About: Irish EU Presidency
Budget negotiator: Commission forgot about the Lisbon Treaty
During the negotiations for the 2014-2020 EU budget, the European Commission appeared to have forgotten that the Lisbon Treaty entails new responsibilities that require at least a minimum of funding, says Alain Lamassoure, MEP and head of the negotiating team for the financial framework.
EU ministers want budget talks concluded by end of June
EU ministers are pressing to conclude negotiations on the EU’s 2014-2020 budget before the term of the Irish presidency ends in June.
Slovakia, Slovenia refuse to sign off on CAP deal
Agriculture ministers meeting in Brussels on Tuesday (19 March) forged an incomplete compromise farm policy ahead of key negotiations on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), with Slovakia and Slovenia refusing to sign off on the deal.
Wealthy member states must cough up cash: Irish development minister
With the EU agreeing a near freeze in overseas development aid, persuading citizens to back further national contributions will be a tricky but necessary task, says Irish Trade and Development Minister Joe Costello.
Piebalgs urges EU countries to fill the gap on development aid
INFOGRAPHIC / Andris Piebalgs, the European development commissioner, has called on EU member countries to compensate the aid cuts from the bloc's long-term budget that were agreed by EU leaders at a summit last Friday.
EU and medical devices industry at odds over regulation
Following the implant scandal in which women were given industrial rather than medical-grade silicon, the EU has moved to tighten up regulation on medical devices. But industry says the new proposal “does not contribute to patient safety” and will affect the EU’s speed to market and cripple innovation.
EU aid ministers vow unity in global anti-poverty talks
European development ministers have agreed that the EU will speak with one voice in future international negotiations on new targets for sustainable growth and eradicating extreme poverty.
Irish burgers are safe, Minister assures MEPs
Reacting to the furore over the discovery of horse meat in Irish beef patties, MEPs on Wednesday (23 January) called for stronger EU labelling laws as Ireland's agriculture minister defended the safety of his country’s meat products.
CAP reform far from a done deal
The European Parliament’s agricultural committee began adopting dozens of amendments to the EU’s future farm policy on Wednesday (23 January), but approval remains far from certain when the full Parliament considers compromise proposals in March. VideoPromoted content
Ireland wants bank debt deal by June
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and his team of EU commissioners travelled to Dublin on Thursday to mark the start of the Irish presidency. Prime Minister Enda Kenny wants to use his presidency term to clinch a deal on restructuring Ireland's bank debt and successfully exiting the bailout programme. Banking supervision and reaching a deal on the EU budget will also be amongst Dublin's priorities.
Irish presidency will do all it can to avoid a ‘Brexit’
Ireland vowed to be honest broker and do whatever it can to avoid a British exit from EU membership, which is now at the top of the EU political agenda after Prime Minister David Cameron said that Britain must use the upheaval created by the eurozone crisis to forge a new relationship with the European Union.
Irish minister says stalled EU budget shouldn’t delay CAP talks
The future of Europe’s agriculture policy shouldn’t be held hostage by the EU’s budget impasse, Ireland’s agricultural minister said in calling for negotiations to move forward even if final figures on spending are unknown until spring. VideoPromoted content
Ireland unveils EU Presidency priorities
Stability, jobs and growth. This is the motto that will define Ireland's upcoming EU Council presidency starting on January 1st. On Monday Ireland unveiled their agenda for the next 6 months. Banking supervision and reaching a deal on the EU budget will take center stage. But with EU leaders failing to reach consensus on the next EU long-term budget in November, the Irish will be under pressure to clinch a deal.
Irish EU presidency: A breath of fresh Eire?
The upcoming Irish presidency of the EU Council of Ministers will be one of realism and optimism, Deputy Prime Minister Eamon Gilmore told reporters during a hand-over event in Brussels. Ireland, he said, hoped to become the first country to emerge from the EU/IMF bailout programme.