Newsletter Spring 2012

A group from Ireland East visited the Strasbourg Parliament in September.

Mairead McGuinness MEP HARD WORKING, STRAIGHT TALKING sPRING 2012

Fiscal Stability Referendum employment, competitiveness and social cohesion. This is to be achieved by strengthening economic and monetary union by adopting rules to foster budgetary discipline, to strengthen the coordination of economic policies and improve governance across the euro area.

The debate about the referendum on the Stability Treaty is well underway.

Agreed by 25 of the 27 EU Member States, the treaty is an intergovernmental measure designed to reinforce existing rules on controlling government debt and deficits. It takes on board the lessons from the financial crisis and in a sense it recognises the interconnectedness and interdependence of EU Member States.

Mairead with former Ireland East MEP Avril Doyle and Prof. Patrick Cunningham, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Irish Government, at a Brussels conference on the future of EU funding for research and development in Ireland.

Anna Dellow , Georgia D ellow and Sa College, Wic oirge Rawso klow are pict n from Dom ured showin the same po inican g their projec wers of estim t 'Twins: do ation?' to M 48th BT Youn they share airead and Br g Scientist an ian Farrelly, d Technology BT, at the Exhibition 20 12.

The Government decision to put it to the people followed advice from the Attorney General that its provisions are not covered by existing EU Treaties. The priority now is to ensure that the treaty and its objectives are analysed and communicated fully and honestly.

Long before any discussions on a new treaty took place the Government had committed to legislate on domestic debt and deficit levels. This is all part of an overall and ongoing strategy of rebuilding the country, the economy and instilling confidence in both.

MEP of the year

g ic Keane, outgoin Kennedy TD, Er nra el rco Ga e Co Fin lla ce ar , Chairman of the Mairead with M lie Flanagan TD ar Ch d an G YF President of rty.

Parliamentary Pa

ng Carty, Deirdre O' Hea and

Mairead's Brussels team: Aisli

Mark Taylor.

More information on the EU and the Parliament can be found at: The European Parliament www.europarl.europa.eu The European Commission www.ec.europa.eu Council of the European Union www.consilium.europa.eu The European Parliament in Ireland www.europarl.ie The European Commission in Ireland www.ec.europa.eu/ireland EPP Group in the European Parliament www.eppgroup.eu

One of the most important aspects of my work is to listen to you and keep you informed about what is happening in Europe.

The quickest way to keep up-to-date and watch what is happening is through my website www.maireadmcguinness.ie Log on for news, comment and information.

The treaty will prevent governments from acting with fiscal irresponsibility.

The rules on debt and deficit levels will apply to all states agreeing to the treaty. It is not aimed at Ireland in particular, nor indeed is it a treaty about imposing austerity, the latter being the unfortunate consequence of a lack of fiscal responsibility in the past. The treaty will help avoid the economic sins of the past being revisited.

It clearly states that the aim is to support EU objectives for sustainable growth,

Mairead was voted MEP of the Year for Agriculture 2011. The awards, voted on

by Members of the European Parliament, highlight the outstanding achievements of the winning MEPs. The citation acknowledged her work thus: "Mairead McGuinness is recognised as a highly active MEP in the field of agriculture and rural development. She is also commended for her efforts on the environment and food safety, security and labelling.

Useful Websites

An Taoiseach, Enda Ken ny with Mairead and YFG Members, Deirdre Bonham, Sarah Cumiskey, Ciara O'Flyn n and Aoibhinn Ní Chionnaith at the 201 2 YFG Conference in Tullamore.

For An Taoiseach Enda Kenny job creation is a priority

Mairead receiving her award

Her main work has been in championing EU efforts to ensure security of food supply and tackling double standards

The Stability Treaty will not have any impact on the fiscal targets Ireland already has to meet as part of the EU/IMF bailout programme. Nor is the treaty a silver bullet to cure all the problems in the EU and the eurozone. But it is part of the solution, along with many measures already put in place and others yet to come.

Ireland is committed to re-enter the financial markets after the current EU/IMF programme ends in 2013. Only countries that ratify the treaty can access funding assistance from the new EU bailout fund, the European Stability Mechanism.

