higher consumption levels.

Ireland's unemployment rate falls further below EU average. (06/07/2016)

According to Eurostat figures, Ireland's unemployment rate in May 2016 was 7.8%, down from 9.6% in May 2015, and below the EU average of 8.6%. In real terms, this means that there were 38,000 fewer people unemployed in Ireland in May 2016 than in May 2015. Ireland's youth unemployment rate was at 15% in May 2016, down from 20.8% in May 2015. The EU average was 18.6% with highs of 50.4% in Greece. The employment rate of women (6.2%) in Ireland continues to be higher than for men (9.2%).

Irish retail spending up 6.7% (06/07/2016)

New figures out this week from Eurostat reveal there was an increase of 6.7% in Irish retail spending between May 2015 and May 2016. This was the fourth highest increase in retail spending in the EU after Romania (+13.8%), Luxembourg (+10.0%), Estonia (+7.0%). On average the volume of retail trade was up 2.8% across the EU and 1.6% in the Eurozone. Compared to April 2016, the volume of retail trade in Ireland was up 1.3%.

Artists and writers over 3 times more likely to be self-employed (06/07/2016)

Over half (54%) of Ireland's 17,000 artists and writers are self employed, according to Eurostat, compared to an average of 17% among the general working population. The Eurostat figures also show that people working in the area of culture, both in Ireland (63%) and across the EU (60%), are more likely to have a third level education than the average. 51,000 people are employed in the cultural field in Ireland, or 2.7% of total employment, just below the EU average of 2.9%.

4 Irish companies receive Creative Europe Media Slate funding for 2016 (07/07/2016)

Four Irish companies have been successful in their Creative Europe Slate Funding applications with combined amounts totaling €648,689. The companies are as follows: Crossing the Line Films, Fantastic Films, Fastnet Films and Treasure Entertainment. A Slate Funding application must contain a slate of at least 3 and a maximum of 5 projects. Each project can receive an amount of support between €10,000 and €60,000 provided the amount does not exceed 50% of the eligible costs of the project. The total amount of support that can be allocated under Slate Funding is between €70,000 and €200,000.

New Commission app measures internet signal to map connection quality across the EU (07/07/2016)

The European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) has developed an application that will help EU citizens travelling abroad in Europe to see the quality of Wi-Fi, 4G, 3G, and GSM signals they can get in their surroundings. ‘netBravo’ allows the user to monitor different variables including signal strength, speed and channel usage, which are then shown in various colours depending on their quality, on a map of Europe. The application has a strong privacy policy and does not collect any personal data. It is available for iOS and Android systems.

Friday 8 and Saturday 9 July: 7th European Summit of Regions and Cities, Bratislava, Slovakia (06/07/2016)

Every two years, the European Committee of the Regions brings politicians from every level of government in Europe - local, regional, national and European - together with experts and stakeholders to the European Summit of Regions and Cities. The focus of the 2016 Summit, held on 8-9 July in Bratislava, Slovakia, is on the need for investments and for better cross-border connections in order to unlock the growth potential offered by the rich diversity of Europe's regions.

Friday 8 and Saturday 9 July: NATO Summit, Warsaw (06/07/2016)

On 8-9 July, Poland will host the NATO summit meeting. European Council President, Donald Tusk, European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker, and High Representative Federica Mogherini will represent the European Union at the summit. On the margins of the summit, President Donald Tusk and President Jean-Claude Juncker will meet US President Barack Obama for an EU-US leaders meeting. This meeting will provide an opportunity to underline transatlantic unity and discuss common political, economic and international security challenges.

Monday 11 July: Eurogroup meeting, Brussels (06/07/2016)

Finance Ministers from the Euro Area will meet in Brussels on Monday 11 July.

Tuesday 12 July: Economic and Financial Affairs Council, Brussels (06/07/2016)

EU Finance Ministers will meet in Brussels on Tuesday 12 July.

Monday 18 July: Foreign Affairs Council, Brussels (06/07/2016)

EU Foreign Affairs Ministers will meet in Brussels on Monday 18 July.

