European Commission Representation in Ireland.
Date: 2014-09-02
Institutions: Representation in Ireland
Subjects: EU office or agency, European Commission, Ireland, access to EU information, diplomatic representation, dissemination of EU information, public awareness campaign

1

        European Commission
   Representation 
                  in Ireland

European Commission Representation In Ireland2

"Our role is to provide 
information on European 
affairs both to the general 
public and the media"

European Commission Representation In Ireland3

European Commission 
Representation in Ireland

The European Commission Representation in Ireland 
is part of the Commission’s network of representative 
offices throughout the Member States of the European 
Union. We are the Commission’s voice in Ireland and 
we aim to communicate EU affairs at both national 
and local levels.

Our role is to provide information on European 
affairs both to the general public and the media, with 
free access to information about the Commission 
and the European Union in our public information 
centre through publications, multimedia facilities and 
educational visits.

We also gather information and keep the Commission 
in Brussels informed of various political, social and 
economic developments in Ireland. As part of our 
expanding listening function, the Representation 
conducts public consultations on various ideas that 
the Commission is developing. We want to ensure that 
citizens’ voices are heard in Brussels.

European Commission Representation In Ireland4

OUTREACH

Although based in Dublin, 
the European Commission 
Representation in Ireland regularly 
organises and participates in 
events in other parts of Ireland.

For example, the Representation 
has organised a series of public 
seminars around the country entitled 
“European Economic Policy - What’s 
in it for Ireland?”  Venues to date 
have included Athlone, Cork, Galway, 
Limerick, Sligo, Tralee and Waterford. 
The events are free, open to the public 
and provide an opportunity to engage 
directly with leading journalists, 
economic commentators and political 
figures. Further events are due to be 
held in the autumn in Carlow, Cork, 
Ennis and Maynooth. Information 

on all such events is posted on the 
Representation’s website, Facebook and 
Twitter.

Each September, the Representation 
attends the National Ploughing 
Championships, a three-day event 
which attracts over 180,000 visitors 
each year. The Representation provides 
free resources on the European 
Union as well as specific information 
and expertise on the EU’s Common 
Agricultural Policy.

The Representation also attends the 
annual Young Scientist and Technology 
Exhibition each January in order to 
promote EU policies in the areas of 
research, innovation and science.

European Commission Representation In Ireland5

Students can learn about the European 
Union policies and institutions, the 
EU decision-making process and the 
impact of EU membership in Ireland. 
A wide range of publications and 
classroom materials are available free 
of charge from the Representation.

From time to time, the Representation 
organises presentations on career 
opportunities for Irish graduates in the 
EU institutions. The Representation 
is a partner in the Department of 
the Taoiseach’s EU Jobs Initiative 
to promote awareness of EU career 
opportunities.

EDUCATION

The European Commission 
Representation hosts visits from 
primary and secondary schools and 
universities.

A typical visit lasts just over an hour 
and can include a presentation on 
the history and development of the 
European Union (please indicate 
at the time of booking any specific 
topics you would like us to cover), a 
DVD presentation on Ireland and the 
European Union and a quiz based on 
students’ knowledge of the EU.

A visit to the European Commission 
may be of particular interest to 
secondary school teachers of CSPE, 
Transition Year, Leaving Cert History or 
Business.

European Commission Representation In Ireland 
6

EUROPEAN PUBLIC 
SPACE

The European Public Space offers 
an attractive city-centre venue for 
conferences, meetings, exhibitions, 
and cultural events. All of the 
facilities are free of charge.

The European Public Space provides 
free information and publications on 
the history and development of the 
EU, the EU institutions and various EU 
policy areas.

"The European Public 
Space provides free 
information and 
publications" 

About the European Public 
Space 

• 

The European Public Space has a 
total floor space of 225sq m

•  A retractable screen can divide the 

room if required

• 

It can hold 100 – 120 people, 
depending on the layout.

Facilities 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Removable seating

Permanent drop-down audio visual 
screen and equipment

Coffee / drinks station

Public lounge area with brochure 
stand and reception area (for 
enquiries)

• 

Free Wi-Fi

•  Kitchen facilities for caterers

European Commission Representation In Ireland7

The Office arranges for visiting 
European Commissioners to meet with 
the Irish press. This helps to promote 
the Commission’s policies in Ireland. 

The Representation gives interviews 
to provide a Commission perspective 
on news and events in Ireland, or to 
respond to media coverage about the 
European Union.

"The Office responds 
directly to a wide range 
of press and media 
enquiries on EU issues" 

PRESS

The Representation’s Press Office 
works to keep the Irish press 
informed on European matters and 
to increase awareness of the role 
of the European Union in the life of 
Irish people. The Press Office does 
this by giving assistance to the Irish 
national, regional and local media 
in their coverage of the EU.

The Office responds directly to a wide 
range of press and media enquiries 
on EU issues. In addition, it actively 
promotes media coverage of the EU 
by initiating regular contacts with the 
media and publishing press releases on 
current EU topics of interest to an Irish 
audience. It also organises information 
and communication events and 
represents the Commission at press 
conferences in Ireland.

The Press Office also manages the 
Representation’s website as well as its 
Twitter and Facebook pages. All press 
releases issued by the Representation 
are posted to its website and also 
made public via Twitter and Facebook.

