Northern Ireland in Europe - Report of the European Commission’s Northern Ireland Task Force 2007-2014

In accordance with the remit of promoting competitiveness and sustainable employment, and after close consultation with the devolved institutions, the policy fields, and founding Directorates General, involved in the NITF at the outset were: Agriculture, Education and Culture, Transport and Energy, Employment and Social Affairs, Enterprise, Environment, Research and Innovation, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Regional and Urban Policy, the Secretariat General and, outside the Commission, the European Investment Bank also participated in early meetings. However, one of the positive aspects of the NITF has been its flexibility and the initial group of 10 Commission services subsequently expanded, largely at the request of Northern Ireland, to 18 (counting Transport and Energy as two, following their separation administratively in 2010) to include Climate Action, Competition Policy, Communications Networks and Communications Technologies, Health and Consumers, Home Affairs, Justice and Taxation and Customs Union. The European Commission’s office in Belfast has participated in the work of the NITF throughout.