Archive for December, 2009
EU will fund start-up businesses in New Year scheme (17th December 09)
Small businesses struggling to access loans from the usual financial institutions are being offered a lifeline through the EU Microfinance Fund, which will be rolled out across all member states early next year. (more…)
Irish MEPs split over planned pay rise (17th December 09)
Plans for a 3.7 per cent pay rise for newly-elected MEPs and EU officials have been getting a mixed reaction from Irish members of the European Parliament. (more…)
Irish fishermen land ‘best possible deal’ in Brussels (16th December 09)
‘We live to fight another day, and we got the best deal we could under the circumstances,’ said Federation of Irish Fishermen Chairman Sean O’Donoghue this week after a temporary arrangement on fish quotas was agreed in Brussels this week. (more…)
MEPs want their say in laws on freezing terrorist assets (16th December 2009)
Any future measures to freeze the bank accounts of people linked to terrorist groups must be approved by the European Parliament, under a new resolution adopted in Strasbourg this week. (more…)
Chimpanzees could be safe from animal testing (10th December 09)
A proposed EU-wide ban on using chimpanzees, gorillas and orang-utans for scientific testing was agreed in Brussels this week, as part of a broader plan to improve animal welfare. (more…)
14 Dublin schools try their hand at EU video contest (10th December 09)
A new schools’ competition that allows the winners to travel to Strasbourg and ‘be an MEP for a day’ has attracted unprecedented interest from Dublin secondary schools. (more…)
Irish MEP refused entry to Gaza Strip (10th December 2009)
Dublin MEP Proinsias De Rossa has demanded an explanation from the Israeli authorities after he was turned back from entering Gaza with a group of fellow MEPs this week. (more…)
Tainted money? Euro banknotes linked to child labour (9th December 09)
An International Labour Organisation photo of children working the cotton fields in Uzbekistan
A claim that cotton from Uzbekistan is being used in the manufacture of euro banknotes is to be investigated by the European Commission, following a request by an Irish MEP. (more…)
Last ditch efforts to block sheep tagging meet success (9th December 2009)
With only weeks to go before a new law comes into force making sheep-tagging compulsory across Europe, a key committee in Brussels has recommended an urgent review of the legislation. (more…)
Carnivore versus crooner: meat-eating MEP bites back at ex-Beatle (3rd Dec 2009)
It was show-time in Brussels today when Paul McCartney took his ‘Meat-free Monday’ campaign to the European Parliament.
