News

Since the EU Paediatric Regulation came into force ten years ago, 260 new medicines for children have been authorised. However, more effort is needed to combine the effects of the Paediatric with those of the “Orphan medicines” Regulation. EU Health Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis said: “When we consider...

Scattery Island in Co Clare is to become Ireland’s 8th European Destination of Excellence. This brings to 3 the number of European Destinations of Excellence in Co. Clare. The island, at the mouth of the Shannon Estuary, is home to a monastery founded by St Senan in...

The European Court of Justice has ruled that asylum seekers can rely, before a court or tribunal, on the expiry of the period laid down for his/her removal to another Member State. There is a six-month period available to a Member State under the Dublin III Regulation...

The EU is to tighten the laws on selling and possessing synthetic drugs or legal highs. Under new European legislation, member countries will be given six months to apply any EU decision to ban a substance instead of the current implementation period of 12 months. New penalties...

New Eurostat figures show that 24.5% of Irish workers were employed in public administration, defence, education, human health and social work activities in 2016, just above the EU average of 23.7%. Sweden (34.1%) had the highest share of people working in the public sector while Romania (13.6%)...

The European Council (Article 50), meeting in an EU 27 format last Friday, called for more progress regarding citizens’ rights, the Irish border, and financial obligations. EU Council President Donald Tusk said: “The negotiations go on, and we will continue to approach them positively and constructively. And...

The European Commission this week presented its 2018 Work Programme, which includes plans for completing the work on President Juncker’s ten political priorities before the end of its mandate. The Work Programme identifies 66 priority pending proposals presented in the past two years where swift adoption by...

The EU Employment and Social Affairs Ministers this week made a “Proclamation” on Social Rights. The European Pillar of Social Rights will be signed on 17 November in Gothenburg and aims to deliver more effective rights to citizens. It focuses on employment and social aspects and at...

Where does the initiative on a European Pillar of Social Rights come from? Building a fairer Europe and strengthening its social dimension is a key priority for this Commission, as indicated in the Political Guidelines of July 2014. In his first State of the Union speech to...

Following on from the announcements made in President Juncker’s 2017 State of the Union Address, the European Commission is today presenting its plans for completing the work on President Juncker’s ten political priorities before the end of its mandate, as well as a series of forward-looking initiatives...

What are the Outermost Regions of the EU? The nine Outermost Regions of the European Union consist of six French overseas territories (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, Réunion and Saint Martin), two Portuguese autonomous regions (the Azores and Madeira) and one Spanish autonomous community (the Canary Islands).http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/policy/themes/outermost-regions/...

Commission continues action against food waste and food poverty by facilitating food donation The Commission adopted today guidelines to facilitate food donation in the EU, a key deliverable of the Circular Economy Action Plan. The aim is to clarify relevant EU legislation and help lift barriers to...

Commission presents anti-terrorism package to better protect EU citizens and discusses European Council New Anti-Terrorism Measures As announced by President Juncker in his 2017 State of the Union address, the Commission presented today alongside its 11th Security Union Report a set of operational and practical measures to...

President Juncker attends European Council; working calendar agreed until 2019, progress made on migration, digital agenda, security & defence At today’s European Council, President Juncker welcomed the working methods and calendar agreed for the two years ahead, setting out a path for the future of the EU...

The Commission adopted its 2018 Work Programme, reported on implementation of its Better Regulation Agenda and presented a Strategy for Outermost Regions 2018 Commission Work Programme Following up on President Juncker’s State of the Union Address of 13 September, the European Commission today presented its 2018 Work...

The European Commission has published a handbook to help judicial authorities make better use of the European Arrest Warrant. The handbook provides a series of tips and recommendations to help judges when they issue or execute a European Arrest Warrant. Since its launch in 2004, the European...

The EU’s Copernicus Emergency Management Service (EMS) was activated last Sunday by the Irish National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management, ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Ophelia. Copernicus EMS is a free service which supplies maps to help manage emergencies: preparedness, prevention, disaster risk reduction, emergency...

The 2017 Labour Market and Wage Development Report shows that in 2016, wages in the euro area rose by 1.2% and they increased in almost all Member States. Member States with comparatively low wage levels (such as the Baltics, Hungary and Romania) recorded the highest increases. Employment...

An EU Agency for Fundamental Rights survey on violence against women shows that one in four (26%) women in Ireland and one in three women (33%) in the EU has experienced physical and/or sexual violence since the age of 15. The report also shows that some 8%...

The Commission has adopted new guidelines which will help donors and recipients of surplus food to make sure that they respect relevant requirements such as food hygiene and food information to consumers. EU Health Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis said: “In EU around 550,000 tons of food are redistributed...