Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation
The Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation (DJEI) unit in the Permanent Representation represents Ireland in the work of various Council formations and associated working groups. The Department’s role is to lead and coordinate Ireland’s interests in the Internal Market, Single Market, Research and Innovation, Employment, and Trade. In carrying out this work, the DJEI team liaises with relevant policy units within DJEI and acts as a communications link with the EU institutions and other Member States.
The Competitiveness Council’s (COMPET) role is to enhance competitiveness and increase growth in the EU. It deals with four major policy areas: Internal Market, Single Market, Industry, Research and Innovation, and space. In the Internal Market, it works to remove barriers that hinder cross-border flows of products, labour, capital and services. In the field of Industry, the Council combines an across-the-board approach, which aims to integrate industrial policy concerns into all other related EU policies, with a sector-specific approach that heeds the particular needs of each sector. This Council also works to improve the business environment, especially for SMEs, such as by improving access to funding, cutting red tape and fostering innovation. On Research and Innovation, and Space, the Council aims to strengthen the scientific and technological base of European industry, thus boosting its international competitiveness and driving growth and jobs.
The EPSCO Council (EPSCO) works to increase employment levels and improve living and working conditions, including health & safety. In the fields of employment and social policy, the Council is responsible for drawing up annual employment guidelines which the member states take into account in their national policies. It also adopts legislation, together with the European Parliament, aimed at improving working conditions, social inclusion and gender equality.
The FAC (Trade) Council:on this Council, the Department is responsible for the identification, formulation and development of Ireland’s international trade policies.
It promotes Ireland’s trade interest at EU-level trade policy negotiations. The EU fora include the Trade Policy Committees (TPCs) which assists the Commission in trade negotiations. Other EU trade committees, including those dealing with Anti-Dumping measures, are the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) for developing countries and Market Access barriers and the Working Party on Trade Questions and Trade Defence Committee
Read more at: www.enterprise.gov.ie