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EU NEWS YOU CAN USE
European Commission in Ireland
Top News
Withdrawal Agreement: European
Commission sends letter of formal notice
to the United Kingdom for breach of its
obligations
The European Commission has today (Thursday 1 October)
sent the United Kingdom a letter of formal notice for
breaching its obligations under the Withdrawal Agreement.
President von der Leyen said: "As you know, we had
invited our British friends to remove the problematic parts
of their draft Internal Market Bill by the end of September.
This draft Bill is – by its very nature – a breach of the
obligation of good faith laid down in the Withdrawal
Agreement (Article 5). Moreover, if adopted as is, it will be
in full contradiction to the Protocol on Ireland / Northern
Ireland. The deadline lapsed yesterday. The problematic
provisions have not been removed. Therefore, this
morning, the Commission has decided to send a letter of
formal notice to the UK government."
Read more...
Commission sets out plan for a new
European Research Area
The European Commission this week adopted a
Communication on a new European Area for Research and
Innovation. The Communication sets out strategic
objectives and actions to be implemented in close
cooperation with EU Member States in order to prioritise
investments and reforms in research and innovation,
improve access to excellence for researchers across the EU
and enable research results to reach the market and the
real economy. The new European Research Area will also
further promote researchers’ mobility, skills and career
development opportunities within the EU, gender equality,
and access to publicly funded peer-reviewed science.
Read more...
Commission presents plans for a European Education Area and improved
digital education and training
The European Commission this week adopted two initiatives that will strengthen the contribution of education and
training to the EU's recovery from the coronavirus crisis, and help build a green and digital Europe. The Digital
Education Action Plan (2021-2027) proposes a set of initiatives for high‑quality, inclusive and accessible digital
education in Europe. The Communication on the European Education Area outlines how Member States can shape a
European Education Area based on freedom for learners and teachers to learn and work across the continent and for
institutions to freely associate with one another in Europe and beyond.
Read more...
Commission changes: MEPs to assess
Commissioner-designate McGuinness
The European Parliament's economic and monetary affairsThe European Parliament's economic and monetary affairs committee will hold a hearing at 8 am on Friday 2 October with Commissioner-designate Mairead McGuinness to evaluate whether she is suitable to serve as a commissioner in charge of financial services, financial stability and the Capital Markets Union. On the same day, there will also be a hearing with Valdis Dombrovskis (Latvia), who is an executive Vice-President of the Commission, to assess his suitability to take over the trade portfolio. Read more... Other news Rule of law: First Annual Report on the Rule of Law situation across the European Union The European Commission this week published the first EU-wide report on the rule of law. The report includes input from every Member State and covers both positive and negative developments across the EU. It covers four main pillars with a strong bearing on the rule of law: national justice systems, anti-corruption frameworks, media pluralism and freedom, and other institutional issues related to the checks and balances essential to an effective system of democratic governance. Read more... Customs Union: New Action Plan to further support EU customs in their vital role of protecting EU revenues, prosperity and security The European Commission has launched a new Customs Union Action Plan setting out a series of measures to make EU customs smarter, more innovative and more efficient over the next four years. The Plan includes a number of initiatives in areas such as risk management, managing e-commerce, the promotion of compliance and customs authorities acting as one. Read more... New alliance to strengthen resilience of the raw materials value chain The European Commission this week launched the new European Raw Materials Alliance. The Alliance aims at identifying barriers, opportunities and investment possibilities at all stages of the raw materials value chain - from mining to waste recovery - while at the same time addressing sustainability and social impacts. Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton said: "The European Raw Materials Alliance is an important step in strengthening the industrial ecosystems that depend on raw materials." Read more... Provisional agreement reached on better rights for rail passengers The European Parliament and Council this week reached a provisional agreement on modernising rail passenger rights. The revised rules will improve the rights of passengers, in particular of those with disabilities or reduced mobility. They will also encourage rail companies to provide more and improved services. In the spirit of the Green Deal, passengers will be entitled to take their bikes on board as a general rule. Read more...
