EU | Business Post

Northern Ireland

Elaine Byrne: The EU’s role in the Good Friday Agreement has been written out of history

Membership of the EU enabled the thawing of relations between Ireland and Britain, yet the bloc’s role in the quest for peace on this island has been overlooked

Revealed: EU electricity market reform steps back from radical overhaul

The proposed ‘decoupling’ of the price of gas from the price of electricity will not be included in the proposals set to be published

Ireland among highest gas consumers in EU last winter

Failure to reduce usage blamed on very high gas demand for electricity production due to low wind power generation

Climate & Environment

Government drops plans to ban sales of fossil fuel cars by 2030

EU told the government it would have to wait for the EU to legislate as a bloc for an internal combustion engine ban in 2035, but the government will still strive to make all new car sales fully electric by 2030

Government supports EU bid to reform national debt reduction rules

Proposed reforms would allow for a more flexible and customised approach to borrowing and debt reduction, but Germany has raised serious concerns about the moves

Irish firms missing out on €1bn EU innovation funding package

Research company Lira finds not enough start-ups from outside life sciences sector are applying for EIF grant of up to €17.5m apiece

Banking on it: How close is Europe to getting a digital currency?

As the EU weighs up plans to introduce a digital euro, Jonathan Keane looks at the hurdles that need to be overcome

Irish energy firms to keep bumper 2022 revenues despite government’s new price cap

A forthcoming market price cap on non-gas generators will not apply retrospectively to 2022

EU ‘very conscious’ of unionist concerns as Northern Ireland protocol deal moves closer

Micheál Martin was speaking to the Business Post as Rishi Sunak, the British Prime Minister, travelled to Belfast to meet with Northern Ireland parties

‘Real concern’ over Energy Charter Treaty as EU states consider full withdrawal

The Energy Charter Treaty was designed to protect investors in energy, but growing litigation of decarbonisation plans under the treaty in recent years have fuelled concerns that that it is now stifling climate action in Europe

‘Inflation peak is now behind us’ as EU to avoid technical recession

Paschal Donohoe, the Minister for Public Expenditure and president of the Eurogroup, is in Brussels today to chair the meeting of Eurogroup finance ministers, where the European Commission’s Winter Forecast will be discussed

Lucinda Creighton: Joe Biden has embraced the worst of Trump’s economic policies

The US president has been around long enough to know that shutting off America from the rest of the world will not save American jobs, so why is he doing it?

Ireland’s Big Tech-funded media regulator seeks watchdog for online platforms

Government adds extra role as expert warns Coimisiún na Meán will need vast resources to oversee Europe’s defacto online tech industry

Frances Fitzgerald: The EU’s relationship with the US must not be based on fear

The European Union’s reaction to President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act could lead to further trade barriers across the Atlantic

New EU law would stop banks and insurers from penalising cancer survivors

The proposed new directive would require companies to disregard the medical history of cancer survivors after a period of time when issuing insurance plans or loans

Tech and pharma sectors in Northern Ireland have more than doubled since Good Friday Agreement, Ibec says

High-tech, bio-pharma and tech sectors in Northern Ireland are now 2.5 and 4.5 times larger, business lobby group report says

Morning Headlines

Revenues down 50% at Odeon cinema group; EU on new path after Russian invasion of Ukraine

The stories you need to read this morning in business, politics and current affairs

Ukraine: How Russia’s invasion set the EU on a new path to its eastern borders

The war in Ukraine has caused a huge shift in global geopolitics – especially in the EU, where the bloc’s approach to energy, security and migration has been transformed

DPC set for fresh dispute with EU counterparts as it seeks order blocking new Meta inquiry

The Data Protection Commission has been told to increase its fines on Facebook and Instagram, and launch a new investigation

The Big Picture

Vincent Boland: Fifty years on from joining the EEC, we have many reasons to celebrate

In 1973, Ireland was a dismal place with a declining population and poor life expectancy; in the 50 years since as Europeans, we have become richer, healthier, we live longer and are better educated