EU leaders to discuss tax affairs of global corporations  Apple confirmed that two of its Irish subsidiaries pay around 2% in tax Taoiseach Enda Kenny will travel to a summit of EU leaders in Brussels today amid the continuing fallout over the US Senate committee's investigation of the computer giant Apple. The committee was critical of Apple's use of its Irish subsidiaries to avoid tax on tens of billions of dollars in earnings ... RTE Wed, 22 May 2013 01:00:00 IST |
| Our beaches are among EUs cleanest IRISH beaches and bathing spots are among the cleanest in Europe, a new report has found. Some 97pc of our beaches and lakes used for swimming meet EU standards, just above the average of 94pc. The results, published by the European Commission , also show that 80pc of beaches in popular summer destinations, including Spain, Italy and Portugal, meet the standards ... Irish Independent Wed, 22 May 2013 01:00:00 IST |
| Bankers face tighter curbs on bonuses in EU shake up Bankers who make more than their bosses could be ensnared by European Union bonus curbs even if their total pay is less than €500,000, under proposals from the EU's top regulator of the industry. The European Banking Authority also targeted the best paid 0.3pc of staff in a bank, and some bankers with bonuses higher than €75,000, in plans published yesterday that seek to identify which employees should be caught by an EU law banning bonuses greater than twice fixed pay ... Irish Independent Wed, 22 May 2013 01:00:00 IST |
| Coveney can still secure deal on agriculture and environment By James Nix A final deal on European farm policy for the next seven years will shortly be decided by European leaders. Their decision will profoundly effect our environment and the production of the food we eat. This stage of the complicated European policy machine is partially shrouded in mystery. The "trilogue" process (the forum where the three principle institutions meet to negotiate) operates under a self-imposed silence similar to a Papal conclave ... The Irish Examiner Mon, 20 May 2013 01:00:00 IST |
| Ireland shouldn" t even be contemplating a euro exit By Erik O’Donovan IN recent years, there has been some academic discussion on whether Ireland should leave the euro and re-establish its own currency. A small number of advocates of a euro exit have made the choice sound as simple as flipping a coin. The reality, however, is far more complex, and the risks very real ... The Irish Examiner Mon, 20 May 2013 01:00:00 IST |
| Drivers may have paid too much for fuel over 10 years MOTORISTS in Ireland may have been paying too much for petrol for the last decade as the EU probes a potential Europe-wide price-rigging scam. EU investigators raided the offices of top oil companies Shell, BP and Statoil on Tuesday to investigate if oil price reports have been distorted in a way that would ultimately lead to higher prices for consumers. Irish petrol prices have almost doubled from 82c a litre in 2002 to €1 ... Irish Independent Thu, 16 May 2013 01:00:00 IST |
| European Parliament must sign off on final deal brokered under Irish presidency Agreement on an EU fish management policy that copperfastens a ban on discards at sea has edged closer, following 36 hours of negotiations. Minister for Marine Simon Coveney , who brokered a compromise text, has described the package of measures as facilitating “more sustainable” fishing levels and a “workable” regionalisation policy. However, there has been mixed reaction to the document, which the European Parliament must sanction before it can be implemented in 2014 ... Irish Times Thu, 16 May 2013 01:00:00 IST |
| France must present credible reform plan says Barroso European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said France needed to present a credible programme of structural reforms as new data showed Europe’s second largest economy slipping into a shallow recession. Mr Barroso, who was due later to meet president Francois Hollande in Brussels, said France must pursue reforms if the EU was to grant it two more years to bring its budget deficit down to 3 per cent of economic output as promised ... Irish Times Wed, 15 May 2013 01:00:00 IST |
| EC raids offices of major oil firms in price fixing probe European authorities have raided offices of oil majors Shell, BP and Statoil in an investigation of suspected manipulation of oil prices, one of the biggest cross-border actions since the Libor rigging scandal. Authorities have sharpened scrutiny of financial benchmarks around the world since slapping large fines on some of the world's biggest banks for rigging interest rate benchmarks ... Irish Independent Wed, 15 May 2013 01:00:00 IST |