Read more... UCD led EU-funded research project shows green infrastructure can reduce air pollution An EU-funded research project, which was led by UCD, has found that green infrastructure can be an effective way to reduce exposure to air pollution. If correctly positioned, simple hedges mixed with trees can reduce exposure to particulate matter by as much as 50%. The three-year ISCAPE project also looked at ways to stimulate behavioural change among EU citizens – for instance, in their choice of transport (sustainable urban mobility) or through citizen involvement in the widespread monitoring of pollution levels. Read more... Living, working and COVID-19: Eurofound survey A new survey from Eurofound shows that young people are emerging as some of lockdown’s biggest losers. Along with those out of work, young people report the lowest levels of well-being, despite some improvement since the onset of the pandemic. While life satisfaction and optimism increased since April, young people continue to feel excluded from society and remain at greatest risk of depression showing how restrictions during lockdown affect them more. The survey also reveals, however, that an average of over 60% of Irish people were optimistic about their future, 2nd highest in the EU after Denmark (70%). Read more... Life expectancy in Ireland above EU average New Eurostat figures show that the average life expectancy of a newborn in Ireland in 2018 was 82.3 years, up from 80.8 years in 2010, and above the EU average of 81 years. The figures also show that, on average, women in the EU live 5.5 years longer than men - in Ireland, the gap is 3.6 years. The highest life expectancy of all was recorded in the Spanish region of Madrid where women could expect to live to 88.1 years. The figures also show that an average EU or Irish resident who had survived to the age of 65 could expect to live about 20 years more. Read more... Death rate from coronary heart diseases in Ireland above EU average New Eurostat figures show that the death rate from coronary heart diseases in Ireland was 1,330 per million inhabitants in 2017, above the EU average of 1,194. On a regional level, the rate was highest in Ireland's Northern and Western region at 1,401 and lowest in the Eastern and Midland region at 1,226. Across the EU, Lithuania (5,362 deaths per million) had the highest death rate from heart disease while France had the lowest (466). Men were about twice as likely to die from coronary heart diseases as women. Read more... Agenda Thursday 1 and Friday 2 October: Special European Council On 1 and 2 October, EU leaders meet in Brussels to discuss foreign affairs, in particular relations with Turkey and the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean. The leaders are also expected to address relations with China, the situation in Belarus and the poisoning of Alexei Navalny. The single market, industrial policy and digital transformation are also on the agenda. Read more... Thursday 1 and Friday 2 October: Revitalising Retail 2020 Online Workshops The European Commission is organising an interactive virtual workshop on Revitalising Retail on
The European Commission is organising an interactive virtual workshop on Revitalising Retail on Thursday 1 and Friday 2 October. The workshop aims to gather feedback and encourage an exchange on how to help shops recover from the forced closures due to COVID-19, focussed on “Retail: Recovery and (re)birth”. It will explore what the retail sector, and in particular small retailers, may have learnt during the crisis and what they need in the short and longer term to help them recover and build resilience. The workshop will also be an opportunity to discuss how small retailers could benefit from support programmes in the framework of the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility. Read more... Friday 2 October: Webinar: Women in Politics and Online Abuse The European Parliament Liaison Office in Ireland, in conjunction with the National Women's Council of Ireland, is hosting an online event that will focus on the issue of online abuse, with a particular focus on how this affects women in politics, on Friday 2 October at 2.30pm. The panel will discuss the policy initiatives at national and European level, and the ongoing on-the-ground initiatives tackling this issue. Important contributions will be made by Maria Walsh, MEP; Gina Miller, Transparency Campaigner and Businesswoman; Tom Felle, Head of Journalism and Communications at NUIG and former journalist; and Colm O'Gorman, Executive Director of Amnesty International Ireland. Prior registration is essential via the link below. Read more... Friday 2 October: Webinar - Countering Online Disinformation: Actions Taken and the Challenges Ahead On Friday 2 October (1-2pm), Paolo Cesarini, Head of the European Commission's Media Convergence and Social Media Unit, will address an IIEA webinar on "Countering Online Disinformation: Actions Taken and the Challenges Ahead". He will discuss the European policy response with a focus on the “Code of Practice on Disinformation”, which was introduced in 2018 and which is now under review. Mr Cesarini will assess the Code’s effectiveness and discuss the best future policy options to protect society and democracy from the threat of disinformation. Read more... Monday 5 October: Eurogroup meeting This meeting will take place by video conference. Further information will be available at the link below in due course. Read more... Tuesday 6 October: Economic and Financial Affairs Council This meeting will take place by video conference. Further information will be available at the link below in due course. Read more... Tuesday 6 October: EU-Ukraine summit Information on this meeting will be available at the link below. Read more... Thursday 8 October: Home Affairs council This meeting will take place by video conference. Further information will be available at the link below in due course. Read more... Thursday 8 and Friday 9 October: Justice and Home Affairs Council This meeting will take place by video conference. Further information will be available at the link below in due course. Read more... Thursday 22 October: Translation workshop for secondary school students in conjunction with the National University of Ireland, Galway On Thursday 22 October, the European Commission will run a special workshop – Translation as a
