Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 April 2004
57 Mr. Kehoe asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the progress he has made on the priorities that the Government has set itself in his area of responsibility during Ireland’s Presidency of the EU. [10238/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs I have previously advised the House, I am responsible for a wide range of EU Presidency business across the sectoral policy areas of telecommunications, energy, broadcasting, fisheries, maritime transport and maritime safety. I also hold commensurate chairing responsibilities for the agriculture and fisheries, transport, energy and telecommunications and education, youth and culture council formations.
Together with my officials, I am working on delivering on policy priorities at EU level during the Presidency within the Government's overall strategic approach to the EU. I outlined these priorities in detail to the House on 27 January in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 589. I am satisfied with progress, at both Council and working group level, in relation to the various dossiers for which I hold responsibility.
On telecommunications, work to date has focused on the preparation of issues for discussion at the telecom Council held on 8 March. The Council recognised that the targets of the e-Europe 2005 action plan remain valid and that significant progress has been made, particularly in the areas of broadband and e-Government. The Council highlighted the importance of the electronic communications sector for growth, productivity and social cohesion in the EU, while recognising that challenges remain for its future development. These include broadband coverage for under-served areas and stimulation of demand for content and services.
The Council responded to the communication by the Commission, which identified the scale of the problem of spam and highlighted the importance of close and sustained co-operation among key players. The Council has also produced a preliminary response to the Commission's assessment of the outcomes of phase 1 and the proposed EU priorities and working method for phase 2 of the world summit on information society. Key issues arising are those of financing and Internet governance.
I am also satisfied that the priority areas identified in the energy sector are progressing satisfactorily. I am working towards achieving at least a political agreement at the energy Council in June on the proposal for establishing a framework for the setting of eco-design requirements for energy using products and the gas transmission proposal. The Irish Presidency continues to play an active role in working towards the establishment of a common energy position for the EU on renewable energies and in progressing the proposals relating to security of electricity supply, trans-European networks and demand-side management.
On broadcasting, I hosted a meeting of Ministers in Dublin and Drogheda from 1 to 3 March. One of the specific issues that Ministers discussed at some length was the regulation of broadcasting services that are specifically targeted at one member state but are actually subject to the national regulations of another member state. I intend to give member states a further opportunity to consider this topic at the May meeting of the education, youth and culture council.
On maritime safety, examination of the proposed directive on sanctions for pollution offenders and implementation of new maritime security measures for Irish ports and ships are being progressed. On 26 March, representatives from EU member states, accession states and other European countries, along with representatives of the European Commission, European maritime safety agency and the key interests in the maritime sector participated in a forum in Gorey, County Wexford, as part of the Irish Presidency contribution to the promotion of safer and more secure shipping, and cleaner seas in European waters.
In the area of fisheries, the Council adopted proposals relating to the protection of small cetaceans; protection of the Darwin Mounds fishing area; aid for fishing fleet in the outermost regions; and measures on autonomous Community tariff quotas on certain fisheries products. The Presidency has also achieved agreement on a number of third country fisheries agreements, including between the Community and Tanzania and the Community and the Solomon Islands. The Presidency has also progressed the development of conservation and management strategies in various regional fisheries organisations including the north west and north east Atlantic, together with the Baltic Sea. The Deputy will find details of developments as they arise on my Department's website, www.dcmnr.ie and on the Irish Presidency website, www.eu2004.ie.