European Commission Representation In Ireland8

EU SERVICES  
IN IRELAND

YOUR EUROPE LEGAL ADVISER

The Your Europe Legal Adviser is 
a lawyer who is available by prior 
appointment to provide you with 
information and advice on your rights 
in the European Union. If you have a 
problem which relates to your rights in 
the European Union, you can make an 
appointment for a consultation with the 
Your Europe Legal Adviser by telephone 
at 01 634 1111 or by email at  
eu-ie-info-request@ec.europa.eu.

The advice given by the Your Europe 
Legal Adviser is independent; it should 
not be considered to be the opinion of 
the European Commission and will not 
be binding upon the Commission.

The Your Europe Legal Adviser will also 
deliver presentations and seminars 
to interested groups on issues such 
as “Your rights as a Citizen in the EU”, 
“Rights for Older People in the EU” 
and “Legal Entitlements for Women 
in the EU”. If you are a member of 
an organisation which would be 
interested in such a presentation, the 
Your Europe Legal Adviser would be 
delighted to hear from you. 

"All services provided by 
the Your Europe Legal 
Adviser are free of charge"

European Commission Representation In Ireland9

SOLVIT 

© European Commission

SOLVIT is an online problem solving 
network in which EU Member States 
work together to solve problems 
caused by the misapplication 
of Internal Market law by public 
authorities, without legal proceedings.
There is a SOLVIT centre in every 
European Union Member State, 
including Ireland (as well as in Norway, 
Iceland and Liechtenstein). SOLVIT 
Centres can handle complaints from 
citizens and businesses. They are part 
of the national administration and are 
committed to providing real solutions 
to problems within ten weeks. Using 
SOLVIT is free of charge.

SOLVIT is an online informal problem-
solving network of 31 centres within 
the national administrations of all EU 
and EEA countries. SOLVIT Centres 
work together to solve cross-border 

problems of citizens/businesses arising 
from the incorrect application of EU 
law by public authorities. 

SOLVIT can help in problems such 
as recognition of professional 
qualifications, residence rights, 
social security, market access for 
products, provision of services or VAT 
reimbursement.

SOLVIT has no legal powers and cannot 
offer legal advice. SOLVIT cannot help 
in situations where judicial procedures 
are already underway or in business-
to-business or consumer-to-business 
problems. 

Following the assessment of a 
complaint and once accepted as a case, 
SOLVIT aims to resolve the problem 
within 10 weeks. Using SOLVIT is free 
of charge.

SOLVIT requires that two EU Member 
States are involved in cases to reflect 
the cross-border nature of the 
problem, therefore citizens/businesses 
should contact their national SOLVIT 
Centre. Contact details for the national 
SOLVIT Centres can be found at the 
following link: http://ec.europa.eu/solvit/

Irish SOLVIT Centre, 
Department of Jobs Enterprise  
and Innovation, 
Kildare Street, 
Dublin 2.

Fax: (01) 631 3853 
Email: solvit@djei.ie  
Website: http://www.solvitireland.ie/ 

"There is a SOLVIT 
centre in every 
European Union 
Member State"

European Commission Representation In Ireland10

EUROPEAN CONSUMER 
CENTRE

The European Consumer Centres 
Network (ECC-Net) is an EU-wide 
network that provides information 
and advice to consumers on their 
rights when shopping in another 
European country and offers 
assistance if something goes 
wrong. 

There are European Consumer Centres 
in 30 countries covering all the Member 
States of the European Union, plus 
Iceland and Norway. 

ECC-Net aims to promote consumer 
confidence in the internal market 
by providing consumers with clear 
information about their rights and 
assisting them in securing redress if a 
dispute arises.

The services provided by the European 
Consumer Centres are free of charge. 

European Consumer Centre Ireland - 
ECC Ireland 
MACRO Centre, 1 Green Street, Dublin 7 
T. + 353 (0) 1 8797 620 
F. + 353 (0) 1 8734 328 
E. info@eccireland.ie  
W. www.eccireland.ie  
t. @eccireland.ie

European Commission Representation In Ireland11

EUROPE DIRECT 

The European Commission supports 
a wide network of Information 
providers in Ireland including the 
Europe Direct Information Centres 
(EDICs). 

The mission of the network is to 
distribute information and advice about 
the EU’s policies, actively promote 
local and regional debate about the 
EU, allow the European institutions 
to disseminate local and regional 
information and give the public the 
opportunity to send feedback to the EU 
institutions.

There are 10 information points in 
Ireland which provide the following 
services: 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

answers to questions on your EU 
rights, funding, etc. 

invitations to local EU information/
networking events 

EU documents and publications 

references to other information 
sources 

contact details for relevant 
organisations 

For further information on the activities 
of the EDICs in Ireland visit  
www.europedirect.ie 

For more information or if you have a 
question about the EU call  
00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11.

European Commission Representation In IrelandI

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www.euireland.ie 

www.facebook.com/euireland 

https://twitter.com/eurireland

18 Dawson Street
Dublin 2
Tel: +353 1 634-1111 
Fax: +353 1 634-1112
email: eu-ie-info-request@ec.europa.eu

Opening hours for members of the public are Monday to Friday, 
9am-5pm.

ISBN 978-92-79-37993-2
doi:10.2775/66939

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