Monday 18 July: Agriculture and Fisheries Council, Brussels (06/07/2016)

Tuesday 19 July: Briefing on the Slovak Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Dublin (06/07/2016)

The European Movement Ireland is holding a briefing on the Slovak Presidency of the Council of the European Union on Tuesday 19 July. Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to Ireland, H.E. Dušan Matulay, and Minister of State for European Affairs, Data Protection and EU Digital Single Market, Dara Murphy TD will both speak at the event.

Tuesday 19 July: Screening of Slovak documentary film 'Paper Heads' (07/07/2016)

On Tuesday 19 July, the European Commission Representation in Ireland will host a screening of the documentary "Paper Heads" by the Slovak Embassy in Ireland. The documentary examines the relationship between the citizen and power in a totalitarian regime. The screening takes place in Europe House, 12-14 Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2 on Tuesday 19 July at 6.30 pm.

Public consultation on the Internal Market for goods – enforcement and compliance (07/07/2016)

The European Commission has opened a public consultation on the evaluation of the market surveillance provisions of Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 and on actions to enhance enforcement and compliance in the Single Market for goods. The aim of this public consultation is to collect stakeholders' feedback. The consultation is open until 31 October 2016.

Results of the UK Referendum: Joint Statement from the Heads of the EU institutions (30/06/2016)

Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament, Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, Mark Rutte, Holder of the Presidency of the Council of the EU, and Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, said: "In a free and democratic process, the British people have expressed their wish to leave the European Union. We regret this decision but respect it. This is an unprecedented situation but we are united in our response. We will stand strong and uphold the EU's core values of promoting peace and the well-being of its peoples. The Union of 27 Member States will continue. The Union is the framework of our common political future. We are bound together by history, geography and common interests and will develop our cooperation on this basis. Together we will address our common challenges to generate growth, increase prosperity and ensure a safe and secure environment for our citizens. The institutions will play their full role in this endeavour."

Attacks on Atatürk Airport: Joint statement by High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini and Commissioner Johannes Hahn (30/06/2016)

Turkey has suffered another tragic terrorist attack, this time at Istanbul's Atatürk Airport. The attack has killed at least 36 people and injured many others. We extend our sincere condolences to the families and friends of all those killed and wish a speedy recovery to the injured. The European Union reiterates once again its continuing solidarity to Turkey, its government and its people and reaffirms its commitment to work closely together to fight the global threat of terrorism in all its forms.

Statement by Commissioner Phil Hogan on the outcome of the UK Referendum (30/06/2016)

EU Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner Phil Hogan said: "I regret but respect the decision of the British people to leave the European Union. I echo the call of President Juncker for a swift and decisive negotiation, pursuant to Article 50, in the interests of both sides. It's essential that we set in train the essential steps to bring clarity and stability to the 27 member bloc as quickly as possible."

EU languages: Statement on behalf of the European Commission Representation in Ireland (28/06/2016)

We note the media reports stating that in the event of a UK withdrawal from the EU, English would cease to be an official language of the EU. This is incorrect. The Council of Ministers, acting unanimously, decide on the rules governing the use of languages by the European institutions. In other words, any change to the EU Institutions' language regime is subject to a unanimous vote of the Council, including Ireland.

Increase in intervention ceiling for milk powder - EU Commissioner Hogan (30/06/2016)

New rules increasing the public intervention ceiling for Skimmed Milk Powder (SMP) from 218 000 tonnes to 350 000 tonnes formally enter into force today (30 June). This move follows a strong take-up of SMP intervention in response to the current market crisis, and follows on from the exceptional measures announced by the Commission at the March Agriculture Council. The increase in the intervention ceiling comes at a moment when the volumes of SMP bought up so far this year have already reached 296 525 tonnes, of which 218 000 tonnes via "fixed price" intervention and 78 525 tonnes via intervention tenders.