Ratification makes sense for a variety of reasons, not least of which is a much closer level of coordination of Member States' fiscal management to avoid future shocks.

on food imports and global trade issues under the World Trade Organisation.

McGuinness has received praise for her committed connection to her constituency, where she was first elected as an MEP in 2004."

In accepting the award, Mairead said: “The issues facing agriculture are intrinsically linked to those of the environment, food security and food safety and they remain very challenging, so we have a great deal of work ahead."

She also made the point that her work is part of a team effort. Turn to page 4 to see Mairead’s Brussels team.

Contact Mairead Email: mairead.mcguinness@europarl.europa.eu www.maireadmcguinness.ie : tweet me @maireadMcGMEP

Constituency Office: Mentrim, Drumconrath, Navan, Co. Meath Tel: 041 685 4633 Brussels Office: Tel: +32 (0) 2284 7214 Fax: +32 (0) 2284 9214

Checking the Label When we see 'supports your natural defences' or 'calming' on the front of food and drink packaging - can we trust that the product inside actually does what is claimed and can that claim be backed up by evidence?

EU refocuses on Jobs and Growth

CAP Reform Negotiations

Flattening Payments

The issues of jobs and growth are firmly top of the agenda in the EU. For too long the debate has been one dimensional - cutting national debt levels and restoring government balance sheets. This refocusing was evident at the Spring Council held in Brussels, where EU leaders outlined the priorities for the future.

It is five months since the EU Commission unveiled its proposals for the reform of the CAP. Most attention is on proposals to replace the current direct payments system with an entirely new one.

For countries with historically based payments, moving to a flat rate payment in a short time frame is a major concern. Teagasc is undertaking work to assess the impact of the proposals at farm level. With the focus in Ireland on increasing farm output, it is essential that the reforms support this objective.

The direction of the reforms is very clear.

That's an issue that MEPs on the Parliament's Environment Committee are focussing on right now; namely, how reliable are 'health claims'?

Firstly, there is an increased requirement on farmers in receipt of payments to do more for the environment.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) had been asked to assess ‘general function’ health claims.

Secondly, the Commission is proposing that all Member States move to a flat rate payment per hectare, either on a regional or national basis by 2019.

The European Commission is proposing, under the terms of Article 13.1 of the Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation, to ban all health claims on foods and food ingredients which do not receive a positive opinion from EFSA. But there are concerns that EFSA is demanding too high a scientific evaluation of these health claims and that as a result some products, which traditionally have proven themselves to have health benefits may not be approved.

Already some claims have been rejected despite significant evidence in support of their efficacy. A good example is prunes. We all know that eating prunes is good for improving bowel function, but EFSA has ruled that this is not the case!

Opponents of the approved list say that the level of evidence being sought (clinical trials) is not appropriate for food.

Of those tested so far, some 2,500 'general function' health claims have been rejected and only 222 claims have made it on to the approved list.

EFSA's scientific evaluation helps to ensure that claims made on food labelling and advertising regarding nutrition and health are meaningful and accurate, and can thereby help consumers in making healthy diet choices.

There is much concern about the proposals, which add complexity to a

The proposals to redistribute money between Member States are difficult for those that will lose money, while they do not go far enough for some new Member States demanding equality of payments.

Redistribution of funds between farmers within Member States is also a divisive issue and potentially damaging to farm output.

Greening A key element of the proposals is the linking of 30% of the overall national envelope of money to greening measures, with farmers required to meet strict crop diversification, permanent pasture and ecological focus area criteria. There is significant opposition to these proposals as being overly bureaucratic and resulting in the micro-management of farms by the Commission.

Active Farmer It is proposed that no direct payments would be made where the amount is less than 5% of the total receipts from non-farm activity or where a claimant does not carry out the minimum activity as set out by the Member State. The definition of an active farmer does not apply to farmers who receive less than €5,000. The definition has been roundly rejected with calls for Member States to define active farmer at national level.

Italian Prime Minister and former European Commissioner, Mario Monti, recently addressing MEPs about the economic reforms in his country said we must protect the "scarce raw material" of public opinion in favour of the EU.

This was the first EU Summit not to be overshadowed by a sense of an imminent threat to the euro and indeed to the EU.