On Thursday 22 October, the European Commission will run a special workshop – Translation as a career – in conjunction with the National University of Ireland, Galway. This workshop will take place online and is aimed at students in fifth year in secondary school who have a high level of Irish. European Commission translators will provide an outline of their work and University lecturers will set out the courses available to learn the skills required to become a translator. Students will then have an opportunity to try their own hand at translation (translating short texts from English to Irish). Read more... Wednesday 28 October 2020: Webinar and workshops - Employment opportunities in the EU for people with Irish Are you interested in learning more about career opportunities for Irish speakers in the European Union’s institutions? The European Commission and the Irish Government are organising a full-day online event during the Oireachtas na Samhna festival aimed at informing potential candidates about job opportunities with Irish and providing concrete practical advice. Full details at the link below. Read more... Tuesday 3 November: Translation workshop for secondary school students in conjunction with University College Dublin On Tuesday 3 November, the European Commission will run a special workshop – Translation as a career – in conjunction with University College Dublin (UCD). This workshop will take place online and is aimed at students in fifth year in secondary school who have a high level of Irish. European Commission translators will provide an outline of their work and University lecturers will set out the courses available to learn the skills required to become a translator. Students will then have an opportunity to try their own hand at translation (translating short texts from English to Irish). Read more... Public consultations Commission outlines road to Zero Pollution Action Plan The European Commission has launched the roadmap for its Action Plan “Towards a Zero Pollution Ambition for air, water and soil – building a Healthier Planet for Healthier People”. The roadmap outlines EU plans to achieve zero pollution by better preventing, remedying, monitoring and reporting on pollution. The roadmap on the Zero Pollution Action Plan is open for feedback for 4 weeks until 29 October 2020. Read more... Rural development – long-term vision for rural areas The European Commission has committed to developing a long-term vision for rural areas. To achieve such a vision, it is necessary to assess what life is like in the rural areas of Europe and map out what is key for their prosperity. This public consultation will contribute to the process by gathering the perception and views of Europeans on a range of issues. The consultation is open until 30 November 2020. Read more... Euro: Commission launches evaluation of the use of one and two cent coins The European Commission has launched an evaluation and
The European Commission has launched an evaluation and impact assessment on the use of one and two cent coins. This includes an open consultation, which will run for 15 weeks, to get the opinions of a broad range of stakeholders, including other institutions, relevant national authorities, consumers and civil society. On the basis of the assessment, the Commission will decide at the end of 2021 whether a legislative proposal on the introduction of uniform rounding rules for cash payments in the euro area, and possibly on the discontinuation of one and two cent coins is warranted. Read more... Availability of private short-term export-credit insurance capacity for exports in light of economic impact of coronavirus outbreak The European Commission has launched a public consultation to assess the availability of private short-term export-credit insurance capacity for exports to all countries listed as “marketable risk countries” in the 2012 Short-term export-credit Communication. Depending on the results of the consultation and taking into account the relevant economic indicators, the Commission may decide to prolong the removal of all countries from the list of “marketable risk countries” as a temporary measure decided in March 2020, beyond December 2020. The consultation is open until 7 October 2020. Read more... Competitions EU Urban Road Safety Award 2020: Applications now open The EU Urban Road Safety Award aims to highlight the contribution made by local authorities towards improving the safety of European roads. It rewards outstanding and innovative achievements by local authorities in the area of road safety and encourages the exchange of good practice across Europe. Applications are now open for the 2020 awards. Local authorities are invited to apply by 31 October 2020. Read more... This is the Newsletter of the Representation of the European Commission in Ireland. If this Newsletter was forwarded to you and you would like to receive it directly you can subscribe here. You can unsubscribe from this newsletter from your profile or by contacting us at this address: Functionnal mailbox .
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