New rules to protect children in cross-border family proceedings (30/06/2016)

When families have disputes or international couples separate, cross-border judicial cooperation is crucial to give children a secure legal environment. The Commission this week proposed improvements to the EU rules that protect children in this context. The key objective of the proposals is to ensure quicker and cheaper overall procedures. The changes also aim to ensure that children who are capable of forming their own views will be guaranteed an opportunity to express views in all proceedings concerning their case. First Vice-President Timmermans said: "The simplified new rules we have adopted will bring benefits for families and children. They will gain from reduced timelines for settling proceedings and will avoid the heavy financial costs often linked to such procedures. We need to make sure that different legal regimes are compatible to minimise complications, delays, distress and uncertainty."

EU consumer law continues to apply to British online traders (30/06/2016)

Complaints are coming in that some British online traders are refusing to exchange goods or make refunds to Irish customers. The European Consumer Centre has reminded consumers that their rights under EU Law have not changed arising from last week's referendum. The UK's legal position will not change until it formally leaves the European Union which will take at least 2 years. If you have any problems, contact the European Consumer Centre in Dublin.

Commission welcomes deal to improve rules for occupational pensions (30/06/2016)

The EU has today (30 June) agreed new rules for work pension funds to improve the way they are governed and enhance the clarity of information provided to pension savers. The new Directive will improve the way pension funds are governed, make it easier for pension funds to conduct cross-border business and provide clear information to pension scheme members and beneficiaries. These rules will make it easier for pension funds to invest in long-term assets, strengthening the role they can play in the Capital Markets Union.

EU Agriculture Ministers call for action to reduce food waste (30/06/2016)

EU Agriculture Ministers meeting this week set out a series of initiatives to reduce food waste and losses in the future. These measures include calls on member states and the Commission to improve monitoring and data collection to better understand the problem, to focus on preventing food waste and losses and enhancing the use of biomass in future EU legislation, and to facilitate the donation of unsold food products to charities. Every year nearly a third of all the food is lost or wasted.

UCD leads new EU-funded research project into agri-food waste (30/06/2016)

EU Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner Phil Hogan was in Dublin last week to launch a new research project that will look into ways of reducing and reusing agri-food waste. The AgroCycle project, which will receive approximately €7 million in EU funding over three years, is being led by the UCD School of Biosystems and Food Engineering. There are two other Irish partners in the project which has 26 partners in 10 countries: NUI Maynooth and Carton Bros. in Co Meath. Approximately 700 million tonnes of agricultural waste is generated in the EU every year.

European Commission and EIF launch new guarantee scheme to help SMEs in the cultural and creative sectors (30/06/2016)

The European Commission and the European Investment Fund (EIF) have launched a €121 million guarantee initiative to support SMEs in the cultural and creative sectors via financial institutions. The scheme will allow the EIF to provide guarantees and counter-guarantees, free of charge, to selected financial intermediaries in order to enable them to provide more debt finance to entrepreneurs in the cultural and creative arena. The creative and cultural sectors employ more than 7 million people in the EU and account for 4.2% of the EU's GDP. The €121 million is expected to leverage more than €600 million worth of bank loans over the next 6 years.

Social media aids emergency services and empowers the public (30/06/2016)

Trinity College Dublin is a partner in an EU-funded project that has developed a system capable of exploiting the widespread use of mobile electronic devices and social media to improve the official response to emergencies and other crises. The EU-funded iSAR+ project has shown that mobile devices and online systems can be integrated with existing emergency response systems for the two-way flow of information between emergency teams and the public, for the benefit of both. By sharing messages, emergency teams can get valuable information from people on the ground at incidents, while the public can receive advice, such as on what to do to make themselves safe and how to help fellow citizens or the emergency services.

More men study STEM subjects while more women study education and health (30/06/2016)

According to new Eurostat figures published this week, only 15% of Engineering, Manufacturing and Construction graduates in Ireland were women in 2014 figures. This is the lowest share in the EU where the average was 27%, rising to just under 39% in Poland. Science, mathematics and computing is another male dominated field in most Member States and even more so in Ireland where 63.5% of graduates were male compared to an EU average of 57.6%. The opposite was true for health and welfare where three-quarters of graduates (both in Ireland and the EU) were women and in humanities and art where 60.3% of graduates in Ireland and 67.2% in the EU were women). Women also dominated in education with 71.4% of graduates in Ireland and 80.3% in the EU in 2014 being women.