He spoke about the need to ensure that work on restoring Member States' budgets and finances does not alienate citizens from the EU.

While the problems of both the euro and the EU are far from over, there is a real sense that control of the situation has been reestablished and that the steps taken over recent months to address the crisis are bearing fruit.

The EU is about creating a better place in which citizens live and work. This needs to be reflected not just in words but also in deeds which restore growth and assist in the job creation task.

Of course there is still much to be concerned about and a great deal of work to be done in Member States to address budgetary problems and tackle the growth and jobs agenda.

Our Government is taking a two pronged approach to rebuilding the economy - fixing the figures, rebuilding competitiveness and in turn restoring confidence. This is part of a sustainable job creation strategy, which is yielding results.

Unemployment in several Member States is at unacceptably high levels, so the renewed focus of the political debate on how to kick-start growth and restore confidence is both welcome and necessary.

There is a particular problem with high levels of youth unemployment. In Spain it is close to 50% while in Ireland it is 29%.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti said recently we must protect the "scarce raw material" of public opinion in favour of the EU.

Recently I attended a Google initiative "Getting Business Online". I was surprised to learn that almost 40% of SMEs do not have a website and that of these over 57% have no intention of getting an online presence.

This is a missed opportunity and the Google initiative is providing SMEs the wherewithal to develop an online presence and maximise the business opportunities that are out there.

Intellectual Property Rights Some 200 billion Euros worth of pirated goods are estimated to be available on world markets.

This damages our companies and destroys jobs.

Oldcastle Laboratories in Co. Meath recently became just the sixth in Ireland to receive the ISO 17025 laboratory accreditation. Mairead is pictured presenting the award to Dr Robert Burns, Quality Manager, Oldcastle Laboratories.

system the Commission claims to be simplifying.

The Commission believes the solution lies in ratifying ACTA, an international AntiCounterfeiting Trade Agreement designed to tackle large-scale Intellectual Property Rights violations.

The decision to ratify ACTA has raised doubts about the freedom of the internet.

In response, the Commission has asked Europe’s highest court to assess whether ACTA complies with EU law.

The Court's decision will help provide clarity for internet users and Member States, who have yet to ratify ACTA.

One of the primary ways MEPs have of keeping in touch with constituents is by email.

Contact me at mairead.mcguinness@europarl.europa.eu

Young Farmers The European Parliament's Agriculture Committee is central to negotiations on the new CAP. Work is underway to amend the Commission's proposals.

Budget Talks Key For an agreement to be reached on a new CAP, consensus must be reached between the European Parliament and the Agriculture Council, based on the Commission's proposals.

With the current CAP direct payments regime expiring on December 31, 2013, the race is on to work towards reaching an agreement. But already there are questions being raised about the practicalities of having a new payment system in place at the start of 2014.

The Parliament and Council are working on the detailed proposals but progress is heavily dependent on the outcome of discussions on the next EU budget - the so-called Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF). The Commission's

Measures to encourage young farmers are proposed, with Member States required to provide a 'top up' to young farmers for a period of five years. 2% of the national envelope must be set aside for this purpose.

On the whole the idea is welcome but it needs refining to be effective.

proposals are based on the expectation that the CAP budget will stay at 2013 levels. The current EU budget is set until the end of 2013 so the debate about the next budget is taking place in parallel with CAP reform discussions.

The Parliament has indicated that it will not sign off on any final agreement on a new CAP until there is political agreement on the actual budget available to fund the policy. At this stage it is impossible to predict if there will be agreement on the MFF this year.

It may well be that the reform of the CAP and the overarching issue of the EU budget will finally be decided during the Irish Presidency, in the first half of 2013.

EU Agriculture Commissioner Dacian Cioloş with Mairead in Strasbourg prior to his visit to Ireland in January.

MEPs get hundreds of emails every day and each email receives attention. This is one of the primary ways we have of Check my website www.maireadmcguinness.ie for more details on CAP reform keeping in touch with our constituents. Email: mairead.mcguinness@europarl.europa.eu Website www.maireadmcguinness.ie : follow me on Twitter @maireadMcGMEP or find me on Facebook Mairead McGuinness

Checking the Label When we see 'supports your natural defences' or 'calming' on the front of food and drink packaging - can we trust that the product inside actually does what is claimed and can that claim be backed up by evidence?

