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Saturday 9 December 2023 Dublin: 9°C

# European Union

This week
3rd December 2023 - 9th December 2023
Householders to be entitled to a brown bin collection service in new year
Currently 68% of households in Ireland can avail of the service.
Last week
26th November 2023 - 9th December 2023
EU member states reach preliminary agreement on reducing industrial emissions
The deal would “reduce harmful emissions from industry and improve public access to information,” the European Council said.
TD Barry Cowen and MEP Mick Wallace will run for European Parliament next year
Wallace said last week that it will be “challenging” for him to be re-elected.
Last month
November 2023
Ireland’s extra MEP seat should be in Midlands-NW constituency, says Electoral Commission
The Commission has also recommended that the counties of Laois and Offaly transfer from the South constituency into the Midlands constituency.
New laws requiring quad bike users to wear helmets and do safety training come into effect
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) said that the new law is the first of its kind in the European Union.
Opinion: The cost of glyphosate is mounting - for health and habitats
MEP Grace O’Sullivan says the continuation of the use of RoundUp for another decade is a devastating blow.
'People Before Profit are not eurosceptic, we’re euro-critical’: Gino Kenny on party's EU stance
On Israel and Palestine, Kenny said he has lost faith that a two-state solution will be possible.
Varadkar says Ireland would lose influence by going 'too far' in response to Israel motion
Opposition TDs have called for sanctions on Israel in response to its treatment of the Palestinian people.
EU opens probes into YouTube and TikTok over child protection measures on platforms
Both companies must provide the requested information to the Commission by 30 November.
EU executive recommends opening formal membership talks with Ukraine and Moldova
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hailed the move as the “right step” for Europe.
Ursula von der Leyen visits Ukraine as 14 more injured in Russian attacks
Ursula von der Leyen said talks would focus on the path for Ukraine to join the European Union.
October
October 2023
Varadkar says EU needs to double down on political, military and financial support for Ukraine
Yesterday, Slovakia announced that it was stopping military aid to the war-torn country.
Commissioner to be quizzed by MEPs on his 'solo run' to remove aid to Gaza
Oliver Várhelyi announced the bloc would be suspending aid to Palestinians on his own initiative.
‘A complete mess’: Irish MEPs mostly critical of von der Leyen’s response to Israel-Hamas war
Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher said if von der Leyen continues to “overstep” then her position will become untenable.
EU reverses commissioner's decision to suspension of development aid payments to Palestinians
EU foreign ministers will tomorrow hold urgent talks on the situation in Israel and Gaza.
Taoiseach: Ireland may pay EU countries rather than accept more refugees under migration pact
Leo Varadkar was speaking at the European Political Community Summit, where he also held a meeting with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
This year
2023
Factcheck: MEP Clare Daly ‘mistakenly’ cited wrong fatality figures for Russian invasion of Ukraine
Daly had also said that Ukraine had lost territory, citing Russian annexation declarations.
Poland extends its embargo on Ukrainian grain after EU lifts sanctions in five member states
The ban, placed on the grain in May, restricted imports in five member states seeking to protect their farmers.
Opinion: If proper funding is provided, farmers can recover from the nitrates derogation blow
Dr Catherine Conlon says the nitrates derogation is an opportunity for farmers to reduce productivity and meet EU Nature Restoration targets if funding issues are addressed.
Microsoft to stop packaging Teams with Office in bid to head off EU anti-trust action
The move comes after a formal investigation was opened over concerns that the tech giant had an unfair edge over competitors.
The European Union's tough new laws on social media content have officially come into force
Platforms with at least 45 million monthly active users will be subjected to fulfil every new obligation.
Irish Government campaigning to make Dublin base for EU anti-money laundering watchdog
The EU’s Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) employs 500 people.
The Explainer: What is the Nature Restoration Law and how will it work in Ireland?
This week on The Explainer, we’re joined by Lauren Boland, climate reporter with The Journal, to examine what precisely this legislation is all about and why it sparked so much anger. Do environmentalists think the now-watered-down law will have any impact? And how does Ireland fit into the picture?
Ireland takes first steps towards joining European security project to protect undersea cables
Ireland is already participating in a number of projects under the Permanent Structured Co-operation (Pesco) element of the EU Global Strategy.
Analysis: In Europe, Ireland is an outlier when it comes to climate action
Emma DeSouza reports on the climate debates in Strasbourg.
Countdown starts on EU election as MEPs race to finish new laws
A report by
Lauren Boland
One year out from voting, the pressure is on to get through legislation before MEPs’ focus starts to ‘wander’ back to their constituencies.
EU doubles firefighting aircraft fleet ahead of hot and dry summer
The aircraft are stationed in 10 member states while over 400 firefighters will be pre-positioned in Greece, France and Portugal.
EU demands Greece investigate footage of alleged expulsion of migrants
The footage showed men accosting migrants, bundling them in a van, and taking them out into the Aegean Sea.
Campaigners who raised ire of right-wing press insist they're not 'plotting to hijack Eurovision'
Members from the Liverpool for Europe group plan to hand out 75,000 EU flags at this week’s Eurovision in Liverpool.
EU to guard against any Russia abuse of UN presidency, foreign policy chief says
Ukraine has branded the presidency as “a slap in the face”.
EU states aim to double continent's renewable energy usage by 2030
The European Union Parliament and EU states reached a deal this morning to almost double the usage of renewable energy by 2030
How does Ireland compare with other EU countries when it comes to renter rights?
With the debate around tenant rights top of the agenda again this week, here’s how Ireland measures up.
Whatever happened to the EU plan to abolish daylight savings time?
With the clocks about to change this weekend, EU plans to abolish daylight savings time have fizzled out
Taoiseach is 'disappointed' with DUP's decision not to return to Stormont
Varadkar is in Brussels today for a meeting of EU leaders where the Windsor Framework will be discussed.
Ireland 'substantially reduces' Defence Forces personnel on EU Mali training mission
Mali, along with Burkina Faso and Niger in the Sahel Region of Africa, is scene to a major Islamist insurgency in recent years.
FactFind: Is the EU 'forcing' people to eat 'unhealthy' insects without their knowledge?
Cricket flour is already added to food outside the EU, such as Canadian cheese puffs.
EU approves 2035 ban on new fossil fuel car sales
The Irish Government plans to ban new fossil fuel car sales from 2030 onwards.
'Borders must be managed': How Ireland and the EU are reacting to Europe's latest migrant crisis
A report by
Stephen McDermott
Tensions abound across the continent about how to manage an upsurge in refugees.
Problems managing an upsurge in refugee arrivals are facing European leaders as a whole.
NGOs say that no amount of tough rhetoric or measures will stop people from seeking refuge on the continent.
Russia unleashes missile and drone strikes in eastern and southern Ukraine
Russian forces launched 71 cruise missiles, 35 S-300 missiles and seven Shahed drones since last night.
Hailed as a hero at EU summit, Zelenskyy urges faster arms supplies
The Ukrainian President is due to hold a series of bilateral meetings this afternoon.