Friday 1 July: Slovakia takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union (30/06/2016)

Slovakia takes over the six-month rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union from the Netherlands on Friday 1 July.

Monday 4 July: Address to the IIEA on "Challenges for the European Agenda on Migration" (30/06/2016)

On Monday 4 July, Matthias Ruete, Director General for Migration and Home Affairs at the European Commission will address the Institute of International and European Affairs on Challenges for the European Agenda on Migration, in Dublin.

Monday 4 to Thursday 7 July: European Parliament Plenary Session (30/06/2016)

The next plenary session of the European Parliament will take place in Strasbourg from 4 to 7 July.

Friday 8 and Saturday 9 July: NATO Summit, Warsaw (30/06/2016)

On 8-9 July, Poland will host the NATO summit meeting. European Council President, Donald Tusk, European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker, and High Representative Federica Mogherini will represent the European Union at the summit. In the margins of the summit, President Donald Tusk and President Jean-Claude Juncker will meet US President Barack Obama for an EU-US leaders meeting.

Monday 11 July: Eurogroup meeting, Brussels (30/06/2016)

Eurozone finance ministers will meet in Brussels on Monday 11 July.

Tuesday 12 July: Economic and Financial Affairs Council, Brussels (30/06/2016)

The next meeting of EU finance ministers will take place in Brussels on Tuesday 12 July.

Public consultation regarding the implementation of the Second European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership Programme (30/06/2016)

The purpose of this consultation is to invite the views and opinions of stakeholders, experts active in the field and the wider public on the implementation of the EDCTP2 Programme during the first three years of operation (2014-2016). The consultation is open until 15 October 2016.

Public Consultation on potential measures to improve the implementation of certain aspects of the Directive on end-of life vehicles (30/06/2016)

This public stakeholder consultation is a part of the study “Assessment of the implementation of Directive 2000/53/EC on end-of life vehicles (the ELV Directive) with emphasis on the end-of life vehicles of unknown whereabouts” led by the Oeko-Institut with the cooperation of Argus Statistik und Informationssysteme in Umwelt und Gesundheit GmbH as well as ICEDD – Institut de Conseil et d'Etudes en Developpement Durable and Resources and Waste Advisory Group (RWA) as subcontractors and prepared for the European Commission. The consultation is open until 21 September 2016.

EU Council discusses the outcome of the UK referendum on EU membership (30/06/2016)

This week, 27 EU leaders informally discussed the implications of 'Brexit'. Here's a few things they said afterwards: "We deeply regret the outcome of the UK's referendum but we respect the will expressed by a majority of the British people. Until the UK leaves the EU, EU law continues to apply to and within the UK when it comes to rights and obligations." They also said: "There will be no negotiations of any kind until the UK formally notifies its intention to withdraw." Art. 50 of the Treaty on the European Union is the legal means to withdraw from the EU. A Member State government needs to notify the EU institutions by formal letter in order to start its implementation. After this, negotiations can begin, with a cut-off point two years after that. The final deal goes to Council for a qualified majority vote and then to Parliament for a simple majority vote. The UK then becomes a "third country". The UK has not yet given formal notification of its intention to activate Art. 50.

Galway City has won the EU's prestigious European Green Leaf Environmental Award. (23/06/2016)

The City was chosen from hundreds of urban centres across Europe with populations under 100,000 as Europe's most environmentally friendly small city. The announcement was made last night in Ljubljana, Slovenia (last year's "Green Capital" winner) and the award was presented by the European Commission to the Mayor of Galway, Councillor Noel Larkin. The jury particularly appreciated Galway’s approach to green growth and support of SMEs, as well as their commitment to education and enthusiasm in becoming a Green Ambassador in 2017 and beyond.