EU refocuses on Jobs and Growth

CAP Reform Negotiations

Flattening Payments

The issues of jobs and growth are firmly top of the agenda in the EU. For too long the debate has been one dimensional - cutting national debt levels and restoring government balance sheets. This refocusing was evident at the Spring Council held in Brussels, where EU leaders outlined the priorities for the future.

It is five months since the EU Commission unveiled its proposals for the reform of the CAP. Most attention is on proposals to replace the current direct payments system with an entirely new one.

For countries with historically based payments, moving to a flat rate payment in a short time frame is a major concern. Teagasc is undertaking work to assess the impact of the proposals at farm level. With the focus in Ireland on increasing farm output, it is essential that the reforms support this objective.

The direction of the reforms is very clear.

That's an issue that MEPs on the Parliament's Environment Committee are focussing on right now; namely, how reliable are 'health claims'?

Firstly, there is an increased requirement on farmers in receipt of payments to do more for the environment.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) had been asked to assess ‘general function’ health claims.

Secondly, the Commission is proposing that all Member States move to a flat rate payment per hectare, either on a regional or national basis by 2019.

The European Commission is proposing, under the terms of Article 13.1 of the Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation, to ban all health claims on foods and food ingredients which do not receive a positive opinion from EFSA. But there are concerns that EFSA is demanding too high a scientific evaluation of these health claims and that as a result some products, which traditionally have proven themselves to have health benefits may not be approved.

Already some claims have been rejected despite significant evidence in support of their efficacy. A good example is prunes. We all know that eating prunes is good for improving bowel function, but EFSA has ruled that this is not the case!

Opponents of the approved list say that the level of evidence being sought (clinical trials) is not appropriate for food.

Of those tested so far, some 2,500 'general function' health claims have been rejected and only 222 claims have made it on to the approved list.

EFSA's scientific evaluation helps to ensure that claims made on food labelling and advertising regarding nutrition and health are meaningful and accurate, and can thereby help consumers in making healthy diet choices.

There is much concern about the proposals, which add complexity to a

The proposals to redistribute money between Member States are difficult for those that will lose money, while they do not go far enough for some new Member States demanding equality of payments.

Redistribution of funds between farmers within Member States is also a divisive issue and potentially damaging to farm output.

Greening A key element of the proposals is the linking of 30% of the overall national envelope of money to greening measures, with farmers required to meet strict crop diversification, permanent pasture and ecological focus area criteria. There is significant opposition to these proposals as being overly bureaucratic and resulting in the micro-management of farms by the Commission.

Active Farmer It is proposed that no direct payments would be made where the amount is less than 5% of the total receipts from non-farm activity or where a claimant does not carry out the minimum activity as set out by the Member State. The definition of an active farmer does not apply to farmers who receive less than €5,000. The definition has been roundly rejected with calls for Member States to define active farmer at national level.

Italian Prime Minister and former European Commissioner, Mario Monti, recently addressing MEPs about the economic reforms in his country said we must protect the "scarce raw material" of public opinion in favour of the EU.

This was the first EU Summit not to be overshadowed by a sense of an imminent threat to the euro and indeed to the EU.

He spoke about the need to ensure that work on restoring Member States' budgets and finances does not alienate citizens from the EU.

While the problems of both the euro and the EU are far from over, there is a real sense that control of the situation has been reestablished and that the steps taken over recent months to address the crisis are bearing fruit.

The EU is about creating a better place in which citizens live and work. This needs to be reflected not just in words but also in deeds which restore growth and assist in the job creation task.

Of course there is still much to be concerned about and a great deal of work to be done in Member States to address budgetary problems and tackle the growth and jobs agenda.

Our Government is taking a two pronged approach to rebuilding the economy - fixing the figures, rebuilding competitiveness and in turn restoring confidence. This is part of a sustainable job creation strategy, which is yielding results.

Unemployment in several Member States is at unacceptably high levels, so the renewed focus of the political debate on how to kick-start growth and restore confidence is both welcome and necessary.