| Coveney secures fisheries mandate The Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney has secured a new mandate from EU Fisheries Ministers to enter final negotiations with the European Parliament on a reformed Common Fisheries Policy. The breakthrough came at 6.15am this morning, after 36 hours of negotiations. Europe's fisheries policy has been criticised for badly depleted fish stocks, being too expensive and the practice of discards, whereby fish catches excess to quotas are dumped ... The Irish Examiner Wed, 15 May 2013 01:00:00 IST |
| Hotels and prison got payments A LUXURY hotel and a prison were among the hundreds of Irish corporate bodies that got EU farm payments last year. The five-star Hotel Europe in Killarney, Co Kerry, got €65,000 in Common Agricultural Policy benefits last year, figures obtained by RTE show. And Shelton Abbey open prison got €5,700. The prison in Co Wicklow has a small farm where inmates raise cattle for needy families in developing countries ... Irish Independent Wed, 15 May 2013 01:00:00 IST |
| Gilmore to chair crucial EU budget talks Formal negotiations on the EU’s €960 billion budget over the next seven years will begin in Brussels today under the chairmanship of Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore. It follows last week’s crunch talks in the Belgian capital where the Taoiseach and Tánaiste met with the presidents of the European Parliament and Commission, Martin Schulz and Manuel Barroso ... Irish Times Mon, 13 May 2013 01:00:00 IST |
| FitzGerald made huge contribution to deeper European integration Europe Day was marked yesterday with the inaugural Garret FitzGerald Memorial Lecture, when the former taoiseach was praised for making his greatest contribution to Irish foreign policy by embracing deeper political integration in Europe ... Irish Times Fri, 10 May 2013 01:00:00 IST |
| Troika warning Q THE Troika has warned that this year's Budget must be strictly implemented – including in the health sector – and that more could be done to tackle unemployment . In a joint statement following its 10th review mission, the EU , ECB and IMF said the bailout programme remained on track and that gradual recovery was continuing. While stating growth needs to pick up to boost employment, it said further efforts were important to help those out of work ... Irish Independent Fri, 10 May 2013 01:00:00 IST |
| Far from being a peripheral entity it has flexed its muscles on a number of political issues Last Monday evening in Brussels, after the daily grind of activity in the European Commission’s Berlaymont building had drawn to a close, one light remained on. Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore had gathered with European Commission president José Manuel Barroso and European Parliament president Martin Schulz in a bid to resolve a deepening political impasse on the EU budget, a key file for the Irish presidency of the EU council ... Irish Times Fri, 10 May 2013 01:00:00 IST |
| Geoghegan Quinn entitled to give opinion on Seanad vote as politician Fiach Kelly Political Correspondent EUROPEAN Affairs Minister Lucinda Creighton has defended Maire Geoghegan-Quinn's intervention in the Seanad debate after the European Commissioner said she will vote No in the referendum to abolish it. Although commissioners are allowed comment on domestic politics – but not party politics – it is unusual for them to do so, especially Irish commissioners ... Irish Independent Fri, 10 May 2013 01:00:00 IST |
| Europe Day celebrations underway across the EU Members of the public are invited to attend the event at the Commission office on Dawson Street in Dublin Europe Day is being marked in capital cities right across the European Union to mark the event. Ireland is celebrating 40 years of EU membership and there will be a party at midday in the Commission office on Dawson Street in Dublin. Among those in attendance will be EU Commissioner Maire Geoghegan-Quinn and the Minister for European Affairs Lucinda Creighton ... RTE Thu, 9 May 2013 01:00:00 IST |
| Geoghegan Quinn will vote No on Seanad abolition Fiach Kelly Political Correspondent EUROPEAN Commissioner Maire Geoghegan-Quinn has intervened in domestic politics to advocate a No vote in the referendum on scrapping the Seanad – putting her in direct opposition with the Government. While commissioners are allowed to comment on domestic politics – but not party politics – it is unusual for them to do so, especially Irish commissioners ... Irish Independent Thu, 9 May 2013 01:00:00 IST |
| EU pushes for easier switching of bank accounts CONSUMERS will find it easier to open and switch bank accounts and see what fees they are being charged under new rules proposed by the European Commission . The proposal, which could become law in the EU in three years, requires banks to take on the administrative burden when clients switch accounts, such as transferring direct debits. The draft law, proposed yesterday, will also oblige banks to spell out list their charges in a standardised way, making it easier for customers to compare ... Irish Independent Thu, 9 May 2013 01:00:00 IST |