Key social affairs stakeholders meet to discuss European Pillar of Social Rights (23/06/2016)

Key Social affairs stakeholders met with Commission experts in Dublin this week to talk about a new European Pillar of Social Rights. "Economic convergence is not an end in itself. It needs to go alongside a social convergence and it also needs to be towards the top" said Head of Representation, Barbara Nolan, echoing the words of President Juncker in his 2015 State of the Union address. The new Social Pillar, covering 20 policy areas, aims to help Ireland and Europe strike the right balance between social and economic priorities.

Phil Hogan presents European Region of Gastronomy Prize to Galway (23/06/2016)

Galway is set to host one of Europe's biggest food events, the European Region of Gastronomy 2018. Presenting the award in Galway last Monday was European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Phil Hogan. "Congratulations to Galway! I'm honoured to present European Gastronomy 2018 award to Mayors of Galway County Council and Galway City Council", Commissioner Hogan said. The award follows a successful campaign by the local authorities, regional stakeholders including GMIT, Galway 2020 and local food producers. The jury said: "Galway 2018 is a great example of a European Region of Gastronomy, with its origins in the agricultural landscape which is linked to food production. The result is an enhanced food culture, embedding good food within our lives, our society and our economy and creating more exciting food experiences."

EU information relays in Ireland gather in Dublin (23/06/2016)

On Tuesday 21 June, the Managers from the Europe Direct Information Centres as well as the Managers of the European Documentation Centres met at Europe House in Dublin for their Annual General Meeting. The AGM had training, updates on topical subjects including the Investment Plan for Europe, and the opportunity to meet and exchange best practices. The meeting was also attended by the local Government Management Agency which coordinates the activities of the Europe Direct Information Centres in Ireland which are based in local libraries around the country.

EU Commission Statement World Refugee Day 2016 (23/06/2016)

On the occasion of World Refugee Day, 20 June 2016, First Vice-President Timmermans, High Representative/ Vice-President Mogherini and Commissioners Mimica, Avramopoulos and Stylianides said: "An estimated 60 million persons are forcibly displaced in the world - as refugees, asylum seekers, migrants or internally displaced persons. Providing support and protection for refugees and effectively managing migration is a challenge, which requires a global response (…) The EU has not and will not turn a blind eye to this crisis and we will continue to share in the global efforts to address it. "Overall more than €10 billion of the EU budget for the years 2015 and 2016 has been allocated to address the refugee crisis within the EU and in third countries (…) We tripled our resources for search and rescue operations at sea last year, contributing to saving more than 240,000 people in the Mediterranean."

European Border and Coast Guard agreed (23/06/2016)

The European Parliament, Council and Commission this week reached an agreement on the Commission's proposal on a European Border and Coast Guard, paving the way for the reinforced Agency to be up and running starting this summer. The European Border and Coast Guard will combine a new reinforced Agency, building on the foundations laid by Frontex, with the ability to draw on a reserve pool of people and equipment. Member States will continue to keep their competence and sovereignty over their borders. They will continue to manage the external border day to day. But crucially, the European Border and Coast Guard will provide support to all Member States and be able to identify and intervene to address weaknesses in advance, and not when it's too late.

Commission approves prolongation of Irish credit union resolution scheme (23/06/2016)

The European Commission has found the prolongation of an Irish scheme for the orderly winding-up of credit unions to be in line with EU state aid rules, and in particular with the 2013 Banking Communication. The objective of the scheme is to safeguard financial stability when a credit union becomes unable to meet regulatory requirements. It allows Ireland to provide aid for transferring the assets and liabilities (with the possible exception of the premises) of a failing credit union to an acquirer through a competitive process.

What do Europeans do at work? A task-based analysis: European Jobs Monitor 2016 (23/06/2016)

Europe has begun to emerge from the prolonged slump and in 2014–2015, aggregate employment levels rose faster than at any time since 2008. So says the fifth annual European Jobs Monitor report. Irish employment growth has been significantly above average since 2011 (+5%), but that due to the severity of the crash we are still more than 100,000 jobs short of the pre-crisis employment peak (circa 2.1 million employed persons). However, most of the recent employment growth has been in low or mid-paying jobs – biggest increase in employment numbers has been in jobs in agriculture, construction, and food/beverages sectors – which might make the Irish economic vulnerable again.