There is a particular problem with high levels of youth unemployment. In Spain it is close to 50% while in Ireland it is 29%.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti said recently we must protect the "scarce raw material" of public opinion in favour of the EU.

Recently I attended a Google initiative "Getting Business Online". I was surprised to learn that almost 40% of SMEs do not have a website and that of these over 57% have no intention of getting an online presence.

This is a missed opportunity and the Google initiative is providing SMEs the wherewithal to develop an online presence and maximise the business opportunities that are out there.

Intellectual Property Rights Some 200 billion Euros worth of pirated goods are estimated to be available on world markets.

This damages our companies and destroys jobs.

Oldcastle Laboratories in Co. Meath recently became just the sixth in Ireland to receive the ISO 17025 laboratory accreditation. Mairead is pictured presenting the award to Dr Robert Burns, Quality Manager, Oldcastle Laboratories.

system the Commission claims to be simplifying.

The Commission believes the solution lies in ratifying ACTA, an international AntiCounterfeiting Trade Agreement designed to tackle large-scale Intellectual Property Rights violations.

The decision to ratify ACTA has raised doubts about the freedom of the internet.

In response, the Commission has asked Europe’s highest court to assess whether ACTA complies with EU law.

The Court's decision will help provide clarity for internet users and Member States, who have yet to ratify ACTA.

One of the primary ways MEPs have of keeping in touch with constituents is by email.

Contact me at mairead.mcguinness@europarl.europa.eu

Young Farmers The European Parliament's Agriculture Committee is central to negotiations on the new CAP. Work is underway to amend the Commission's proposals.

Budget Talks Key For an agreement to be reached on a new CAP, consensus must be reached between the European Parliament and the Agriculture Council, based on the Commission's proposals.

With the current CAP direct payments regime expiring on December 31, 2013, the race is on to work towards reaching an agreement. But already there are questions being raised about the practicalities of having a new payment system in place at the start of 2014.

The Parliament and Council are working on the detailed proposals but progress is heavily dependent on the outcome of discussions on the next EU budget - the so-called Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF). The Commission's

Measures to encourage young farmers are proposed, with Member States required to provide a 'top up' to young farmers for a period of five years. 2% of the national envelope must be set aside for this purpose.

On the whole the idea is welcome but it needs refining to be effective.

proposals are based on the expectation that the CAP budget will stay at 2013 levels. The current EU budget is set until the end of 2013 so the debate about the next budget is taking place in parallel with CAP reform discussions.

The Parliament has indicated that it will not sign off on any final agreement on a new CAP until there is political agreement on the actual budget available to fund the policy. At this stage it is impossible to predict if there will be agreement on the MFF this year.

It may well be that the reform of the CAP and the overarching issue of the EU budget will finally be decided during the Irish Presidency, in the first half of 2013.

EU Agriculture Commissioner Dacian Cioloş with Mairead in Strasbourg prior to his visit to Ireland in January.

MEPs get hundreds of emails every day and each email receives attention. This is one of the primary ways we have of Check my website www.maireadmcguinness.ie for more details on CAP reform keeping in touch with our constituents. Email: mairead.mcguinness@europarl.europa.eu Website www.maireadmcguinness.ie : follow me on Twitter @maireadMcGMEP or find me on Facebook Mairead McGuinness

A group from Ireland East visited the Strasbourg Parliament in September.

Mairead McGuinness MEP HARD WORKING, STRAIGHT TALKING sPRING 2012

Fiscal Stability Referendum employment, competitiveness and social cohesion. This is to be achieved by strengthening economic and monetary union by adopting rules to foster budgetary discipline, to strengthen the coordination of economic policies and improve governance across the euro area.

The debate about the referendum on the Stability Treaty is well underway.

Agreed by 25 of the 27 EU Member States, the treaty is an intergovernmental measure designed to reinforce existing rules on controlling government debt and deficits. It takes on board the lessons from the financial crisis and in a sense it recognises the interconnectedness and interdependence of EU Member States.

Mairead with former Ireland East MEP Avril Doyle and Prof. Patrick Cunningham, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Irish Government, at a Brussels conference on the future of EU funding for research and development in Ireland.

Anna Dellow , Georgia D ellow and Sa College, Wic oirge Rawso klow are pict n from Dom ured showin the same po inican g their projec wers of estim t 'Twins: do ation?' to M 48th BT Youn they share airead and Br g Scientist an ian Farrelly, d Technology BT, at the Exhibition 20 12.

The Government decision to put it to the people followed advice from the Attorney General that its provisions are not covered by existing EU Treaties. The priority now is to ensure that the treaty and its objectives are analysed and communicated fully and honestly.

Long before any discussions on a new treaty took place the Government had committed to legislate on domestic debt and deficit levels. This is all part of an overall and ongoing strategy of rebuilding the country, the economy and instilling confidence in both.

MEP of the year

g ic Keane, outgoin Kennedy TD, Er nra el rco Ga e Co Fin lla ce ar , Chairman of the Mairead with M lie Flanagan TD ar Ch d an G YF President of rty.

Parliamentary Pa

ng Carty, Deirdre O' Hea and

Mairead's Brussels team: Aisli

Mark Taylor.

More information on the EU and the Parliament can be found at: The European Parliament www.europarl.europa.eu The European Commission www.ec.europa.eu Council of the European Union www.consilium.europa.eu The European Parliament in Ireland www.europarl.ie The European Commission in Ireland www.ec.europa.eu/ireland EPP Group in the European Parliament www.eppgroup.eu

One of the most important aspects of my work is to listen to you and keep you informed about what is happening in Europe.

The quickest way to keep up-to-date and watch what is happening is through my website www.maireadmcguinness.ie Log on for news, comment and information.

The treaty will prevent governments from acting with fiscal irresponsibility.

The rules on debt and deficit levels will apply to all states agreeing to the treaty. It is not aimed at Ireland in particular, nor indeed is it a treaty about imposing austerity, the latter being the unfortunate consequence of a lack of fiscal responsibility in the past. The treaty will help avoid the economic sins of the past being revisited.

It clearly states that the aim is to support EU objectives for sustainable growth,

Mairead was voted MEP of the Year for Agriculture 2011. The awards, voted on

by Members of the European Parliament, highlight the outstanding achievements of the winning MEPs. The citation acknowledged her work thus: "Mairead McGuinness is recognised as a highly active MEP in the field of agriculture and rural development. She is also commended for her efforts on the environment and food safety, security and labelling.

Useful Websites

An Taoiseach, Enda Ken ny with Mairead and YFG Members, Deirdre Bonham, Sarah Cumiskey, Ciara O'Flyn n and Aoibhinn Ní Chionnaith at the 201 2 YFG Conference in Tullamore.

For An Taoiseach Enda Kenny job creation is a priority

Mairead receiving her award

Her main work has been in championing EU efforts to ensure security of food supply and tackling double standards

The Stability Treaty will not have any impact on the fiscal targets Ireland already has to meet as part of the EU/IMF bailout programme. Nor is the treaty a silver bullet to cure all the problems in the EU and the eurozone. But it is part of the solution, along with many measures already put in place and others yet to come.

Ireland is committed to re-enter the financial markets after the current EU/IMF programme ends in 2013. Only countries that ratify the treaty can access funding assistance from the new EU bailout fund, the European Stability Mechanism.

Ratification makes sense for a variety of reasons, not least of which is a much closer level of coordination of Member States' fiscal management to avoid future shocks.

on food imports and global trade issues under the World Trade Organisation.

McGuinness has received praise for her committed connection to her constituency, where she was first elected as an MEP in 2004."

In accepting the award, Mairead said: “The issues facing agriculture are intrinsically linked to those of the environment, food security and food safety and they remain very challenging, so we have a great deal of work ahead."

She also made the point that her work is part of a team effort. Turn to page 4 to see Mairead’s Brussels team.

Contact Mairead Email: mairead.mcguinness@europarl.europa.eu www.maireadmcguinness.ie : tweet me @maireadMcGMEP

Constituency Office: Mentrim, Drumconrath, Navan, Co. Meath Tel: 041 685 4633 Brussels Office: Tel: +32 (0) 2284 7214 Fax: +32 (0) 2284 9214