3D printing for personalised medical devices (23/06/2016)

The EU is investing in research to help European manufacturers remain competitive in a growing market for personalised medical products. Two projects are developing ways to use 3D printing to make tailor-made components for the benefit of patients. The researchers plan to integrate the printer in a platform on which designers, engineers and other stakeholders can collaborate to customise prostheses.

Friday 24 June: General Affairs Council, Luxembourg (23/06/2016)

The Council will prepare the European Council on 28-29 June 2016.

Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 June: Agriculture and Fisheries Council, Luxembourg (23/06/2016)

The Council will have an exchange of views on the market situation and the market support measures currently in place. The Commission will present to the Council its communication on a consultation on fishing opportunities for 2017.

Tuesday 28 and Wednesday 29 June: European Council, Brussels (23/06/2016)

The European Council will discuss the outcome of the UK in/out referendum held on 23 June 2016. Leaders will address migration. In particular they will turn to situation in Central Mediterranean and cooperation with third countries of origin and transit. They will also take stock of the implementation of the EU-Turkey statement of 18 March 2016 and the closure of the Western Balkans route. Leaders will call for the deepening of the single market, with a focus on the digital agenda. They will also endorse the country-specific recommendations under the 2016 European Semester and assess the first results of the European Fund for Strategic Investments.

Friday 1 July: ICEL Privacy and Data Protection Conference, Dublin (23/06/2016)

This event is organised by the Irish Centre for European Law.

Friday 1 July: Slovakia takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union (23/06/2016)

Slovakia will take over the six-month rotating Presidency of the European Council from The Netherlands on 1 July.

Monday 4 July: Challenges for the European Agenda on Migration (23/06/2016)

Matthias Ruete, Director General for Migration and Home Affairs at the European Commission to address the Institute of International and European Affairs on Challenges for the European Agenda on Migration, Dublin

Public consultation on the LIFE Programme (23/06/2016)

The purpose is to evaluate the implementation of the LIFE Programme for the Environment and Climate Action, with a view to taking a decision on the renewal, modification or suspension of the measures, as well as taking into account evaluation results on the long term impact of LIFE+. The consultation runs until 9 September 2016.

Public consultation on fishing opportunities for 2017 under the Common Fisheries Policy (23/06/2016)

The consultation aims 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 1 September 2016.

Irish language Translators (23/06/2016)

The European Personnel Selection Office has launched a competition to recruit Irish language translators to work in Brussels and Luxembourg. To apply you must hold EU citizenship and have fluency in English, as well as French or German, in addition to Irish. The deadline to apply is 12 July 2016.

EU moves to stop companies "profit shifting" to no-tax or low-tax countries (23/06/2016)

EU Finance Ministers have agreed a new set of proposals to tackle corporate tax avoidance. Under new measures agreed in Brussels earlier this week, each EU Member State will have to impose greater transparency to ensure that corporate companies pay their fair share. The new measures, which are expected to take effect next year, are designed to prevent "profit shifting" to no-tax or low-tax countries. Pierre Moscovici, Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs, said: "Today's agreement strikes a serious blow against those engaged in corporate tax avoidance. For too long, some companies have been able to take advantage of the mismatches between different Member States tax systems to avoid billions of euros in tax."

Less than 0.05% of EU's fruit grown in Ireland (23/06/2016)

New Eurostat figures show that Ireland and Malta harvested the lowest amount of fruit in the EU in 2015 at less than 0.05%. Poland, for example, accounted for 25% of the total number of applies produced in the EU in 2015, while Ireland accounted for a mere 0.1%. And Spain was the top EU producer of strawberries in 2015 at 29% of total production while Ireland accounted for only 0.5%. Vegetable production is also very low in Ireland – 0.2% of the total EU harvest. Italy was the EU's biggest producer of vegetables in 2015 at 20.2%. Ireland produces less than 0.05% of the EU's courgettes and tomatoes and only 0.7% of its carrots.